Gothic Horror in Great Expectations

The novel Great Expectations has aspects of Gothic and Horror within it. The setting, the themes, the time it was set and the story all show different ways of how it could be related to these two words and meanings.

How is 'gothic' and grotesque depicted in Great Expectations?

When I read GE I found it was gothic from the beginning of the story. The first chapter shows Pip a young boy in a grave yard, he is abandoned and this shows his family aren't looking after him properly. In his mindset he was very afraid to be there and the story of Pip goes on to be a very lonely guy who has a lot of love to give. Miss Haversham is a ghostly woman who is very disturbing and someone if you would imagine to meet you would feel as if you'd seen something out of a horror/gothic movie. Satis house is a very ghostly setting which is almost haunting when you think about it. The house is full of years of old cob webs, dust and has frozen from many years ago without any maintenance.

The words distorted and repulsive are similar to grotesque. So when I think of grotesque factors in GE I think of questions that come in to my mind about Miss Haversham and Satis house, questions that come to my mind are:

Has Miss Haversham washed since the day of her wedding?
Does she have rats/mice/mould?
In the Victorian era they often used basins as a hole in the ground to go to the toilet, Miss Haversham barely moves from one room so does she keep a toilet in there?

Many questions which are revolting and grotesque which shows how the reader feels when reading into Miss Haversham's situation.

What are specific elements of the uncanny?

1. "The uncanny (German: Das Unheimliche, "the opposite of what is familiar") is a mixture of the familiar and unfamiliar that is experienced as being peculiar." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny
2. Unfamiliar scenes in GE are when Pip goes into Satis house and the lead up to going into Satis house. "On this day of the year, long before you were born, this heap of decay," stabbing with her crutched stick at the pile of cobwebs on the table but not touching it, "was brought here. It and I have worn away together. The mice have gnawed at it, and sharper teeth than teeth of mice have gnawed at me." (11.99) This explains how disgusting the house is and the fact that Miss H has stopped her life in time to this has made it clear that Miss H has gone mad. Pip's perspective of the house must see a very unusual disgusting appearance and setting and the thought of the tother senses when reading this chapter made me think about how the house could've smelt and felt to be in. 

How does Dickens give the uncanny a unique twist within the novel in terms of characterisation?
How do you interpreted the gothic?

I find it interesting how Dickens has used Pip a very vulnerable innocent young boy to go into a house with such character and disgust! And he also has to face Miss Haversham who appears very intimidating. She is a strong character who is very unfamiliar who has 'no heart'. The fact that she's stopped everything in time shows how crazy she is. Theres definitely a unique twist when Estella comes into this as well as Miss H influences Estella to 'make Pip fall in love with her' to get her own back on men! This shows evilness to Miss H and also Estella and shows through at the end of the novel too where Miss H burns to death! It's ironic as she's been rotting the whole time and then she gets set a light and Pip sees her. It shows the horror on Pip as he has always been the one to be unfortunate within the situation; going to work in Satis house was out of his comfort zone as a child and then he falls in love with Estella who shows coldness to him after he opens up to her and then he finally sees Miss H die in front of him. This shows how Dickens has cleverly shown gothic the whole way through the novel. I also think that the setting is very gothic, the time frame which is in Victorian time; a time of gothic history etc.