At the end of Great Expectations, Satis House is no longer standing and has been reduced to a ruin, its once formal grounds now an overgrown, derelict garden.
The Demise of Satis House
After Miss Havisham's death and the passage of several years, Pip revisits the location of Satis House. Instead of the decaying mansion frozen in time, he finds that the house has crumbled entirely. This transformation signifies the ultimate decay and dissolution of Miss Havisham's bitter legacy and the release of its hold on Pip and Estella.
- Physical State: Upon Pip's return, he discovers that the structure itself is gone, existing only as ruins. The once carefully tended (or neglected, in Miss Havisham's case) garden is now wild and overgrown.
- Atmosphere: The scene is depicted with an ethereal quality, described as being enveloped in a "silvery mist," which adds to the melancholy and reflective mood of Pip's visit.
- Symbolism: Satis House, which famously means "Enough House," had long symbolized stagnation, decay, and Miss Havisham's halted life. Its final collapse represents a symbolic breaking free from the past and the ultimate undoing of her dark influence. Pip's visit to the site, rather than the house itself, marks a profound moment of reflection on his past and his relationship with Estella, whose memory is evoked in the ruined garden.
Pip's Final Encounter with the Past
Pip's journey to the remnants of Satis House is a poignant moment of closure. As he walks through the dilapidated landscape, he thinks of Estella, suggesting a final contemplation of their intertwined fates and the impact Miss Havisham's world had on both of them. This last image of the house, completely destroyed, underscores the novel's themes of ruin, renewal, and the passage of time. The physical destruction of the house mirrors the psychological liberation that Pip eventually achieves from the expectations shaped by its former mistress.
