In , the two characters who wield the greatest financial power,
Miss Havisham and Magwitch, use it not for their own enjoyment, but as a means of manipulating
others. They are parallel figures, since Miss Havisham is training Estella to be a lady (as well
as a breaker of hearts and her revenge on the race of men) at the same time as Magwitch is
spending all the money he makes in Australia in training Pip to be a gentleman. Neither Miss
Havisham nor Magwitch lives like a rich person and, while Magwitch has good intentions, they
both cause a great deal of trouble to others with their attempts at manipulation.
While Dickens demonstrates how useless money is to those who have it, he also shows a
plethora of hangers-on and aspirants who are convinced that it would transform their lives if
they had it. Chief among these are the "toadies and humbugs" who hang around Satis
House to flatter Miss. Havisham. Pip, who initially thinks that money will make him happy and
that his...
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