Great Expectations 1

Mrs. Joe:
“By this time my sister was quite desperate, so she pounced on Joe, and, taking him by the two whiskers, knocked his head for a little while against the wall behind him: while I sat in the corner, looking guiltily on.”

We do not know Mrs. Joe Gargery's real name. She has always been called Mrs. Joe. This tells us it's because during that time woman were not as valued. Pip describes her as a not good looking woman. Mrs. Joe is tall and bony with black hair and eyes. Pip says "I sometimes used to wonder whether it was possible she washed herself with a nutmeg grater instead of soap."(pg. 8) Mrs. Joe had established a great reputation with herself and the neighbours because she had brought Pip up, "by hand". From this quote we can see how Mrs. Joe is a very agressive person. Pip uses words like "pounce" and "dived" to describe her actions. Although she did not really pounce like an animal it still gives us a visual on how she acts. Pip then goes on to say, "taking him by the two whiskers, knocked his head for a little while against the wall behind him." This tells us not only is she agressive, but it seems the only way she thinks she can assert her power is to use violence. On page 14 Pip says, "She was never polite, unless there was company." This would tell us of her double personality. She seems to have such a "great reputation" from her neighbours, but then at home she treats Joe and Pip as ungrateful. Mrs. Joe is the one that seems the most ungrateful though. She doesn't seem to see how good things have turned out for her. So far Pip has not done anything as to trouble her and she has a husband that works to earn a living for them all.