What has Miss Havisham taught Pip in Great Expectations by Charles Dickens?

As such an eccentric character, Miss Havisham serves
easily as a measure for many of Pip's lessons. 

1. For
instance, her wealth and social class, which arbitrarily give her a status above
others, illuminates the ridiculous sycophancy and hypocrisy of Uncle Pumblechook and
others such as Mrs. Pocket who aspire to what Dickens considered a frivolous
aristocracy.  Her very name--Havisham--suggests the
spuriousness of her life that is wasted on her desire for revenge against all members of
the male sex. 

2. And, as the years pass, Pip realizes the
terrible toll that living solely for revenge takes upon a person.  For, he
perceives loneliness that haunts Miss Havisham as her protege, Estella, whom she has
brought up to be brutally cold and heartless, is equally incapable of returning the
love Miss Havisham gives her. In addition, Pip realizes what a worm vengeance is, eating
away at the soul of the one who harbors it.  When she finally becomes aware of the
terrible hurt she has caused Pip, Miss Havisham begs forgiveness because she does not
wish to die with the burden of her guilt. 

3. Further, Pip
has reinforced by Miss Havisham the lesson that wealth does not buy happiness or ensure
success and friends.  This is a lesson that Pip apprehends from others as well, but,
certainly Miss Havisham presents a living example of the decay that can come to a person
who possesses only money and none of the spiritual rewards of life such as friends and
loved ones.

4. Above all, Miss Havisham of Great
Expectations is a character who serves to develop the important theme of
Charles Dickens that Mr. Jaggers overtly states:  "Take nothing on appearances."  Since
the visit of Jaggers to the forge to announce Pip's "great expectations," Pip has
believed that Miss Havisham has been his benefactor; however, she has not, just as she
has not been anything that she has sought to be.  Miss Havisham's life has, tragically,
been truly a sham.  From her, Pip learns that appearances are often superficial.  The
true values are in friendship, and integrity.  Pip returns to Joe, his loving friend and
he learns that he must create his own life and not depend upon the generosity of any
benefactor.