Great Expectations - Mrs. Joe
Great Expectations - Mrs. JoeThe importance of Mrs. Joe in Great Expectations has two major parts: the significance of the character, and the symbolism of the
character. The signifance of Mrs. Joe is to complete the figure of Joe
The symbolism of Mrs. Joe is actually the physical manifestation of
Joe's fears in combination with his desire for a commanding
father-figure. First, Mrs. Joe's reign of terror is obviously
necessary for Joe's existence. In the beginning of Great Expectations,
Joe requires identification as a major character. Without the weakness
that Mrs. Joe instills in Joe via her reign of terror, Joe never
develops to a major character. Joe is identified as a compassionate,
sensitive character, and the most direct way to display this feature
is to have the character appear vulnerable. Mrs. Joe serves as the
tyrant for which Joe is made helpless. Joe, unless he is a scared
character, does not recognize the friend he has in Pip. Without Joe as
a major role in Pip's life, Pip also seems very incomplete. Second,
Mrs. Joe also serves as the comical interlude of an otherwise sombre
story.
"When she had exhausted a torrent of such inquiries, she threw a
candlestick at Joe, burst into a loud sobbing, got out the dustpan --
which was always a very bad sign -- put on her coarse apron, and began
cleaning up to a terrible extent. Not satisfied with a dry cleaning,
she took to a pail and scrubbing-brush, and cleaned us out of house
and home,..." Truly, a frightening creature is that that may destroy a
household by cleaning when anger besets her. Third, the comedy also
has a serious side, though, as we remember our mothers exerting their
great frustrations upon the household tasks of cleanliness. So,
Mrs. Joe serves very well as a mother to Pip. Besides the age
difference and the motherly duties of housekeeping for Pip and
Joe, the attitude of a scornful mother is also apparent. This, of
course, draws Joe even closer to Pip, by relation. Mrs. Joe serves as
link to make it so that Joe appears very much to be the father of Pip.
In addition, Joe, although terrified of Mrs. Joe, is a very honorable
man and would never consider divorcing his wife. Through this
condition, however, Joe appears to be even a more honorable man to
choose to preserve the sacred marriage rather than seek his comfort.
It is ironic that Mrs. Joe be referred to as Mrs. Joe constantly when
there doesn't seem to much a part of Joe in her. The main purpose it
serves is probably to characterize Mrs. Joe as a more masculine, and,
therefore, typically more commanding, character. In the tradition
of marriage, the wife usually gives up her last name to show that she
is "property" of the man, therefore it is especially ironic that
she be called Mrs. Joe when it is clear that Joe, rather, belongs more
to her...
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