"Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens is a novel written in the mid-19th century during the Victorian era. The story follows the life of a young orphan named Philip "Pip" Pirrip as he navigates social classes, personal ambitions, and the complexities of human relationships. 

The narrative begins with Pip's fateful encounter with an escaped convict, setting the stage for themes of ambition, morality, and transformation. In the opening of the novel, Pip wanders through a churchyard, reflecting on his family history as revealed by the tombstones. His innocent musings are abruptly interrupted by a terrifying confrontation with a convict who demands food and a file, instilling fear in Pip. 

As Pip grapples with the fear of being caught stealing food for the convict and the horror of his surroundings, we are drawn into the bleak marshes that significantly shape his childhood. This intense encounter not only establishes a sense of danger but also foreshadows Pip's future entanglements with crime and class disparity, as he later must navigate his relationships with individuals from both the convict's world and his own lower-class upbringing.