Monday, November 15, 2010

Great Expectations Chapter 11-12

Chapter eleven begins with Pip paying another visit to Miss Havisham's house. However, this time he is taken into another part of the house than he had previously been in. Pip notes that there is yet another clock that has stopped at twenty minutes to nine. There is a possible symbolism that all of the clocks have stopped at exactly the same time. It could represent that everything in the house, including the people are stuck in time. Estella takes Pip into a room where there are already four other people. Pip stands there uncomfortable until Estella summons him away. The introduction of these four new characters might prove to be significant later on in the novel. On the way to Miss Havisham's room Estella questions Pip on whether or not he finds her pretty. When Pip says that he does, Estella reacts violently, yelling at him and even slapping him. Pip is rightfully confused by her reaction. Also while on the way to Miss Havisham's room Pip and Estella encounter "a burly man of an exceedingly large head and a corresponding large hand." page 81. Pip alludes to the fact that this man might prove to be significant in the future and not necessarily in a good way.

Pip finally arrives to Miss Havisham's room and he ends up walking her around the room across from hers. Eventually the four people from the other room join Pip and Miss Havisham and a conversation ensues. Eventually Miss Havisham's tires of her company, especially the fact that they keep mentioning that Matthew has not come, and asks everyone except Pip to leave. Miss Havisham reveals that it was her birthday, but that she does not want anyone to mention. Also she reveals that is the reason that the others had come to visit. Miss Havisham makes Pip and Estella play cards together and then when she tired of this Pip was let downstairs for his meal. Pip is left to wonder around on his own. It is at this time that Pip encounters the pale gentlemen. Pip and the pale gentlemen engage in a fight and Pip ends up winning. After the fight the two politely part ways. As Pip is leaving Estella tells Pip that he may kiss her if he would like and so Pip kisses her on the cheek. However Pip has a deep feeling that she might just be toying with him.

Pip continues to be plagued by guilt from the fight he had with the pale gentlemen. He believes that he will eventually be reprimanded for it although technically he has done nothing wrong. The time comes again for him to meet with Miss Havisham and nothing happens, so for the time being his conscious is cleared. It becomes a routine between him and Miss Havisham that he will walk her around two rooms and when she gets tired he will wheel her around. Also Pip and Estella are made to play cards and Miss Havisham seems to encourage all of Estella's violent mood swings.After every one of her outbursts 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!" page 94. From this quote it can be assumed that Miss Havisham has possible been hurt in the matters of love and that this has shaped who she is. It is also quite possible that Biddy likes Pip, this is alluded to on page 95 when Pip mentions how much Biddy enjoys listening to everything he tells him. Time passes and finally Miss Havisham realizes that Pip has grown. It is at this time that she asks for a meeting with him and Joe. When Pip's sister finds out about this she takes it as a personal attack against her and this further shows her personality flaws.

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