~Blog Post 5~
Topic H
May 15, 2015
Debra Dunham
In Great Expectations
by Charles Dickens, the character Miss Havisham corresponds with Okonkwo from Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Both
characters experience a significant change in how they are supposed to live. Okonkwo grows up acting completely opposite to
his father (a man who was soft hearted), yet after being banished from his
community, he experiences depression and a change of heart. Though little of
Miss Havisham’s previous life is given, Herbert says that she raised Estella “to
wreak revenge on all the male sex,” (Dickens, 185). Both Okonkwo and Miss
Havisham show many others no kindness or love. Moving through both books, the
characters find softness in their hearts—after a traumatic experience of course—which
in turn changes their perspective on life.
Miss Havisham is nearly killed in a fire in which she nearly
dies. Just before that, however, she cries “What have I done!” over and over to
Pip expressing that she knows how she lives her life is wrong (423). Okonkwo
comes to a similar conclusion as he goes about living in the second tribe and
sees how they live their lives. Both characters have a change in heart and how
they see the world. Also, both Miss Havisham and Okonkwo die towards the end of
the novels they are in. Okonkwo, having hanged himself, brought death upon
himself after discovering that there was no hope for him in the new society.
Miss Havisham similarly goes so long despising men shut up in her room that
there is no hope that she can live a normal life. Miss Havisham and Okonkwo
have similar ways of thinking before their conversion and have a major change
of heart.
Debra, I never would have connected Miss Havisham and Okonkwo if I had not just read your post. Okonkwo loves male dominance and feels threatened by the changes in society while Miss Havisham hates all males for what Compeyson did to her and feels vengeful toward society. They both shut themselves off from the outside world and towards the ends of their lives, they realize what they have done is either wrong or that the world is just not going to be the way they wish it to be. They both die without the forgiveness they both desire.
ReplyDelete