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Character analysis · blacksmith, Pip's brother-in-law and surrogate father

Joe Gargery

in Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Joe Gargery is the blacksmith in the marsh country and Pip's brother-in-law, having married Pip's older sister, Mrs. Joe. He’s portrayed as a mild, good-natured, sweet-tempered, easy-going, and somewhat foolish dear fellow—a bit of a Hercules in both strength and vulnerability. Physically, he’s a giant, but he has a gentle spirit, even though he struggles with reading and writing. From the start of the novel, Joe is Pip's most loyal protector and friend; both of them, as Pip describes it, are pretty much "brought up by hand" by Mrs. Joe. He takes Pip on as an apprentice at his forge, offering support freely without expecting anything in return. When Mr. Jaggers comes to release Pip from his indentures, Joe refuses to accept any payment, standing his ground with pride. As Pip rises in social status, Joe becomes a source of embarrassment for him, particularly evident during Joe's awkward visit to London. Yet, Joe's loyalty never wavers: he cares for the seriously ill Pip, pays off his debts, and brushes aside any discomfort with his usual tact and kindness. Joe represents straightforward moral goodness, hard work, and unconditional love—a steady moral counterpoint to the corrupting influences of wealth and social ambition throughout the novel.

About this character

Role
blacksmith, Pip's brother-in-law and surrogate father
Form
Novel
Author
Charles Dickens
First published
1861

The person01–03

01·Who they are

Who is Joe Gargery?

Joe Gargery works as the blacksmith in the marsh village. Chapter II describes him as having fair hair, blue eyes, and a large but gentle physique—"a sort of Hercules in strength, and also in weakness." He struggles with reading and writing, unable to even spell his own name (Chapter VII), and tends to communicate in a meandering, rambling manner. Despite this, Joe has a strong sense of right and wrong. (Chapter XV).

02·Arc & motivation

What is Joe Gargery's arc and motivation?

Joe's character arc stays the same, which is both intentional and meaningful. His main motivation is the well-being of those he loves, especially Pip. He takes Pip on as an apprentice because they "were ever friends" and it was "calc'lated to lead to larks" (Chapter XIII), not out of a desire for financial gain. When Jaggers offers him money to release Pip from his indentures, Joe reacts with physical anger and outright refuses (Chapter XVIII). Later, when Pip is ill and broke in Chapter LVII, Joe helps him, pays off his debts, and cares for him without asking for anything in return. His only awkward moment occurs during a stiff visit to Pip's London rooms in Chapter XXVII, where he awkwardly refers to Pip as "sir" and struggles to feel comfortable; yet, even then, he asserts with dignity that he and Pip belong in their own worlds.

03·Key moments

What are Joe Gargery's key moments?

  • Chapter II: Joe and Pip are introduced as fellow victims of Mrs. Joe, bonded by their shared vulnerability.
  • Chapter XIII: At Satis House, Joe speaks to Miss Havisham in his unique but sincere manner, stressing that he raised Pip out of friendship, not for any ulterior motives.
  • Chapter XVIII: Joe confronts Jaggers, refusing his money and standing up for himself when he feels bullied—offering a rare glimpse of the "Hercules" beneath Joe's gentle exterior.
  • Chapter XXVII: Joe's visit to London reveals the social divide created by Pip; his discomfort with the formalities shows how Pip's ambitions have strained their friendship.
  • Chapter XXXV: Mrs. Joe dies calling for "Joe," reaching out to him—this moment redeems her slightly and affirms Joe's unwavering loyalty.
  • Chapter LVII: Joe looks after Pip, clears his debts, and delicately resolves past secrets, showing that his love remains unconditional.

The cast04–05

04·Relationships

What are Joe Gargery's most important relationships?

Joe's connection with Pip serves as the emotional heart of the novel. He offers Pip protection, apprenticeship, forgiveness, and care while asking for nothing in return. Pip's shame towards Joe during his aspirations highlights one of the central moral failures in the story, and Joe's steadfast loyalty makes this failure feel even more significant. In his relationship with Mrs. Joe, Joe remains patient and kind, even amid her abuse; her final gesture of reaching for him indicates a deeper connection beneath her harshness. His encounter with Jaggers in Chapter XVIII is particularly telling: Joe's rejection of money and willingness to assert himself show that his gentleness is a conscious choice, not a flaw. Biddy plays a vital role as Joe's interpreter and supporter in Chapter LVII, using her "woman's wit" to complement his unrefined goodness.

05·Connected characters

How is Joe Gargery connected to the other characters?

Pip

Joe is Pip's brother-in-law and surrogate father, the most constant and selfless presence in Pip's life; he apprentices Pip, refuses payment for releasing him, and nurses him through illness, embodying a loyalty Pip only fully appreciates late in the novel.

Mrs. Joe

Joe is married to Mrs. Joe, who is described as having made him marry her 'by hand' and who habitually strikes him as well as Pip; at her death she calls for Joe, makes signs for him to sit beside her, and dies with her head on his shoulder.

Biddy

Biddy writes to Pip on Joe's behalf and prepares Joe with 'sweet tact and kindness' before his visit to the sick Pip in Chapter LVII; she also plans to help take care of Mr. Gargery after Mrs. Joe's death.

Mr. Jaggers

Jaggers arrives in Chapter XVIII to release Pip from his apprenticeship and offers Joe money, which Joe furiously refuses, squaring up to Jaggers and demanding he 'come out' if he means to bully him.

Miss Havisham

Miss Havisham summons Joe to Satis House to formalise Pip's apprenticeship, pays him nothing beyond the premium, and later sends a message through Joe that Estella has returned home.

Orlick

Orlick works as a journeyman at Joe's forge and quarrels violently with Mrs. Joe; it is later revealed that Orlick struck Mrs. Joe down with a leg-iron he had kept, and he taunts Pip with having known him 'at Gargery's.'

Mr. Wopsle

Mr. Wopsle accompanies Joe on his visit to London in Chapter XXVII, and both men had dined at Gargery's on the Christmas Day recalled in Chapter XLVII.

The evidence06

06·Key quotes

What are Joe Gargery’s key quotes?

“Pip, dear old chap, life is made of ever so many partings welded together, as I may say, and one man’s a blacksmith, and one’s a whitesmith, and one’s a goldsmith, and one’s a coppersmith.”

Joe Gargery · to Pip · Chapter XXVII

Why it matters

Joe delivers this farewell speech at the end of Chapter XXVII during his visit to Pip at Barnard's Inn, recognizing that their lives have drifted too far apart for casual companionship. His metaphor about life as partings "welded together," with each man being a different kind of smith, aligns beautifully with both Joe's profession and his gentle wisdom. He doesn't blame Pip; instead, he speaks the truth with grace. This moment stands out as one of the novel's most poignant passages because Joe, despite having every reason to feel forsaken, offers Pip a dignified way to move on. His use of the word "welded" subtly emphasizes that these partings create lasting connections, not separations — their friendship remains intact even though their shared daily life has changed.

Study07–08

07·Questions

Questions readers ask about Joe Gargery

What does Joe look like?

He has impressive physical strength—often referred to as "a sort of Hercules in strength"—but his demeanor remains gentle.

Why does Joe refuse the money Jaggers offers him in Chapter XVIII?

Joe won’t help because he doesn’t want anything in return for letting Pip go. When Jaggers presses him, Joe becomes furious, showing his anger with every sign of aggression, yelling that if Jaggers comes into his home to bully and harass him, he should "come out."

How does Joe behave during his visit to Pip's London rooms in Chapter XXVII?

Joe seems really uncomfortable. He calls Pip "sir," has trouble finding a place for his hat (which keeps sliding off the mantel), and answers questions in a way that's way too formal.

What is Joe's relationship with Mrs. Joe like?

Mrs. Joe frequently displays aggression toward both Joe and Pip, and the novel implies that she coerced Joe into marrying her. As she nears death, she calls for Joe, requests that her arms be placed around his neck, and passes away with her head on his shoulder.

How does Mrs. Joe die, and what is Joe's role in her final moments?

According to Biddy in Chapter XXXV, Mrs. Joe came out of a troubled state and called for "Joe." She passed away resting her head on his shoulder, whispering only "Joe," "Pardon," and "Pip."

What does Joe do for Pip in Chapter LVII?

Joe arrives in London and cares for the seriously ill Pip, helping him recover. As Pip begins to understand, he learns that Joe has also paid off his debts. Joe handles any awkwardness regarding past secrets with a gentle touch, and Pip thinks about "the sweet tact and kindness" that Biddy showed in preparing Joe for this visit.

Can Joe read or write?

Joe struggles with spelling his own name. When Pip asks him in Chapter VII how to spell "Gargery," Joe responds, "I don't spell it at all." In Chapter XXVII, Biddy writes a letter to Pip for Joe.

What is the significance of Orlick having worked at Joe's forge?

Orlick works as Joe's journeyman and appears at the forge in Chapter XV. In Chapter LIII, it's revealed that Orlick attacked Mrs. Joe with a leg-iron he had hidden, and he mocks Pip by mentioning that he knew him "at Gargery's," linking Joe's home to the novel's darker criminal themes.

08·Essay angles

Use this in your essay

Tool · Essay angles

  • Joe as the moral anchor of the novel: how does his unwavering goodness expose the corruption that "great expectations" instill in Pip?

  • The significance of Joe's dialect and illiteracy—does Dickens use these traits to demean or to honor him?

  • How does the contradiction of being "a sort of Hercules in strength, and also in weakness" resonate throughout the novel's key moments?

  • The London visit in Chapter XXVII as a reflection on class shame: what does Pip's embarrassment reveal about the novel's critique of social ambition?

  • The marriage between Joe and Mrs. Joe as a reflection of domestic power dynamics: how does the novel complicate simple empathy for Joe?

Great Expectations

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