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Reading schedule · Grades 9–12

Great Expectations in 6 Weeks: A Reading Schedule

A six-week plan for reading Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, one section a week. Each week gives the reading, a short summary of what happens, three discussion questions and the escape room that goes with it. For grades 9–12, in class or at home.

Pacing

Rhetoric-stage students (grades 9–12) can read a section a week independently, with time to annotate and to write. The questions suit seminar discussion or short written responses, and the escape room makes a quick check on the reading before the conversation or the essay. Some sections are much longer than others, so look ahead and give the heaviest weeks extra time.

Each week ends with an escape room on that week's reading: seven self-checking locks that run in any browser, with no logins, and progress is saved, so a room can be finished another day. Every room has free taster locks to try, and members can open them all.

Print this schedule Escape rooms on Great Expectations

Week 1: Chapters 1–10

Read: Chapters 1–10

The orphan Pip meets an escaped convict on the marshes and steals food and a file for him, and soldiers hunt the convicts down on Christmas Day. Pip is sent to play at Miss Havisham's, where the clocks have stopped and Estella mocks him; he tells tall tales about it at home, takes lessons from Biddy and meets a stranger with a file.

Discussion questions

1. Why does Pip help the convict?
2. How does Pip see himself after visiting Miss Havisham?
3. Why does the stranger with the file matter?

Escape room: Stopped Clocks (lockedlessons.com/rooms/great-expectations-chapters-1-10/)

Week 2: Chapters 11–19

Read: Chapters 11–19

Pip meets Miss Havisham's hopeful relations, sees the rotting bride-cake and fights a pale young gentleman. He is apprenticed to Joe, Orlick becomes his enemy, Mrs Joe is attacked and Biddy comes to the forge; then the lawyer Mr Jaggers announces that Pip has great expectations and must go to London.

Discussion questions

1. Why is Pip ashamed of the forge?
2. What does Pip believe about where his fortune comes from?
3. How does Pip treat Joe and Biddy as he leaves?

Escape room: The Lawyer's News (lockedlessons.com/rooms/great-expectations-chapters-11-19/)

Week 3: Chapters 20–29

Read: Chapters 20–29

In London Pip meets Mr Jaggers's clerk Wemmick and shares rooms at Barnard's Inn with Herbert Pocket, the pale young gentleman, who tells him Miss Havisham's story. He studies with the Pockets at Hammersmith, visits Wemmick's castle at Walworth, dines with Mr Jaggers, is embarrassed by Joe's visit and meets Estella grown up.

Discussion questions

1. How does Wemmick live two lives?
2. Why is Pip embarrassed by Joe's visit, and what does it show about him?
3. What does Miss Havisham's story explain?

Escape room: A Gentleman in London (lockedlessons.com/rooms/great-expectations-chapters-20-29/)

Week 4: Chapters 30–39

Read: Chapters 30–39

Pip is mocked by Trabb's boy, sees Mr Wopsle play Hamlet and escorts Estella in London and Richmond. He visits Newgate, joins the Finches of the Grove, goes to Mrs Joe's funeral, comes of age, secretly helps Herbert and resents Bentley Drummle's toast; then, on a stormy night, a visitor climbs his stairs.

Discussion questions

1. Is Pip's life as a gentleman making him happy?
2. Why does Pip help Herbert in secret?
3. Who might the visitor be, and what might he change?

Escape room: A Stormy Night (lockedlessons.com/rooms/great-expectations-chapters-30-39/)

Week 5: Chapters 40–49

Read: Chapters 40–49

The visitor is the convict, disguised as Provis, who tells his life story and of his enemy Compeyson. Estella chooses Drummle, Wemmick warns Pip by note, the convict is hidden at Mill Pond Bank, a man is seen at the theatre, Pip notices the housekeeper's wrists, and Miss Havisham's remorse is followed by the fire.

Discussion questions

1. How does Pip feel about the convict now, and why?
2. Why does Estella choose Drummle?
3. Does Miss Havisham deserve forgiveness?

Escape room: The Hidden Uncle (lockedlessons.com/rooms/great-expectations-chapters-40-49/)

Week 6: Chapters 50–59

Read: Chapters 50–59

Pip learns the secret of Estella's parents and survives Orlick's trap at the sluice-house. The escape down the river fails, Wemmick marries, Magwitch is tried and dies, Pip falls ill and is nursed by Joe, Joe marries Biddy, and years later Pip returns.

Discussion questions

1. How has Pip's view of Magwitch changed?
2. What does Joe's care during Pip's illness show?
3. Is the ending happy, uncertain or both?

Escape room: Down the River (lockedlessons.com/rooms/great-expectations-chapters-50-59/)