Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations contains a riveting story, complete with characters who are captivating, as well as pertinent. Some of the more memorable characters are Miss Havisham and Joe Gargery. Although Miss Havisham isn’t the most altruistic person, she plays a significant role in Pip’s life. Joe Gargery is a completely different person. He resembles a father figure to Pip, and he provides a solicitous spirit in his life. Both have suffered, but they handle their pains in very different ways. One chooses to be unforgiving and hateful, while the other becomes benevolent and loving.

Joe Gargery from Great Expectations has a kind and forgiving nature. While Joe is admiring Pip’s writing by the fireplace in their home, Pip asks why Joe never learned to read. Joe then explains that his father was an abusive drinker, and he kept removing Joe from schooling. Charles Dickens writes, “rendering unto all their doo, and maintaining equal justice betwixt man and man, my father were that good in his hart, don’t you see?”(35). This demonstrates that Joe is forgiving because even though his father ruined his childhood, Joe still stated that he was good in his heart. Joe’s father kept him out of school, beat him and his mother, and even would track them down if they were to run away. But, through all that abuse, Joe still shows kindness to him. Joe means that for what God had given to his father, he was a good man. Also, Joe married Mrs. Joe because he wanted to help the