Miss Havisham’s intentions towards me, all a mere dream; Estella not designed for me; I only suffered in Satis House as a convenience, a sting for the greedy relations, a model with a mechanical heart to practise on when no other practice was at hand; those were the first smarts I had.
– Charles Dickens
Great Expectations, Chapter 39. A horrified Pip learns that convict Magwitch and not Miss Havisham is the secret patron who has been using his wealth to turn Pip into a gentleman. The novel’s direction dramatically shifts as Pip realizes for the first time the truth about his “great expectations” and attempts to socially better himself. He has been deluding himself with the fantasy that Miss Havisham had been training him to be a gentleman so that he and Estella could be together. A metaphor comparing Pip to “a model with a mechanical heart” tells us of Pip’s feelings about being used as a toy for Miss Havisham to practice on in Satis House. The mist – which appears frequently in the story especially in the marshes around Pip’s home – has metaphorically cleared for Pip.