In the book Great Expectations, Charles Dickens uses many different items to symbolize different things or feelings. One of the greatest symbolizations that Dickens uses is entrapment. A place in this book with symbolizations of entrapment is Miss Havisham’s house. Three items Dickens uses to symbolize entrapment are the clocks, Miss Havisham’s wedding attire, and the house itself.
The first symbolization of entrapment in Miss Havisham’s house is all of her the clocks. When Miss Havisham’s unrequited love left her, the day of their wedding, it was eight forty. Miss Havisham was so heart broke that she had all the clocks in her house set to eight forty forever. Now every time Miss Havisham looks at any of her clocks, she remembers the precise time her only true love left her. These clocks symbolize how Miss Havisham is trapped in time.
The second symbolization of entrapment in Miss Havisham’s house is her wedding attire. When Mrs. Havisham found out the news that her love had left her, she was getting dressed. She had put on her wedding dress and one shoe by that point. Miss Havisham never took off the dress or shoe. The wedding attire is a symbolization of how Miss Havisham is trapped in her own sadness.
The last symbolization of entrapment in Miss Havisham’s house is the house itself. Because Miss Havisham was so miserable, she had every place that light could come in blocked off. She has also let her house fall apart and become very dusty. Miss Havisham’s refusal to take care of her house symbolizes how Miss Havisham is trapped in her house.
These three items, the clocks, the wedding attire, and the house itself, are all symbolizations of entrapment. The clock and the wedding attire represented Miss Havisham being trapped in time in her sadness, while the house itself represents Miss Havisham being entrapped in herself.