Mrs. Joe Gargery abuses her brother physically and emotionally, treating him “as if [he] had insisted on being born in opposition to the dictates of reason, religion, and morality" and making it utterly clear that she despises her role as his surrogate mother.
Abusive and self-important, Mrs. Joe appears to be total evil; however, some of her behavior is understandable. When she was twenty, before this story begins, she was left alone with a helpless infant brother who was not even weaned.
Patiently and lovingly, Joe continues to nurture Pip from childhood to adulthood as Pip rejects the life that Joe represents and envisions for Pip. Joe is not just an emotional protector for Pip, he physically protects Pip, too. Throughout Pip's childhood, Joe attempts to serve as a protector to him.
Though Pip is his wife's (Mrs Joe) younger brother, he treats Pip like a son. He guides him through his childhood years, shielding him from Mrs Joe's spiteful attacks and providing employment to him when he becomes a young man.
Week 3 - Great Expectations - Joe Gargery and Mrs Joe
What does Pip become ashamed of Joe?
Joe is not wealthy, well-educated, or worldly. Pip is also particularly concerned that Joe will shape other people's impression of him, and cause others to think of him as lower-class. For these reasons, Pip is particularly ashamed of how Joe behaves in front of people like Miss Havisham, Estella, and Herbert.
Pip is rocked by his sister's death. It's the first death that he's encountered in his grown-up life, and he can't stop thinking about Mrs. Joe in her rocking chair by the fire. She may have been a mean old snake, but he still feels like he should hunt down Orlick, who he believes is the cause of her death.
Joe resents being responsible for Pip and emotionally and verbally abuses him. Her husband Joe is subject to the same abuse, as she continuously reminds him of the shame he brings her by working as a lowly blacksmith. Mrs. Joe also physically abuses Pip whenever she gets mad, which is often.
Pip steals from his own home and betrays his best friend, Joe, by stealing his file for the convict out of fear for what the “terrible young man" might do to him.
Miss Havisham asks for his indentures. Pip is embarrassed when Joe hands them to him instead of Miss Havisham, particularly as Estella looks like she is going to laugh.
In spite of his father's drinking and abuse, Joe speaks of the man's good heart. Also, because of what his mother suffered with his father, Joe willingly endures Mrs. Joe's abuse so she never has to suffer the pain his mother did. Joe does regret that his choice means Pip gets hit with the Tickler from time to time.
Mrs Joe's death is significant because she represented a time when his life plan was clear and had set rules – he would become a blacksmith and work hard. Pip actually feels a fondness for his dead sister even though she was horrible to him because she is linked with a simpler time in his life.
Pip believes it is the leg-iron from the convict he helped years ago. Despite this, Pip does not think his convict was behind the attack. He believes it was either the strange man from the bar or Orlick.
Pip asks to hear the particulars of Mrs. Joe's death and Biddy tells him her last words were "Joe," "Pardon," and "Pip." Pip asks her about Orlick and hears that he is now working in the quarries and that he lurked by the forge the night Mrs. Joe died and still follows Biddy around.
Pip felt bad for lying but didn't want to come clean to his sister or uncle so he told Mr. Joe. Mr. Joe told Pip that lying is very bad and that he will keep his secret because he does not like seeing Pip get hurt.
Orlick accuses Pip of coming between him and a young woman he fancied, among other things, and declares his intention to have revenge. He also admits to killing Mrs. Joe, though he says that Pip is ultimately responsible for her death since Orlick did it to get back at him.
In the past, he avoided learning but has come to accept it as a good idea. Pip was never wrong in wanting Joe to learn — education is not a bad thing — but Pip was wrong in why he wanted Joe to learn. As Pip gets better, Joe assumes that the old snobbish status quo will return, so he leaves.
Pip is eternally grateful to Joe. He tries to tell Joe about Magwitch and about the last few years, but Joe just tells him that what's past is past. Joe apologizes to Pip for never having been able to stop Mrs. Joe from beating him as a little boy.
Upset that his money won't ever be coming back, Pip tries to commit suicide by hanging himself off the bridge. He is saved by John Wemmick, Jagger's assistant, in the nick of time. Pip falls off into the Thames River, and neither Wemmick nor Jaggers can find the boy. The loss took a big toll on Pip.
Joe calls Pip sir in recognition of his 'gentleman' status. It also suggests the disconnect between Joe and Pip that now exists because Pip has become a snob. Pip's snobbish nature is horrible. He has become disdainful towards people who he now deems beneath him.
How many times has Mrs. Joe been out looking for Pip?
How many times has Mrs. Joe been out looking for Pip? She has been out 13 times looking for him. What does Pip mean when he says he was " brought up by hand"?
Pip is sure that it is his convict's iron, and is frightened. Pip suspects Orlick but neither Pip nor the constables find any evidence for this and no one is arrested. Mrs Joe does not recover from her injuries. She is left unable to speak and seems to understand little of what is said to her.
Pip despairs of his “condition of mind"(134), knowing that he despises his place at Joe's side even though the man has forever been good to him. He says that his way of looking at things have changed, which is why he is no longer happy with his circumstance; it is this change in perspective that makes him feel guilty.
Miss Havisham gives a generous premium to Joe for Pip's service saying Pip has been a good boy. An amazed Joe brings the premium of twenty-five pounds back to Pumblechook's and hands it over to Mrs. Joe. He is smart enough to say Pip received nothing but that Miss Havisham sends her regards and this money to Mrs.