Great Expectations By Charles Dicken

After gaining his wealth, Pip becomes snobby and lets everything go to his head. Now, after losing his wealth, we, as readers see a new change in Pip's personality. As for himself, Pip appears to feel ashamed of himself and his new class. In ​Great Expectations​, explaining Pip's feelings, Pip thinks, "Next day, I had the meanness to feign that I was under a binding promise to go down to Joe; but I was capable of almost any meanness towards Joe or his name." (Dickens, 391) Pips thoughts here, represent how he starts to realize how he has changed since moving to London. In his childhood, Pip was practically best friends with Joe, then becoming a gentleman, he has this sense that he is above Joe and essentially wanted nothing to do with

Pip expresses that he "...loved Joe perhaps for no better reason than because the dear fellow let me love him" implying that Pip may have a problem expressing the way he feels about those in his life (Dickens 41). This lack of expression remains present in Pip’s character throughout the novel, especially with frustration for the way he feels about Estella. Pip earning his expectations put a strain on the already limited relationship that he had with Joe, once Pip began to realize that Joe’s occupation was meager and unfit for someone with Pip’s means.

When Pip was a small boy, he felt close to Joe, as Joe was like a

By seeing Joe’s character and how he was in the novel with Pip, not only helps the reader understand how Pip grew up, but it also helps us understand why Pip needed Joe and his unconditional love. Without Joe, Pip would never have grown up to be the person he grew up to be. Because of the love, and kindness that Joe showed to Pip helped Pip become a better person and encourages Pip to help others and be compassionate towards the people

- Joe Gargery is one of the loyal characters in the book. Pip, although he has made many mistakes, he was fortunate enough to have an abundance of devoted friends to stick with him. Joe has proved himself to be one of those friends in countless ways. As an example, he convinced Mrs. Joe to take Pip in, payed off his debts, visited him when he was sick, and even left in the middle of the night so Pip won’t feel ashamed of him. Pip felt ashamed after he stole the food for the convict. He knew Joe, out of everyone, had the right to know what he did. However, Pip stuck with the wrong thing to do and didn’t tell

The relationships around individuals impact how they will view relationships and who they will chase after. In Great Expectations, Dickens shows how Mr. & Mrs. Joe’s relationship affects Pip. In the primary relationship in Pip’s life, he witnesses a woman who constantly abuses a man and treats him with little respect. Dickens reveals how Pip, in his adulthood, chases after Estella who similarly treats him without kindness or regard for his well-being. Dickens shows how Pip follows the example set for him by his guardians and accepts Estella’s foul treatment of him. Just as Joe reflects on Mrs. Joe’s figure and attractiveness, Pip also obsesses

Joe’s personality is the opposite of his wife’s, including the presence of a moral code which is in turn passed on to Pip. When Joe learned Pip had told everyone lies about what he saw at Miss Havisham’s home, instead of yelling at him he told him that he’d never get to be a gentleman by “going crooked” and simply advised him to never do so again. Pip was also influenced by listening to Joe talk about the good in people, including how he was married to Mrs. Joe because he saw the good in Pip as a baby, and this makes Pip “look up to Joe in his heart.” Even though Joe was Pip’s brother-in-law he was more like a father figure/friend who taught Pip almost all of his admirable

Pip is an honest boy who can barely live with himself after what he has done, but never tells Joe his good friend, or Ms. Joe, Joe's wife.

Throughout the novel, Pip wants to be a gentleman. It is easy to see, however, that Pip does not understand what a true gentleman is. Pip thinks a gentleman is a man of fine breeding with a good education, wearing fancy clothes, and showing good manners. If anything, Joe (a man of humble breeding with no education, wearing blacksmith's clothes, showing poor manners) is the best example of a gentleman in the whole book! He is a gentleman on the inside - at the heart. He is able to forgive and loves Pip unconditionally. Joe's great love for Pip can be compared to our Heavenly Father's love for us. Both loves are unconditional. No matter how many times we turn away from God, He is there every time to take us back, forgiving us completely.

Pip does not tell Joe because he fears he will lose his companionship. In the future, Pip will struggle with telling the truth because of the fear that society will think less of him. Later that same day, the police are engaged in a search party to find the criminal. Joe and Pip accompany them; although, they do not believe that he must be apprehended. Once Magwitch is taken into custody, Joe and Pip both shed a tear. Pip's life at the forge is difficult due to Mrs. Joe's harsh nature, but he is also surrounded by the goodness and love of Joe. He has been taught that humans of all societal levels are important.

These character attributes lead to Pips relationships with the members of his family to change. Such as when Joe comes to visit him in London. Pip feels embarrassed because Joe is of a lower social class than him. His desire to constantly be of a higher social class then he is now leads him to become stuck up and distance himself from Joe, who has always been there for him. When Joe visits him it is as if he does not see any of the wrongdoings Pip is committing and overlooking them because of his love for him.

Joe saves Pip by taking him under his wing when he says,”Bring the poor little child. God bless the poor little child,' I said to your sister, 'there's room for him at the forge!” Joe takes responsibility for Pip, he doesn’t have to do it, but he does. Joe becomes a father of sorts to Pip and that really helps him be normal and grow. Joe expresses that he really cares for Pip,"Which dear old Pip, old chap," said Joe, "you and me was ever friends.

Pip finds consolation from Joe after Pip angers Mrs.Joe. On page 36, “But I wish it was only me that had to take it Pip. I wish there was no Tickler for you, old chap. I wish I could take it all on myself.” It explains how Joe cares about Pip and feels sorrow when Pip gets hurt by Mrs.Joe. Joe advices Pip in some of the chapters, on page 49, Joe tells Pip “There’s one thing you may be sure of, Pip, namely that lies is lies. Don’t you tell no more of them. That ain’t the way to get over being common, Old chap. As Pip; if you can’t get there by going straight, you’ll never get there by going crooked. So don’t lie any more, Pip, and you’ll live well and die

They both felt the wrath of Mrs. Joe; she frequently “knocked his (Joe) head…against the wall” or the Tickler for Pip. Knowledgeable critics have referred to Pip’s experience as that of a "Dickensian childhood - stripped of his rights, found guilty of being himself, and rendered invisible by all those around.

The theme of family is shown mainly through Pip’s relationship with his brother-in-law, Joe Gargery. In the beginning of the novel, Pip makes it obvious that he dislikes his sister, and takes more of a liking to her husband Joe because Pip is able to sympathize with him (Dickens 40). Joe becomes his confidant, a fact that becomes apparent when Pip comes home to face a harsh interrogation by Mrs. Joe and Uncle Pumblechook after his first visit to Miss Havisham’s. Pip lies to the both of them about his experience, but feels guilty about doing the same to Joe and confesses his wrongdoing. Joe shows understanding towards Pip, and instead of sternly rebuking him for lying, he simply but seriously Pip about the dangers of lying, saying “if you can’t get to be oncommon (uncommon) through going straight, you’ll never get to do it through going crooked” (Dickens 100). While Pip’s relationship with Joe is being tested by his desire to gain a higher social standing, Pip shows significant guilt over his mistreatment of Joe ( Dickens 296), proving that deep down, Pip never loses his deep love for Joe. It can be safely assumed that the point that Dickens wants to make through Pip and Joe’s relationship is that family is not necessarily determined by biological connections, but by who a person is closest to and feels most comfortable sharing their life with through the best and worst times.