The Charles Dickens book Great Expectations emerges frequently over the course of the book, often as a symbol for David's vanity and sense of entitlement. Published in 1861, Great Expectations tells the story of a young impoverished orphan named Pip who works to become a gentleman thanks to the patronage of a mysterious and generous benefactor. It is easy to see why such a narrative would appeal to young David; however, unlike Pip, whose patronage comes as a result of a kind deed, David finds himself a benefactor out of sheer randomness. For that reason, David never truly earns the "great expectations" he has for himself and his career.

The Great Expectations symbol reemerges later during an aborted suicide attempt. As David readies himself to pull the trigger of a gun pressed against his head, he feels "a gust of wind whipping against the tower and the study windows burst open, hitting the wall with great force. An icy breeze touched my face, bringing with it the lost breath of great expectations" (172). It is his writerly ambitions—born while reading Dickens but stoked by Corelli through appeals to David's vanity—that appear to save him from committing suicide.