Great Expectations
What theme does Miss Havisham illustrate in the novel's conclusion?
at the end, she changes
at the end, she changes
Guilt becomes a dominant motivater for Miss Havisham late in the novel. Miss Havisham, hurt by the callous actions of her fiancé, has raised her adopted daughter, Estella, to reject everything having to do with men and romantic love. This comes back to haunt Miss Havisham, first when Estella refuses to love her as well, and later when Miss Havisham witnesses Pip’s attempt to convince Estella not to marry Drummle. Miss Havisham is so consumed with guilt that she begs Pip for forgiveness. Later, Miss Havisham nearly burns to death in an attempt to end her misery. Miss Havisham dies of a broken heart, most likely brought on by her guilt and her regrets.
Great Expectations