Miss Havisham Fire Essay

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.

There are many different things that had happened and went on in the book “Great Expectations”. In the book there are also many different symbolic and reasonings for many things that happened. In my belief I thing that the fire at Miss. Havisham’s house was very symbolic to herself.

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

‘Miss Havisham’ is a bitter and twisted character from the novel ‘Great Expectations’ by Charles Dickens. Carol Ann Duffy takes this character and explores her tragic life in the poem ‘Havisham’. Duffy uses Dark themes, structure, symbolism and other poetic techniques to express Havisham’s hatred for men after her tragic wedding when she was rejected by her fiancé. Duffy’s use of these poetic techniques create a sinister character and makes Havisham feel real to the reader.

The main storyline has to do with Pip’s expectations of becoming a gentleman. To do this he received help from a secret benefactor. For the first half of the novel Pip is convinced that Miss Havisham is the one doing this so one day he and Estella can be together. Dickens creates a story around Pip’s assumption to make this a very logical explanation. Coincidentally right after Pip realizes and confirms he was wrong about his benefactor, an unexpected character reappears. “You acted nobly, my boy,” said he. “Noble Pip! And I have never forgot it!” (Dickens 248) These words ring out of his benefactor’s name. Who appears to be the escaped convict from the beginning who threatened him, known by the name of Magwitch. Magwitch reveals that ever since that day in the graveyard when Pip returned to give him what he requested he has found a job to help Pip out for what he did for him. By doing this secretly for all this

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

In the book Great Expectations by Charles Dickens a lot of things happen, some things were good and some things were bad that happened. One of the bad things that happened was the fire at Miss Havisham's house. The main character Pip goes to Miss Havisham's house and sees that she is sitting very close to the fire and she is sitting in her old wedding dress. A flame catches her dress on fire, Pip starts to panic and grabs a coat to put the flames out. I think fire symbolizes her wedding day and also may symbolize that it was a suicide attempt. Dickens put this part in the book because the part goes right with the story line.

The fire at Miss Havishmans house is symbolic of her life dwindling away. It also shows Miss Havishman repent how she treated pip earlier in his life. Some others think it was a suicide attempt of Miss Havishman because of how she treated Pip and Estella. I don't think it was {{not}} a suicide attempt but to get pip and Estella to sort of apologize for how she taught Estella to treat men and how bad she treated pip in which she does.

Miss Havisham was the woman who decided to enact her revenge on mankind by raising Estella to be cold, thus in turn, driving Pip to want to to become a gentleman to become “good enough” for Estella. Even though Estella was actually the daughter of a murderer and a convict, Miss Havisham raised her to be haughty and superficial, so she steps all around the people she deems below her. Pip is one of the unlucky few who get trapped under her footsteps. Mrs. Joe's and Biddy's had significantly less influence than Estella and Miss Havisham, but they still had an effect on Pip’s life. Neither character is particularly developed, as “Biddy... is the novel's one truly virtuous, patient, domestic woman, but as a character she is by contrast bland, like most "good" women in Dickens.”

After arriving at this realization, Miss Havisham pleads to Pip, "If you can ever write under my name, `I forgive her,' though ever so long after my broken heart is dust, pray do it!" (370). She is released from her imprisonment by this statement because she realizes that she has caused Pip's heart to be broken in the same manner as her own. Rather than achieving any kind of personal revenge, she has only caused more pain. Miss Havisham comes to this awareness because of Pip's love and forgiveness towards her, reinforcing the novel's theme that people are liberated by their internal confinement by love.

The fire ate Satis House is a symbol of rebirth and washed away sin. Before the fire, Miss Havisham, feels incredibly guilty for having caused Estella to break Pip's heart. Pip is kind to her and forgives her. When walking in the garden later on he looks up into the window and sees her “shrieking, with a whirl of fire blazing all about her, and soaring at least as many feet above her head as she was high.” . Pip runs in to save her and he succeeds. However she becomes a shadow of her former self. Miss Havisham is burned as rebirth. She is sorrowful for the pain she has caused Pip and the fire symbolizes her freedom of the guilt. However she does not feel this freedom it is inferred that the fire was intended to free her. Pip is badly burned

I feel that the fire at Miss Havisham was very symbolic. Throughout Great Expecations, Miss Havisham is portrayed as a cold, unloving person. It is referenced throughout the novel the events of her wedding day, and how she was abandoned.

In chapter eleven of Great Expectations written by Charles Dickens, a fire takes place at Miss Havisham's home. Fire, throughout this novel, is symbolic, for it represents warmth, understanding, desire, and destruction. In this novel, fire is playing a big role in making the reader understand more about the characters and their story. There are several symbols of which fire represents, such as Miss Havisham wasting away, similar to her home on the day of the fire. Or, perhaps, when a fire was actually lit, the fire was reluctant, just as Miss Havisham was reluctant to have people in her home. Or maybe it represents Miss Havisham, who had allowed family into her home, but was unwelcoming and unkind to them.

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

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