1. Pip, an orphaned boy, works as a blacksmith's assistant and lives with his sister and her husband in a small English village. How does Pip imagine his deceased parents? Does he experience hardship and deprivation? Why is life with his sister so difficult for him? Would you agree that Dickens goes to great lengths to portray young Pip with considerable sympathy?

2. Why is Pip's encounter with the escaped convict so traumatic? What factors make this scene in the marshes particularly frightening? Although the reader may not realize it initially, this event is crucial to the story. Why is that?

3. Eccentric old Miss Havisham calls upon Pip to wheel her around and be a companion to her ward, Estella. But what is her true motive? Why does she harbor bitterness towards men? Is she a believable character?

4. Pip's life as a blacksmith's apprentice abruptly ends with the arrival of the lawyer, Mr. Jaggers. What surprising revelation does Mr. Jaggers share? How does it transform Pip's life?

5. Pip moves to London to be educated as an English gentleman. What happens to him during his time there? Would you agree that he becomes less admirable? How does Dickens critique the notion of the "English gentleman" through Pip's character?

6. In London, Pip encounters Estella again. Is he still attracted to her? What makes her so irresistible to him? Why does he believe that Miss Havisham secretly supports their marriage?

7. One day in London, Pip meets Magwitch, the convict he helped as a boy. What does Pip learn from Magwitch about his benefactor's identity? Why is Pip deeply troubled by this revelation?

8. Upon discovering that Magwitch has returned to England illegally, Pip once again tries to help him escape from the authorities. How do Pip's feelings toward Magwitch change? Do these changes indicate that Pip has grown more mature? What ultimately happens to Magwitch?

9. In the original ending, Pip returns to his job as a blacksmith with no hope of winning Estella. Do you think this ending is more artistically fitting than the revised version where Pip reunites with Estella? Are you satisfied with the happy ending that Dickens was persuaded to adopt?

10. What are the main themes of the novel?

11. Which aspects of the story appeal to you more, the plot or the characters? What are the primary strengths and weaknesses of the plot and characterization?