Without forgiveness, love cannot take place; without love, life will tumble downward until it hits the lowest point: death. Miss Havisham displays this minute part of the theme by showing the downfall of life formed by the unwillingness in her to forgive. “ ‘I’ll tell you,’ said she, in the same hurried passionate whisper, ‘what real love is. It is blind devotion, unquestioning self-humiliation, utter submission, trust and belief against yourself and against the whole world, giving up your whole heart and soul to the smitter – as I did!’ ”(pg. 240) She felt as if forgiveness is a sign of weakness; this ended up leaving her to a restless life, one that included the loss of happiness, friends and family – a classic part of a tragic novel.
There may be many people in the world who take the place of Ms. Havisham – those who just bring your hopes down when you talk to them – but there will always be that one little nightlight that outshines all the darkness, a humble person with passel fidelity, like Joe. Always working, taking pride in what he did, Joe seemed to be cheerful no matter what problem that life threw him. Even when his very best friend, Pip, left him, he still found a part of his heart to forgive him. “Exactly what he had been in my eyes then, he was in my eyes still; just as simply faithful, just as simply right.”(pg. 472) No matter what Pip did, Joe was always there to reassure him, to forgive him and to love him.
No matter where you go in the world, there will always be people who forgive and those who don’t; one must always remember the greatest expectation of life, love, and that it cannot be accomplished without forgiveness. With this knowledge, people will be able to live their lives to the fullist -- something Miss Havisham never had the chance to experience. Those who do will be able to love under no circumstances, those who don’t will be unhappy with their choices for the rest of their lives.
