Adam Callaway
Per 4 2/1/04
Joe/Magwitch individual’s idealism/desire
Great Expectations
In Great Expectations, a book by Charles Dickens, Joe and Magwitch both desire to change Pip’s life for the better, although Joe wants Pip to be a good and honest person and Magwitch wants him to be wealthy. Their expectations of Pip create pressure on him to succeed. This pressure is too much for Pip and he ends up destroying Pip’s life.
Joe wants Pip to follow in his footsteps and be a poor hardworking blacksmith who was kind at heart. When Joe was nice to the convict, it proves Joe is trying to set a good example for Pip. (Dickens, 20) Joe was trying to turn Pip into an image of himself. Joe is merely a kind person doing what he thinks is best. When Pip was taken away by Jaggers to London, Joe felt has though a part of himself was taken away, and believes that he could have given a better life to Pip. (Dickens, 109) Joe and Pip developed a strong father/son relationship even though they were only brothers. Joe relied to heavily on the fact that Pip was there and this proved devastating to him. Joe was a good person, but was foolish enough to think that Pip could be his son.