What Does Miss Havisham Symbolize In His Bildungsroman?

In his bildungsroman Great Expectations, Charles Dickens’ used many literary elements to develop his characters. One such element he used was symbolism, a technique that uses symbolic images and indirect suggestions to express mystical ideas, emotions and states of mind. The reason Dickens’ used symbolism in this novel was because he wanted the reader to interpret the text themselves. Great Expectations is considered a great work of literature because there is not just one lesson to be learned. The whole world has a different interpretation of what Dickens’ purpose was when he wrote this book. Dickens’ best creation of symbolism in the novel is the scene where he describes Miss Havisham’s wedding cake, which symbolizes Miss Havisham’s inner

However, in Miss Havisham’s case, her bridal cake wasn't something she remembered with jubilation. On her wedding day, her fiance, Compeyson, didn't show up to the lavish wedding, which left Miss Havisham without a groom. This event left Miss Havisham completely distraught. To remember this horrible day, Miss Havisham decided to leave the whole Satis house that exact way it was moments before the wedding. In the parlor, Miss Havisham’s "watch had stopped at twenty minutes to nine", she chose her wedding dress as her everyday outfit, and she left her bridal cake to rot. Although small, this cake symbolizes Miss Havisham's whole world. The bridal cake’s hidden meaning reappears later on in the story when Miss Havisham lights on fire. Pip quickly grabbed the tablecloth on which her bridal cake rested upon, and when he grabbed the tablecloth, all the spiders scattered and the cake crumbled to pieces. ” .. That I dragged the great cloth from the table for the same purpose, and with it dragged down the heap of rottenness in the midst…” (p.402). The cake meant so such to Miss Havisham, that it was basically her life. When that cake was torn down and ruined, it symbolized the approachment of death for her, since he “world” had just fallen apart. It must have been very painful for Miss Havisham too see her her bridal dress and her wedding cake get

The black fungus appears in many scenes. This was especially prevalent in the bridal cake scene. By using this symbol, Dickens is telling the reader that love is contagious. Dickens uses the color black so that the reader will feel a sense of darkness and fear. Fungus an organism that spreads and once it arrives, it conquers. In a sense, this is what Compeyson did to Miss Havisham. Since the bridal cake symbolizes Miss Havisham's love life, the fungus around the structure implies that her her relationship was full of bad blood. This revelation allows the reader to understand that Miss Havisham has been engaged in grief and pain since the day of her wedding. Dickens doesn't specifically tell the reader that Miss Havisham is in pain, he incorporates symbols in scenes to show that Miss Havisham is in severe internal