Miss. Havisham
Miss. Havisham is not exactly the most believable character but she show believable attributes. Miss. Havisham is determined never to move beyond her heartbreak.
Chapter 8
“She was dressed in rich materials - satins, and lace, and silks - all of white. Her shoes were white. And she had a long white veil dependent from her hair, and she had bridal flowers in her hair, but her hair was white. Some bright jewels sparkled on her neck and on her hands, and some other jewels lay sparkling on the table. She had not quite finished dressing, for she had but one shoe on - her veil was but half arranged, her watch and chain were not put on… 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. It was when I stood before her, avoiding her eyes, that I took note of the surrounding objects in detail, and saw that her watch had stopped at twenty minutes to nine, and that a clock in the room had stopped at twenty minutes to nine.”
Explanation:
Miss. Havisham is so upset with the idea that Compeyson had left them on what was supposed to be their wedding day. After this point in time Miss. Havisham begin to become obsessed with the pain that she felt on her wedding day.
Miss. Havisham is an example of single- minded being who is vengeful upon everyone and everything: both Miss. Havisham and the people in her life suffer greatly because of her quest for revenge.
“Miss Havisham would often ask me in a whisper, or when we were alone, "Does she grow prettier and prettier, Pip?" And when I said yes (for indeed she did), would seem to enjoy it greedily. Also, when we played at cards Miss Havisham would look on, with a miserly relish of Estella's moods, whatever they were. And sometimes, when her moods were so many and so contradictory of one another that I was puzzled what to say or do, Miss Havisham would embrace her with lavish fondness, murmuring something in her ear that sounded like "Break their hearts my pride and hope, break their hearts and have no mercy!"
Explanation:
Miss. Havisham uses Estella to get back at the evil men in the world. Miss. Havisham is so single- minded that she doesn’t
Near the end of the novel, Miss. Havisham finally sees that her actions are hurtful toward Pip and the other people in her life including Estella.
Chapter 49
"Yes, yes, I know it. But, Pip - my dear!" There was an earnest womanly compassion for me in her new affection. "My dear! Believe this: when she first came to me, I meant to save her from misery like my own. At first I meant no more. But as she grew, and promised to be very beautiful, I gradually did worse, and with my praises, and with my jewels, and with my teachings, and with this figure of myself always before her a warning to back and point my lessons, I stole her heart away and put ice in its place. If you knew all my story," she pleaded, "you would have some compassion for me and a better understanding of me.
Explanation:
Miss. Havisham 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.
Magwitch
Magwitch a fearsome criminal just recently escaped from prison and terrorizes Pip at the beginning of Great Expectations.
Chapter 1
“You fail, or you go from my words in any partickler, no matter how small it is, and your heart and your liver shall be tore out, roasted and ate. Now, I ain't alone, as you may think I am. There's a young man hid with me, in comparison with which young man I am a Angel. That young man hears the words I speak. That young man has a secret way pecooliar to himself, of getting at a boy, and at his heart, and at his liver. It is in wain for a boy to attempt to hide himself from that young man. A boy may lock his door, may be warm in bed, may tuck himself up, may draw the clothes over his head, may think himself comfortable and safe, but that young man will softly creep and creep his way to him and tear him open. I am a-keeping that young man from harming of you at the present moment, with great difficulty. I find it wery hard to hold that young man off of your inside.”
Although Magwitch is a criminal he knows who he is and is not assamed of himself. He refers to himself as an Angel because of the other convict that he is traveling with. The other convict is much more violent and dangerous, Magwitch warns Pip of this not only to scare him but to warn him of the danger of being in this cemetery.
Pips kindness and gratitude toward Magwitch makes a deep impression on him and he devotes himself to making a fortune to better Pip.
Chapter 56
"Look'ee here, Pip. I'm your second father. You're my son - more to me nor any son. I've put away money, only for you to spend. When I was a hired-out shepherd in a solitary hut, not seeing no faces but faces of sheep till I half forgot wot men's and women's faces wos like, I see yourn. I drops my knife many a time in that hut when I was a-eating my dinner or my supper, and I says, 'Here's the boy again, a-looking at me whiles I eats and drinks!' I see you there a many times, as plain as ever I see you on them misty marshes. 'Lord strike me dead!' I says each time - and I goes out in the air to say it under the open heavens - 'but wot, if I gets liberty and money, I'll make that boy a gentleman!' And I done it. Why, look at you, dear boy! Look at these here lodgings o'yourn, fit for a lord! A lord? Ah! You shall show money with lords for wagers, and beat 'em!"
Magwitch throughout the novel struggles for people to understand him but is always confident in himself. Magwitch dies and Pip learns the Magwitch was his benefactor and that Estella is his daughter. This changes everything for Pips idealistic view of the upper class, Magwitch was his benefactor up worked hard for his earnings and Estella the love of his life is the daughter of a convict.
Magwitch makes this speech to Pip when he dramatically reveals himself as Pips secret benefactor and the source of all of his wealth. This quote reveals a lot about Magwitch’s character. At the beginning of the novel Magwitch seems as a frightening, mysterious and horrible convict and with this quote we receive our first glimpse of his powerful sense of respect and loyalty toward how he feels about Pip.
At the end of the novel, Magwitch dies at he dies with dignity and peace after having the chance to return the basic tenderness that Pip had for him.
Chapter 56
“With a last faint effort, which would have been powerless but for my yielding to it and assisting it, he raised my hand to his lips. Then, he gently let it sink upon his breast again, with his own hands lying on it. The placid look at the white ceiling came back, and passed away, and his head dropped quietly on his breast
Magwitch throughout the novel struggles for people to understand him but is always confident in himself. Magwitch dies at peace with the dignity of the chance of being able to show Pip the same kindness Pip showed him. When Magwitch dies this changes everything for Pips idealistic view of the upper class, Magwitch a man who work hard for his earning was his benefactor and Estella the love of his life is the daughter of a convict.
