Illustration of Pip visiting a graveyard

Great Expectations

by Charles Dickens

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Great Expectations Questions on Joe Gargery

Great Expectations

The phrase "what larks" in Great Expectations signifies the innocent and joyful times Pip shared with Joe. Joe uses this expression to reminisce about their past happiness. It highlights Joe's...

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Great Expectations

The Forge in Great Expectations is depicted as a warm, welcoming place that mirrors Joe's kind and steady nature. It symbolizes Joe's true home and identity, contrasting with his awkwardness in...

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Great Expectations

Joe gives Mrs. Joe the twenty-five pounds because she is the dominant force in their relationship, effectively controlling Joe. Charles Dickens illustrates this dynamic by having Joe pass the money...

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Great Expectations

Joe Gargery is a kind, hard-working blacksmith with fair, curly hair and a smooth face. He is mild-mannered and compassionate, serving as a father figure to Pip. In contrast, Mrs. Joe Gargery, Pip's...

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Great Expectations

Joe's dialect in Great Expectations reflects the working-class poor of Victorian England, characterized by rough grammar and a thick accent, indicative of his lack of formal education. Unlike Pip,...

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Great Expectations

Pip sends Joe a gift of oysters out of guilt for not visiting him during a trip home. He prioritizes seeing Estella and Miss Havisham, believing they are central to his future. The gift is intended...

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Great Expectations

Joe had a difficult childhood marked by an abusive, alcoholic father who frequently beat his mother. Despite his mother's attempts to escape, they were unable to find safety until his father's death....

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Great Expectations

Joe, reflecting on his mother's hard life and lack of peace, expresses a deep fear of causing women suffering. His mother's struggles left a profound impact on him, motivating him to ensure he never...

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Great Expectations

The resemblance between Abel Magwitch and Joe in Great Expectations serves as a literary device to highlight the contrasting influences on Pip. While Joe represents unconditional love and moral...

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Great Expectations

Two passages in Great Expectations foreshadow Biddy and Joe's relationship. In Chapter 35, Biddy praises Joe's unwavering duty and gentle heart after Mrs. Joe's death, hinting at good things in Joe's...

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Great Expectations

Miss Havisham summons Joe to Satis House to pay him a premium for Pip's apprenticeship, which is unusual as Joe, being the master, would not typically receive such a payment. Pip feels ashamed...

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Great Expectations

Pip's love for Joe is evident in several passages from the early chapters of Great Expectations. In Chapter II, Pip describes Joe as a "mild, good-natured" and "dear fellow," indicating his...

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Great Expectations

Joe's visit to Miss Havisham reveals his deep affection and care for Pip, treating him like a son. Despite Pip's embarrassment over Joe's discomfort in formal attire and his awkwardness in addressing...

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Great Expectations

The blacksmith's trade involves metalworking, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut iron. In "Great Expectations," the convict's eyes widen when Pip mentions the blacksmith because he realizes that...

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Great Expectations

Joe throws Pip's indenture papers into the fire, symbolizing his support for Pip's opportunity to become a gentleman. This act occurs after Mr. Jaggers, an attorney, informs them of a mysterious...

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Great Expectations

Joe Gargery is portrayed as a lovable and honest character through his unselfish love and kindness towards Pip. He welcomes Pip into his home, saying, "there's room for him at the forge," and...

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Great Expectations

The character of Joe Gargery in Great Expectations is a blacksmith. He is a father figure, and loyal friend to Pip, his brother-in-law. He and his wife, Georgiana, are both hard workers, but she...

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Great Expectations

In Great Expectations, Joe, Pip, Estella, and Miss Havisham are all victims in various ways. Miss Havisham is initially victimized by Compeyson, who jilts her for her money, leading her to raise...

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Great Expectations

The sentence reflects Pip's bond with Joe, formed through shared suffering under Mrs. Joe's harshness. They silently compare how they eat bread, turning it into a playful challenge. A seven-year-old...

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Great Expectations

Hands play an important part in Great Expectations. They are often used as indicators of character, and throughout the novel they are used to signal a variety of emotions.

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Great Expectations

Joe's size in Great Expectations symbolizes both his physical strength and his big heart. His large physique reflects his capacity for kindness and unconditional love, notably towards Pip, whom he...

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