The most dramatic scene in stage three of Great Expectations is when Pip goes back to Miss Havisham's to confront her about pretending to be, or at least leading Pip to believe that she was, his benefactor. At first, Miss Havisham doesn't understand why Pip has come. Pip is obviously very angry because his whole life he has lived thinking he was an honourable gentleman under the support of an eccentric but still aristocratic old lady. Also, he has been led to believe that he and Estella are to be married. He basically explains to her why he thought she was his benefactor, and she admits to having led him on. Then she takes the self-pity stand. Instead of just yelling at her though, Pip explains Herbert's situation to her and tells her she has mistreated him and his father. He asks for some money to help Herbert get started in business and asks her to reconsider her treatment towards them. Another dramatic thing in this scene is Pip telling Estella his true feelings for her. He tells her how he has loved her since the day they met. But she reiterates her inability to feel emotion. He asks her about Drummle and she tells him she doesn't love him either but they're getting married anyway. He tries to talk her out of it, to no avail, of course. Then he gives her some mushy speech and eventually leaves.

This scene is so important to the novel because two things that have been a constant foundation in Pip's life: his hope for a union with Estella, and his belief that Miss Havisham is his benefactor, are now obsolete. Pip lives the rest of the book lonely because of the finality of this meeting with Estella, and eventually poor when the convict is captured. This is almost as much of a climax to the book as is Pip finding out the convict is his benefactor.