Book Anatomy · Great Expectations
Great Expectations: Pace
16 lenses on pace for Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. Count lenses are exact for our text. AI lenses are our reading and cite only quotes that passed a word for word check.
Jump to: D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 D10 D11 D12 D13 D14 D15 D16
D1. Chapter length in words, as a chart. Count
59 chapters, median 2,972 words. See the full lens on the book page.
D2. Mean sentence length per chapter. Count
Mean 18.3 words. See the full lens on the book page.
D3. Paragraph length per chapter. Count
Paragraphs average 49 words.
Mean paragraph words, chapter by chapter
D4. Scene against summary: how much is shown live? AI
Most of the book is shown live in scenes. Chapters 12, 14, 17, 34 use summary to cover long periods, but key moments like Pip's meetings with Estella, Magwitch's revelation, and the escape attempt are dramatised fully.
Chapters: Ch 8, Ch 11, Ch 18, Ch 39, Ch 54
D5. Action against reflection, per chapter. AI
Early chapters balance action and reflection equally. Middle chapters (27 to 38) shift toward reflection on Pip's shame and love. Late chapters (39 to 56) return to high action with the escape plot, then reflection dominates the final chapters (57 to 59).
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 8, Ch 27, Ch 39, Ch 57
D6. Tension score per chapter (1 to 5) as a curve. AI
Peak 5 of 5, mean 3.4. See the full lens on the book page.
D7. Emotional arc of the whole book, matched to the six shapes. Count
Oedipus (fall, rise, fall). See the full lens on the book page.
D8. Chapter endings: cliffhanger, question, reveal or quiet close. AI
34 of 59 chapters end on a hook. See the full lens on the book page.
D9. Chapter openings: in scene, in summary, or after a time jump. AI
Most chapters open in scene or with immediate action. Chapters 7, 12, 14, 17, 34 open in summary covering elapsed time. Chapter 19 opens with Pip preparing to leave. Chapter 57 opens with Pip recovering from illness.
Chapters: Ch 7, Ch 12, Ch 14, Ch 17, Ch 19, Ch 34
D10. Do chapters and sentences get shorter near the climax? Count
In the last fifth, chapters run at 1.03 times the length of earlier ones, and sentences at 1.01 times. So the end does not speed up by these measures.
D11. Dialogue density against pace. Count
Link between dialogue share and chapter length: 0.12 (1 is a perfect match, 0 none). Between dialogue share and tension: 0.0.
Dialogue % per chapter, chapter by chapter
D12. Time jumps and how they are signalled. Both
33 time jump phrases in the narration, such as 'next morning' or 'years later'.
| Where | Phrase |
|---|---|
| c2p41 | next day |
| c12p16 | next day |
| c13p1 | next day |
| c15p37 | next day |
| c16p1 | next morning |
| c16p7 | next morning |
| c16p11 | a month after |
| c19p78 | next morning |
Time jump phrases, chapter by chapter
Ch 2, para 41: It was Christmas Eve, and I had to stir the pudding for next day, with a copper-stick, from seven to eight by the Dutch clock. I tried it …
Ch 12, para 16: She said no more at the time; but she presently stopped and looked at me again; and presently again; and after that, looked frowning and moody. On the …
Ch 13, para 1: It was a trial to my feelings, on the next day but one, to see Joe arraying himself in his Sunday clothes to accompany me to Miss Havisham’s. …
Ch 15, para 37: Dolge Orlick was at work and present, next day, when I reminded Joe of my half-holiday. He said nothing at the moment, for he and Joe had just …
Ch 16, para 1: With my head full of George Barnwell, I was at first disposed to believe that I must have had some hand in the attack upon my sister, or …
Ch 16, para 7: It was horrible to think that I had provided the weapon, however undesignedly, but I could hardly think otherwise. I suffered unspeakable trouble while I considered and reconsidered …
Time jumps are signalled by summary passages and chapter breaks. Chapter 12 covers years of visits to Miss Havisham. Chapter 14 summarises Pip's apprenticeship. Chapter 34 skips months of debt accumulation. Chapter 57 jumps past Pip's illness.
Chapters: Ch 12, Ch 14, Ch 34, Ch 57
D13. Info dump spots: long runs with no action or speech. Both
12 stretches of 900 words or more with no speech at all. These are where description, summary or backstory pile up.
| Starts at | Words | Paragraphs |
|---|---|---|
| c46p39 | 1572 | 14 |
| c37p30 | 1415 | 13 |
| c15p93 | 1388 | 11 |
| c8p92 | 1245 | 10 |
| c54p65 | 1217 | 13 |
| c39p98 | 1116 | 12 |
| c49p68 | 1101 | 13 |
| c56p1 | 1023 | 9 |
Long info dumps occur in Chapter 22 when Herbert tells Pip about Miss Havisham's past, Chapter 42 when Magwitch recounts his criminal history, and Chapter 51 when Jaggers explains Estella's parentage through hypothetical.
Chapters: Ch 22, Ch 42, Ch 51
There appeared upon the scene—say at the races, or the public balls, or anywhere else you like—a certain man, who made love to Miss Havisham. (Ch 22, para 52)
Young Havisham’s name was Arthur. Compeyson is the man who professed to be Miss Havisham’s lover. (Ch 42, para 45)
D14. Reading time per chapter. Count
About 12.4 hours to read at 250 words a minute. The longest chapter takes 23.1 minutes.
Minutes per chapter, chapter by chapter
D15. Micro tension in quiet scenes. AI
Not enough in the text to answer this one yet.
D16. Section breaks per chapter. Count
0 section breaks marked in the text, in 0 of 59 chapters.
Ask Great Expectations a question about its craft (free beta)
Answers cite chapter and paragraph, and every quote is checked against the text. (3 free questions a day).
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