Great Expectations Miss Havisham

An imagine Charles Dickens has left in my mind is Miss. Havisham. I see this faceless, all bone, yellow skinned lady wearing one shoe and a wedding dress. Miss. Havisham was originally described on page 47 and she was described as a weary, wore down woman and I was having fun imagining this peculiar lady. I see her like Maleficent, because she was written as very boney, again on page 47. I just imagine her cheekbones being very prominent, like Maleficent. I also see her like looking kind of deranged because on page 47 Dickens wrote; "She uttered the word with a eager look, and with a weird smile". I think the weird smile part is what lead me to believe she looks deranged. I can't see her face, but I can see her features like; sunken eyes, that

As if a ghost flew by, the woman was no longer her former self. She shielded herself with the snow, almost vanishing out of existence with no trace left behind. The woman was strange according to Charles Dickens. Yet only a few years later the white woman would inspire the character Miss Havisham. Miss Havisham is from a book called Great Expectations, the book was written by Charles Dickens during the Victorian era. In addition the book has many intriguing characters with their own intricate backstories. Character like Miss Havisham, Pip, and Magwitch. Each one of them are imprisoned by previous actions accompaned with mistakes.

Miss Havisham in the novel “Great Expectations” is a mean, prideful, selfish, old woman who has a big change of heart due to the actions of the protagonist, Pip. “Miss Havisham was a spoiled Child, her mother died when she was a baby, and her father denied her nothing”(page 120). She became comsumed by pride and greed. Later, “there appeared upon the scene a certain man, who made love to miss Havisham”(page 120). The man acted as if he loved Miss

It could have been an accident or it may not be. Miss Havisham realized that she has caused so much pain to Pip, she said mean things to him and set up Estella, which is her adopted daughter with Pip. Pip had fallen in love with Estella since the minute they had met. She had treated him bad too, she would say mean things to Pip and he did not care and he was used to people treated him that way. Also it could be because of her wedding day, she was sitting in her rotten wedding dress and that could be a reminder of that

The reader gets a true glimpse of Miss Havisham’s lifestyle when Pip pays a visit. “I entered, therefore, and found myself in a pretty large room, well lighted with wax candles. No glimpse of daylight was to be seen in it. It was a dressing-room, as I supposed from the furniture, though much of it was of forms and uses then quite unknown to me. But prominent in it was a draped table with a gilded looking-glass, and that I made out at first sight to be a fine lady's dressing-table…. But, I saw that everything within my view which ought to be white, had been white long ago, and had lost its lustre, and was faded and yellow. I saw that the bride within the bridal dress had withered like the dress, and like the flowers, and had no brightness left but the brightness of her sunken eyes…” (Great expectations, pg 55-56). After the man she was suppose to be wed left her at the altar and took her money with him, she descended into madness. Her own wealth led to her corruption. She never overcame this obstacle and vowed the rest of her life to getting revenge. This tragic event changed her and soon resulted in the corruption of her and her daughter. There seems to be a silent debate on the meaning of a gentleman. The society views it as someone who is wealthy and well- mannered while the poor view it as a person who acts as they are. "It is considered that you

The Presentation of Miss Havisham in Chapter 8 and in Chapter 49 of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Miss Havisham is a lonely individual who has been through many struggles in her life. One example of a struggle she has been through is when she was getting married and on her wedding day, was jilted at the alter. The day she received a letter stating that her fiancé had merely defrauded her and no longer wanted to marry her changed her outlook on life. She stopped trying to progress in life and altogether stopped living. Heartbroken as she was, she remained in her

There seem to be many themes and symbols in Charles Dickens novel Great Expectations. The fire which occurred in Miss Havisham's house is an interesting theme. Obviously by the novel's title we get the idea that it will be about what is to come in the life of one of the main characters, Pip. From the time Pip goes to Miss Havisham's home for the first time he want success and wealth that is shown there. Her wealth impressed him.

This makes the reader feel somewhat sorry for her at first and wonder why she is living in such a way. Although it is soon evident that Miss Havisham is not as weak as she first appears when she speaks to Pip for the first time; ‘“Come nearer; let me look at you. Come close.”’ Dickens also uses imperatives in Miss Havisham’s speech ‘come’ showing that although regarded by all in that era as a failure she still has power to make others do whatever she wants.

Question: How does Dickens in his portrayal of Miss Havisham explore the theme of isolation?

and I, but to obey our instructions. We are not free to follow our own

With her plan of revenge in mind, Miss Havisham deliberately raises Estella to avoid emotional attachment and treat those who love her with cruelty. A specific quote in the book, where Miss Havisham tells Pip that he must love Estella at all costs, sheds light on Miss Havisham's vengeful character. One can draw parallels from the life of Miss Havisham to the life that she

A secret always has reasoning behind how long it is kept hidden and when it is revealed. There’s always a perfect time and place for one to share one’s secret. Uniquely books have secrets embedded within to keep the reader on edge. If used wisely by the author, a secrets purpose can affect a novel’s story line, character development, and theme. Every secret throughout Dickens’ novel Great Expectations is effectively kept hidden and divulged at a certain moment, to allow the reader to contemplate the influence of social status and relationships on happiness.

Dicken’s uses character in Great Expectations to portray the divisions among social classes, a common and widespread issue during the 19th century in England. Pip’s contorted views on social class greatly affects his perception of other characters, particularly those of the upper class, as evidenced by when Pip first introduces Miss Havisham and describes her , “ I had heard of Miss Havisham up town—everybody for miles round, had heard of Miss Havisham up town—as an immensely rich lady…” (Dickens 80). Pip speaks of Miss Havisham in reverence as he believes attaining a social status similar to her’s is one of the ultimate goals in life, as he was born into a peasant family.

The class system becomes a focal point in young Pip's life. Pip first began to think about his place in society when he was sent to visit the wealthy, old lady, Miss Havisham at her mansion. Through these visits Pip becomes socially conscious and begins to dislike his commonality. Almost instantly he wants to become uncommon. The adopted daughter of Miss Havisham, Estella, becomes a focal point and goal for Pip to obtain. Any morality Pip used to have slips away with each visit. Pip walks in circles in a barely lit room with Miss Havisam holding onto his shoulder and in doing so, Pip is somehow leaving behind all the values he was raised with. Miss Havisham and Estella end up corrupting Pip with the rich life. Greed, beauty and hubris are Pips downward spiral into an immoral life. Pip finds Estella very attractive, but Estella calls him common and this does not sit well with Pip. All of Pip's expectations of becoming a rich gentleman are due to this love of Estella.