least have an idea of how the story is progressing.A study of Great Expectations as a novel of familial relationships provides a variety of topics for extended classroom discussions since the book raises a number of key questions as Pip seeks to find his niche in life. One such question deals with the role of Miss Havisham who is so very central to the plot of Dickens’ tale. Although the novel is rich in familial relationships, Miss Havisham is unmarried as a result of her ill-fated affair mentioned earlier. This fact, in itself, does not make her an anti-family figure. Rather, it is her tutelage of the young and beautiful Estella whom she raises as an extension of her own bitter attitude toward men. Estella is openly encouraged to break men’s hearts as Miss Havisham’s own heart was broken when her wedding plans diminished so abruptly. Why would Dickens use such a character at the core of his novel? One could argue that Miss Havisham is a tool of Dickens’ then developing literary art and merely a vehicle to add a certain mystique and intrigue to the life of the novel’s hero. It also could be said, however, that the matriarchal figure of Miss Havisham as an anti-family figure merely asserts Dickens’ view of the importance of the family in life. Time has stopped for Miss Havisham both literally and figuratively. Without the hope and promise of a familial relationship, Miss Havisham remains a character of tragic consequence who can not achieve the fulfillment of her once cherished dream. Students should be encouraged to discuss the role of Miss Havisham in the novel. Such a discussion should lead students to a realization of the importance of familial love and caring and how these familial qualities can contribute to their own growth and maturation.Closely aligned but probably easier to understand than the spectre of Miss Havisham at the core of Great Expectations is the absence, for the most part, of th...
