Sunday, May 13, 2012

How does Estella feel about her visiting London in Chapter 33 of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens?Mrs. Havisham sent Estella to London because...

Estella's visit to London marks one of the first instances
in which readers see Estella's resentment toward Miss Havisham.  Though Estella is
relatively friendly to Pip, she continues to caution him against loving her.  We
understand, based on Estella's words, the extent to which she has been affected by Miss
Havisham's upbringing.  In fact, Estella refers to Miss Havisham as an "impostor of a
woman"  who is responsible for Estella's lack of ability to feel for others.  When Pip
remarks that Miss Havisham might miss Estella while she is in London, Estella replies
"with a sigh, as if she were tired" (286).  This suggests that Estella is beginning to
realize the error in Miss Havisham's ways, though Estella knows that as a result of her
upbringing, she is missing the capacity to love that others feel. The fact that Miss
Havisham has sent her to London to live with "a lady of some station" is just another
one of Miss Havisham's attempts to make Estella desirable to men in order to break their
hearts. 

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