When Miss Havisham calls for Pip to assist her in her
walk around the macabre table with rats and a decaying wedding cake in Chapter XI of
Great Expectations, Pip notices what he calls "toadies and humbugs"
who sit nearby. Pip describes Camilla,
readability="15">They all had a listless and dreary air of
waiting somebody's pleasure, and the most talkative of the ladies had to speak quite
rigidly to repress a yawn. This lady, whose name was Camilla, very much reminded me of
my sister, with the difference that she was older, and (as I found when I caught sight
of her) of a blunter cast of features. Indeed, when I knew her better I began to think
it was a mercy she had any features at all, so very blank and high was the dead wall of
her face.This description is
part of Dickens's satire of what he considered a trivial upperclass that concerned
itself only with superficialities and appearances. Camilla Pocket is so vacuous and
frivolous that she must suppress a yawn as she bores herself. Dickens's facetiously has
Pip observe that she reminds him of his sister--a remark that is, indeed, insulting to
Camilla who prides herself upon being refined and aristocratic. That her face is "a
dead wall" connotes the overbreeding of these aristocrats; all the refinements have been
lost.Camilla voices her opinions about Matthew Pocket who
did not keep up appearances when Tom's wife died and the children did not wear the
"proper" attire. Her derogating Matthew Pocket is a ploy to ingratiate herself better
with Miss Havisham, who is believed to be out of favor with Matthew Pocket. Then, in
her "toady" way, she tells Miss Havisham that she has "habitually thought of you more in
the night that I am quite equal to." This servile remark which is ironically insulting,
evinces a strong retort from Miss Havisham, "Then don't think of me." Servilely, Camilla
cries that it is a weakness to be so affectionate, but she cannot help
it.When there is no reaction from Miss Havisham, Camilla
then recommences her rue about Matthew Pocket:readability="7">"There's Matthew!....Never mixing with any
natural ties, never coming here to see how Miss Havisham
is!"This remark of Camilla's
also backfires, for it causes Miss Havisham to abruptly stop and correct her. She
informs Camilla that Matthew will come to see her, and his place will be at the head of
the table. Then, Miss Havisham orders them,readability="5">"Now you all know where to take your stations
when you come to feast upon me. And now
go!"Further, Dickens's
satire is even more evident as Cousin Raymond, who is Camilla's husband, underscores the
frivolousness of Camilla's speech. For, when she complains about her leg pains that
come from her anxiety of those she loves, Raymond says in a most consolatory and
complimentary voice,readability="8">“Camilla, my dear, it is well known that your
family feelings are gradually undermining you to the extent of making one of your legs
shorter than the other.”