In Chapter VIII of Great Expectations, Miss Havisham wants Pip to "play." She explains to him:
“I sometimes have sick fancies,” she went on, “and I have a sick fancy that I want to see some play. There, there!” with an impatient movement of the fingers of her right hand; “play, play, play!”
Pip does not feel at all like playing in this strange house for the amusement of this strange woman, especially since she apparently does not care what he plays at as long as he plays. Eventually Miss Havisham calls Estalla and tells her to play with Pip.
"Let me see you play cards with this boy.”
“With this boy? Why, he is a common labouring-boy!”
Pip will remember Estella's words for a long time. They are what inspire him with the motive to become a gentleman. When he receives news from Mr. Jaggers of his "great expectations," it is natural for him to believe that Miss Havisham is his secret benefactor and is educating him to become a gentleman in order to be worthy of marrying Estella. The beautiful young girl's opinion of him has given him a negative opinion of himself and of everything connected with him. This makes him ashamed of Joe, who has been so kind to him all his life.
I determined to ask Joe why he had ever taught me to call those picture-cards, Jacks, which ought to be called knaves. I wished Joe had been rather more genteelly brought up, and then I should have been so too.
Pip's first meeting with Miss Havisham and Estella marks a turning point in his life. He will be strongly motivated to improve himself because Estella has heartlessly made him feel so ashamed of himself and so painfully aware of all his defects as well as those of his social class.
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