The ModelThe novel Great Expectations by Charles Dickens is that of unrequited love and the despair of elitism for Pip, a poor orphan. Pip is struck by Estella, the haughty and cruel, even violent, "daughter" of a rich and eccentric older woman named Miss Havisham. Miss Havisham controls and teaches Estella the instructions for breaking men's hearts as part of her own personal vendetta against all men after her love for one man goes unrequited. Estella has no feelings and even admits that she has “…granted [her] tenderness nowhere” (251). Despite her cruel attitude and disinterest towards him, she serves as the most important beacon in Pip's life to achieve his goal of becoming a gentleman and breaking free from his poor and humble life. With Miss Havisham's control over her, Estella's detached, emotionless nature and cold arrogance shine through and show how she drives Pip's desperation in trying to get to her and his change in becoming an arrogant gentleman. Firstly, a recognizable characteristic of Estella is her impartial nature. Miss Havisham and Estella are polar opposites. Estella's "mother" loves her in an eccentric way, lavishing her with tenderness and gentle whispers of "[b]reak their hearts, my pride and my hope, break their hearts and have no mercy!" (100). Their moods are so “contradictory to each other that Pip remains “perplexed as to what he should say or do” (100). Since they feel opposite emotions and Estella cannot feel love, because she "never gave... tenderness anywhere" and coldly rejects Pip's feelings for her, she can feel absolutely nothing 'other than the desire to hurt (251). After treating Pip so condescendingly by giving him food, she looks at Pip "with a quick pleasure at having been the cause of [the...... middle of paper...... its usage is common (132). Like him, Biddy has an unrequited adoration, but for Pip himself. Through this, Estella's importance shines through and shows how important she is to Pip. Ultimately, the only reason Pip desires to be a gentleman is “because of her” (136). Pip “loves [her] against reason…against happiness, [and] against all discouragement,” although she is heartless and “has no heart.” heart”, Estella is the most influential person in Pip’s life (246 and 251). Without his superiority and emotional detachment, Pip will not strive, in his passionate desperation, to achieve him. Although he lacks human feelings such as love and compassion, Pip "loves [her] simply because he found her irresistible" and passionately declares her "part of [his] existence..." (245). His bildungsroman is based on his unrequited love for her, as there will be no Pip if there is no Estella..