Why does Estella in *Great Expectations* belittle Pip?
Answer (3)
Miss Havisham has raised Estella to hate males and to break their hearts. She tells her to break his heart.
In Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations, Estella belittles Pip to enforce the social hierarchy that separates them and to adhere to the expectations placed upon her by Miss Havisham, her guardian. Estella has been raised to break men's hearts as part of Miss Havisham's own vendetta against the male gender, due to her past experiences with love and betrayal. Pip represents the ideal victim due to his lower social class and his genuine feelings for Estella. This manipulation of emotions by Estella serves to maintain her sense of superiority and to fulfill Miss Havisham's desire for revenge. The tragedy of Estella's behavior lies in her own damaged upbringing and inability to grasp the consequences of her actions on Pip's feelings and self-worth.
Estella belittles Pip in Great Expectations due to her upbringing by Miss Havisham, who raises her to break men's hearts and emphasizes social superiority. This abuse of Pip's affection not only highlights social class distinctions but also reflects Estella's own emotional damage from her past. Their dynamic exemplifies the broader themes of class and identity in Victorian England.
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