In Charles Dickens' Great Expectations, Joe Gargery is presented as the embodiment of human compassion and kindness, the moral center of the novel. He is a strange mix of wisdom, stupidity and generosity, being the most human of all the characters with his strengths and weaknesses, which readers understand by reading between the lines of Pip's description, Joe's own actions and its interactions. "Joe" is a common name, and Dickens's clever play with nomenclature instantly makes us see Joe as a small, simple, ordinary man. Dickens' presented Joe as a paradox, 'a sort of Hercules in strength and also in weakness', blessed with a gentle nature that belies the tenacity the blacksmith needs for his work. He is described as physically strong, however, we are shown to what extent he suffers from the physical violence of his wife. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on "Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned"?Get the original essay Joe's manner of speaking indicates his slow brain and illiteracy, calling epileptic seizures "purple leptic" and taking time with his speech. His stupidity and stupidity are apparent when he continues speaking, stunned by the disappearance of Pip's bread, looking at him with "wonder and dismay". However, the fact that he is aware that Mrs. Joe will not be happy if he becomes a scholar for fear that he might rise, shows that he is not boring in any way. He is aware of Mrs. Joe's harsh personality, but repeatedly refers to her as a "fine figure of a woman", seeing the positive side of her who chose to raise Pip by hand. His statement that "he was alone at the time" and "living here alone" implies that loneliness might have driven him to marry and he appears to have made a conscious decision to tolerate Mrs. Joe's mistreatment. Through his actions towards Pip, Joe is shown to be a generous and kind character, welcoming a boy with whom he is not even related by blood. As a blacksmith, it is obvious that Joe is from a modest working class and does not earn as much, but he tells Pip's sister to "bring the poor little child" with her and that "there is some place for him at the forge! 'Joe wishes he could take the "all about me" Tickler for Pip and we see how much love and care he has for him. He is a comforting figure, lecturing Pip on "Bolting" as he worries about his "Elth" and taking Pip on his back when he began to sink during their search for the convicts. Joe's morality is evident when he blames Pip for "bolting" the bread, and this seems to influence Pip, which is why he feels guilty and "tenderness of conscience" only in reference to Joe. Joe is an emotionally strong character, considering how he was able to deal with a dysfunctional family as a child, and now his wife's verbal attacks. He is able to withstand emotional blows without breaking down. Enduring Mrs. Joe's abusive treatment also indicates how submissive a man he is, without ego or power. He loves Pip but he has never defended him against Mrs. Joe. We see this as cowardice on his part, however, later when Dickens asks Joe to tell his own story, we are made to realize and understand what motivates Joe. He endures as much as he does because he is "scared to death of not doing what is right for a woman", not wanting to hurt Mrs. Joe and not letting her "work and slave like her mother". This shows his gentle temperament, tenderness and the respect he has for women. Joe is a man.