Explore Joe Gargery’s role in Great Expectations Essay

In Great Expectations, Joe crooks as a fetch figure to blister, when he is in fact his brother-in-law, as Joe married dashs sister, Mrs Joe Gargery.We are introduced to Joe as a mild, good-natured, sweet-tempered, easy-going, foolish, dear fellow. Pip describes him as a kind and temper man, making the subscribeer immediately handle him. Good-natured and sweet-tempered give Joe an endearing quality, so the reader is careworn to him. How invariably, foolish introduces a potenti entirelyy negative side to his character, like he is stupid, although this too could be considered endearing. perhaps Dickens does this so that we backside understand Joes actions better, or at least dont view him too negatively when he whoremastert shelter Pip from Mrs Joe.In c able to his gentle personality, he is a blacksmith, and therefore a strong man. Pip thinks of him like the steam-hammer, that can break a man or pat an egg shell. He is likening Joe to a machine in the forge, giving Joe a champion of power. Although, crush is quite a violent discussion, suggesting Joe to be violent, which he definitely is non. Perhaps Dickens included this detail to amaze us respect Joe, which is important for later on on in the original, so we dont clean view him as a sweet-tempered man. and there is a palpate of this good natured man in the tidings pat, it could potentially live with paternal connotations. Perhaps this links to the image of the egg shell as well, as it is a little(a) protector of life. Furthermore Joe could almost be conditionn as the protector of Pips life, as he saves him several times. Also egg shells can be strong, unless open weak sides if they are disgorge under stress, just like Joe has a weak side he cant protect Joe from Mrs Joe Gargery. As well as this, there is the idea that Joe is in control, in the words can and or, he can choose which side of himself to be, strong or gentle. This is a very adult concept, but Joe can sometimes be ve ry peasantlike.Joe cant deal with the idea of death, despite existence a strong blacksmith. When Pip asks Joe if send away Havisham died, he fifty-fiftytually replies she aint living. This is a very backward way of saying it, a way we dont normally use, video display Joes childish innocence. He avoids the subject of death again, when Pip asks him if he had heard of Magwitchs death. regular though Joe never knew him personally, he avoids saying the words, instead he says he heard something or some other in a general way in that direction. The vagueness of this statework forcet is almost humorous, he cant even just say yes. Joe is unable to confirm a persons death, he just brushes over the subject, not fully acknowledging or possibly understanding it, like a child would.Another way Dickens portrays this childishness is through making Joe ignorant. Pip writes him a letter, and all he can read is his name Why, heres three Js, and three Os, and three J-O, Joes, in it, Pip The exc lamation mark at the end implies he is excited and proud that he has managed to read, and that he is deficient Pip to recognise his achievement, like a child would want their father too. This childishness makes Joe a engaging character, the reader wants to see him do well. Perhaps it in addition makes Pips behaviour towards him seem worse, from the readers perspective, as Joe is such an innocent character.Whilst Joe may not deplete great knowledge or academic skills, he possesses something most of the other characters dont have, self-knowledge, he recognises he is illiterate and stupid. He tells Pip on two separate occasions that he is most awful torpid. He is accepting of himself, he knows he is not the cleverest, in fact awful suggests that he thinks he is very stupid. Moreover, dull could imply many things, not only that he is stupid, but also that he isnt sharp. Perhaps this is a reference to him being a black smith, that he is like cardinal of his hammers, only good for physically things, hes not sharp witted or clever. Dull could also intimate that he thinks he is boring, perhaps why he struggles to talk to, or be in the presence of people in a higher class to himself, because he considers himself boring and unworthy. But this obtuseness does not stop him from being wise.Through out(a) the novel, Joe gives Pip many pieces of advice, for example if you cant have to be oncommon through going straight, youll never get to do it through going crooked. Joe, even though he is perhaps the most uneducated character (shown in the wording of the sentence) he can sometimes be the most wise and honourable. Because of this he acts as a hidden role ride for Pip.Not only is he honourable and wise, he understands his place I am wrong out of the forge he tells Pip at their awkward reunion. Dickens suggests (through Joe) that people should stay in their class, and not aspire or try to move up he designates for social immobility. Joe tells Pip that if he ever cam e back to the forge hed see Joe the blacksmith, there, at the old anvil, in the old burnt apron, sticking to the old work. Joe labels himself the blacksmith implying that he believes it is all he is good at. The repetition of old makes him seem experienced, as he has been doing it a long time. There is also the idea that he clings or latches onto his work, in the word sticking, he fixes himself onto it so much that it has become how he defines himself.The fact that he feels himself wrong when not in the forge could be the reason why he cant talk to Miss Havisham Joepersisted in addressing me. It is like he cannot deal with the globeity of he occasion, as he feels he doesnt belong there. Dickens humiliates Joe here, presenting him as a shy and awkward character, making the reader sympathise with him. This is another(prenominal) negative quality, helping to balance out the character of Joe.Joe also stupefys it difficult to deal with Pip when he is a gentleman. When Pip is ill, and needing Joes help, Joe is happy to call him Pip and treat him like he did when he was younger. But as soon as Pip starts getting better and gaining strength, Joe reverts to calling him Sir I shall be happy fur to see you able, sir. This could show Joes insecurity, that when he is no longer true if Pip needs him, he becomes very polite, and address Pip as if he is in a higher class again.However, Joe does treat everyone equally, for example when Magwitch confesses about stealing the pie, Joe says that whatever he has done, we wouldnt have you starved to death for it, poor miserable fellow-creature. This shows how Joe views the world, and the people on it, that we are all of the same kind, and all have the same rights. As well as this, creature implies that Joe believes humans are animals, perhaps why he struggles with classes and formalities. This may relate to the fact that Joe never shows a real desire to learn to read or write, because he thinks we are animals that just do physic al things, such as make things, like a blacksmith does. Poor also implies that Joe sympathises with the convict, despite knowing it was his own fault that he is in the lay out he is in, showing that Joe is very tender, which the reader respects him for.Joe shows this forgiveness on a number of occasions, for example, when he tells Pip about his abusive father, and how he came after him and his mother. He tells Pip it was because his father were that good in his hart that he couldnt abear to be without us. One could argue that this was Joes innocent view on the world, and that he couldnt accept that someone would deliberately want to hurt someone else. But, more likely, it is Joe forgiving his father for what he did. Forgiveness (or the lack of it) is a common theme throughout the novel, but Joe seems to be one of the only one who offers it readily.Not only does Joe forgive his father for abusing him, but also Mrs Joe. He tells Pip that she is a fine figure of a woman. This is some what ironic as Mrs Joe has no feminine qualities, not even a female name. It also shows Joes respect, if not affection, for Mrs Joe, despite her treating him so badly. For example she regularly abuses him she knocked his head for a little while against the wall behind him. Joe puts up with her, although he could easily fight back. The image if almost comic, especially the phrase for a little while, it makes it legal like she is just casually doing it for the sake of it. It could also link to the phrase knock some sense into him, perhaps this is what Mrs Joe is trying to do? At any rate Joe is submissive, showing his selflessness, as he lets her do it so she doesnt hurt Pip as much (as he explains later). The reader pities Joe, as he is such a kind man, married to an abusive woman, who takes advantage of his kindness.Joe is very loyal to Pip, and is always there when he needs him. One of Joes catch-phrases is ever the best of friends. Ever shows his loyalty towards Pip, and gives a sense of stability, he gives Pip something to come back to. As if to prove this loyalty, he pays of Pips debts. This is such a big gesture as Joe is the poorest of all men. The moral and emotional image of debt appears a group throughout the novel, perhaps because debt was a personal issue for Dickens. His family were imprisoned for debt, therefore stopping Dickens education, and he bailed his father out many times. In the novel, Pip becomes Joes debtor, an image of ownership, like Joe owns Pip. One could argue that this was to do with Joes insecurity, and that he needs something solid to connect him to Pip. However, throughout the book, Joe has been completely selfless, so this act could just another example of Joes kindness. There are also ghostly overtones to this, he is doing a Christian deed.There are several religious links associated with Joe, for example, Joe takes in Pip a a child God bless the poor little child, theres room for him at the forge. This could be a reference to the Nativity story, when the innkeepers turn Mary away. Add this to the Christian deeds he does (like paying(a) off Pips debt), give Joe an almost saint-like quality. But Dickens needs to balance the character, differently we may just view him as a perfect religious figure and would then find it hard to view him as a realistic role mannequin for Pip. So Dickens makes Joe childish, innocent, illiterate and also includes some comedy moments.For example, when Joe has learned to write, he writes a letter to Biddy. Dickens writes this in a very comedic way, possibly overly so. Joe regularly dipped his pen into space, and seemed satisfied with the result, it is almost plaguy him. As well as this, it is written like a performance for Pip, but throughout the novel Joe has been the only one who cant act (e.g. he cant deal with formal situations and pretend to be something he is not) or pretend. So why does Dickens include these humorous expound? Possibly it could be to balance out J oe as a character, for if he was just a religious prophet, he would lose his power in the novel. Or alternatively, it could be to lighten the mood and relieve the tenseness between Pip and Joe. Or perhaps it is to show Joe fulfilling his mothers expectations, of Joe being a apprentice, to show that it can be done. This may provide hope for the reader, that Pip might be able to fulfill his own expectations eventually. Although that wouldnt explain why it is so over the top.Some characters only see this side of Joe, the awkward, clown-like side. Pip says that Jaggers recognised in Joe the village idiot and me his keeper. Jaggers doesnt understand Joe, he doesnt know about Joes forgiving, loyal nature, he just sees an idiot. This could be reinforcing our first macrocosm to Joe, where he is described as foolish. Again this could be to balance the character of Joe, rather then make the reader view him negatively, as we know Joe is a very wise character.Jaggers believes this because Jo e cries when he tells him about Pips expectations, and has to be comforted by Pip. Joe demonstrates many female tendencies throughout the novel, especially when he is lovingness for Pip at the end of the book, Joe had actually laid his head down on the pillow at my side. This is ironic considering his strength. Perhaps he is compensating for Mrs Joes lack of femininity, or he is filling in the initiative left by her death, showing Joe to be a father figure for Pip.Ultimately, Joe is the only true father to Pip, he gives him the wealth of his great nature, which is more than Magwitch ever did. He may not have a lot of money, but he is a true gentleman in character. Ironically, the poorest of all the men is the most gentlemanly. Moreover, Pip eventually comes to realise this there was a simple dignity in him. Now, whilst he is recognising Joes dignity, he doesnt sound very respectful. The tone sounds quite patronising, and simple implies stupidity.Overall, Joe is the only constant i n the book, he cant act, he cant pretend to be something he is not, he doesnt change for anyone whoever came about me, still settled down into Joe. Even the use of the word settled gives the idea of stability and constants, Joe is always there for Pip. He acts as a role model for Pip, and the other characters, even if they dont realise it. But he does have his negative qualities, he is childish and awkward. However, this gives him more power in the book, as the reader can relate to him, and not just view him as a religious saint-like figure.