Symbol Of Fire In Havisham

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Throughout the compelling novel Havisham the concept of fire is symbolically used to develop characters qualities and further explore there complexity. This is also done in the novel Great Expectations which inspired author Ronald Frame to write Havisham. Although the symbol is very prominent in both books it affects the main characters in a much more drastic way than others. In both novels the symbol represent to separate ideas but have correlative aspects. However, both of them are more complex than they seem, affecting the two characters in immoderately different ways.
In Great Expectations fire comprehensively symbolizes salvation. In some situations it allows an honest confrontation with one’s self and their past, allowing one to come
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This is shown by the fact that whenever he touches her she gets warm, and sometimes her skin gets so hot it is painful, yet she denies her afflictions in an effort to allow her love to consume her. This is shown when she states “I felt my skin was scorched for a minuet or two afterwards. When he had gone I would stare at the point of contact, as if there ought to have been a burn” (Frame 125). Comparable to Pip she feels as if her love will be her salvation, therefore there is a small link between the meaning of the symbol between both …show more content…
In Great expectations Mrs. Havisham catches fire after admitting how she manipulated Estella and Pip and begs for forgiveness (Dickens 401). Her redemption is later finalized when her rotting wedding dress catches fire. This symbolizes the shedding of her past sorrows and represents the beginning of her rebirth as a better person. Like Havisham, Dido is also renewed by fire. This is established by the quote “Dido shall come in a black sulph’ry flame, when death has once dissolved her mortal flame. Even though Dido is apart of a philosophical story this passage is still relivant to the symbol. However, unlike Mrs.Havisham she is rejuvenated in a darker light and has discarded her purity and is claiming the life of suffering.
Overall throughout the two novels Havisham and Great Expectations the symbol of fire is used to represent very different things, however both symbols are used to express desire and the need for a character’s love interest, as well as aid in the concept of rebirth for corrupted

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