Story Shaw
Gibson-B
English 1 H
April 2014
"Chapter 8 Hand Motif"
In Chapter 8 of Great Expectations, Charles Dickens uses the hand motif.
Dickens incorporates many different motifs throughout the novel. The hand motif helps to develop characters, drive the plot and mystify the reader.
To start with, Dickens describes his characters by implementing the hand motif.
Pip relies on the keys in Estella's hand to access the Havisham house. This shows that Estella has authority over Pip, because he is dependent on her. Mr. Pumblechook wants Pip to be on his best behavior at the Havisham's place, to keep himself, Joe, and Pip's sister, who brought Pip up by hand, from looking bad. When Pip first sees Miss Havisham she is leaning her head on her hand, showing that she has lost the energy to sit upright and her body is conserving the little energy that she has.
English: Dickens Festival, Rochester. Charles Dick...
English: Miss Havisham, in art by Harry Furniss fr...
Copy of a Photograph of Charles DickensThe bright sparkling jewelry that Pips sees on Miss Havisham's neck and hands, symbolizes her higher-level status and wealth. The rest of Miss Havisham's wardrobe is thrown all about. One of her shoes is by her hand, while the other is on her foot, which indicates she is a bit bizarre. Miss Havisham impatiently moves her right hand to instruct Pip to begin playing, making it evident that she does not like to be kept waiting. Estella is portrayed as scornful and cold-hearted from the second she is introduced to Pip, when she mocks his coarse hands. Pip reveals how sensitive he is when he cries and kicks the wall and yanks his hair due to Estella's comments on his hands. Pip blames his sensitivity on the way his sister abusively brought him up by hand. Estella appears happy with how upset...