The orphaned boy Pip's life takes an unexpected turn when, during his apprenticeship with a blacksmith, he receives a large sum of money from an anonymous benefactor. From having rather bleak prospects, the possibility of a life of prosperity opens up. However, the path is filled with difficulties, and it's uncertain whether money is the way to happiness. Great Expectations was initially published as a serial in the magazine All Year Round from 1860 to 1861. In style, it is a classic Bildungsroman, featuring the character gallery so significant for Charles Dickens. CHARLES DICKENS [1812–1870], born in Portsmouth, England, was the most popular English-language novelist of his time. He created a fictional world that reflected the social and technological changes during the Victorian era. Among his most famous works are David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, A Christmas Carol, and The Pickwick Papers.