Rising Mystery

Now, to sum 100-odd pages and my opinions in a paragraph or so. Let's see...

In the beginning of the book, Pip (the main char.) was threatened into giving an escaped convict living in a marsh food and a file (to break off what I think is a ball and chain strapped to his leg). These he had to steal from his "family" (his mother, father, and most of his sibling are dead; he lives with his abusive sister and her kind, blacksmith husband, Joe).

Later, he is "invited" (read as "forced") to play at a rich old woman's house (her name being Miss Havisham). In the house time seems to have stopped for the woman, my assumption being when her husband-to-be died/skipped-out on the wedding, to the extent that she only has one shoe on, her dress is yellowing along with her, the clocks have all stopped at 8:40, and the bride's cake is still on its table (rotting). He falls in love with her also abusive, younger relation, Estella, who seems to wish to break his heart (which is plainly obvious, as Miss Havisham audibly eggs her on; part of an ignorance to his surroundings that only increased as the book goes on).

Meanwhile, he meets, while in a bar with Joe, a man that has the file he gave to the convict (which seems to be becoming more important).

After his sister is nearly killed in their home (leaving her unable to speak and with memory loss) Pip supects the mysterious man with the file of having done it.

Shortly afterward he is sent to London by an anonymous "benefactor" (which he suspects is Miss Havisham) to be raised as a gentleman; Pip having wished for months after talking with Miss Havisham to be raised above his coarse neighborhood.

On to my opinions:

Pip seems remarkably ignorant to me. What made him so wish to become a "learned gentleman" when all he has seen of the way of life is a dilapidated old house, and a -let's say eccentric- old woman. Is he really that charmed by the horrible Estella, who, as he has overheard Miss Havisham speaking of, only wishes to break his heart and takes pleasure in his misery? Pip has even realized this, yet continues to wish to please her (an impossible task). He has even began to hold himself aloof of Joe, who was his only friend for much of his life. This brings up another question.

Just how old is Pip? He's old enough to have been apprenticed to Joe,and after a quick chenk of Wikipedia, this seems to put him at around 14; far from my guess of 10 or so, based on his ready belief of Miss Havisham, and sense of dread he felt that his seemingly small theft would be discovered.

(Alright, that was more than a paragraph...)