Discuss the role of Joe Gargery in Great Expectations.

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Mufadal Jiwaji – 10T        WPJR        02/05/2007

GCSE ENGLISH COURSEWORK

Discuss the role of Joe Gargery in Great Expectations

Joe Gargery plays a large role in Great Expectations. It is clear that Dickens uses Joe to symbolise happiness and contentment. The changing relationship between Joe and Pip is intriguing and the manner in which he deals with Pip’s struggles is of central concern to the novel. Before studying the effect Joe has in the novel, and in particular his relationship with Pip, it is important fully to understand Joe’s background and the intent with which Dickens created a character like Joe.

While it suits the plot that Joe is a blacksmith (he has the means to remove the convicts leg-iron) it also seems a fitting occupation for the man that Dickens depicts. Being a blacksmith is hard and requires determination, commitment and skill, yet no formal learning. So Joe is seen as a fool to those around him, in particular his wife, and Pip’s sister Mrs Joe Gargery. Pip and Joe’s relationships with Mrs Joe are very important and will be discussed later.

Pip strives to become a ‘gentleman’; however, he learns through his own suffering and that of people who are important to him what is truly means to be a gentleman. Pip not only becomes obsessed with this goal; he also conjures the idea that being a gentleman entails having so great an amount of money that you need not work for a living. Money plays a large part in the novel and in particular the lack of money or ‘portable property’. Pip has the image of a stereotypical ‘gentleman’ embedded into his mind; a typical gentleman has fine clothes, eats and drinks extravagantly and lives a life of idleness. These gentlemen do not have the bad stigmas of the working class, such as rough hands and clumsy boots. To be a gentleman means not only having money, but also being educated into the rules which govern gentlemanly behaviour. Initially Pip thinks that Joe is the complete opposite of a gentleman. He is course, uneducated and more importantly he does not care about money.

Towards the close of the novel Pip has learnt the true meaning of the term ‘gentleman’, this is completely different to Pip’s own opinion on the meaning. Pip finally acknowledges this in what he states towards the end of the novel:

‘O God bless this gentle Christian man’.

Joe is totally selfless and is devoted to helping others. He is honest, open and has an extremely kind heart; all these good personality traits make him the novel’s true gentleman. Joe never digresses from his good qualities and remains constant throughout Pip’s narrative; however, Pip is blinded by his obsessions and illusions until the end of the novel.

Dickens portrays Joe as described above during the early parts of the novel. It is possible that the only reason he got married to Mrs Joe was to bring up Pip. When Pip is being attacked by his sister Joe regularly comes to his aid:

‘ Mrs Joe has been out a dozen times, looking for you, Pip. And She’s out now, making it a Bakers dozen.’

The manner in which Joe acts so paternally towards Pip, who is his step son, highlights just how much he cares for Pip and shows Joe to be truly kind.

Pip also feels that he can find solidarity within Joe and rarely hides the truth from him,

‘I was common, and that I knew I was common, and that I wished I was not common.’

When Pip says this Joe comforts him and reassures him:

‘You are oncommon in small things. You’re oncommon small. Likewise you’re a oncommon scholar.’

Joe may not be well-educated, highlighted by, “oncommon”; however, he is kind and he will reassure Pip that he is special. Another example of Joe’s kindness towards Pip is when he discovers Pip hiding or ‘bolting’ bread down his trouser leg. Joe acts kindly and he does not inform Mrs Joe of Pip’s actions and saves him from Mrs Joe’s “hand”.

Joe’s actions to the convict are very revealing of Joe’s attitude. Not only is Joe kind and caring to Pip, who may be regarded as family, he shows humanity towards strangers, in particular one who has supposedly stolen from him. Towards the end of chapter five when Magwitch proclaims that he broke into the forge to steal the food Joe reacts with the utmost kindness,

‘We don’t know what you have done, but we wouldn’t have you starved to death for it, poor miserable fellow-creature. – Would us, Pip?’    

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Joe realises that it is important to care for others, no matter the situation. This shows is once more just how Dickens uses Joe to represent all that is honest and good in the novel. Joe is unconditionally humane and posses a sense of what is just. Dickens highlights the attitude of others towards Magwitch by contrasting Joe’s fairness with the harsh and unfeeling attitude of the officers of justice later in the book.

Pip’s views and attitudes change immediately after he begins to visit Satis house and Miss Havisham. Pip falls deeply in love with Estella and ...

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