The Importance of Mrs. Joe in Great Expectations The Importance of Mrs. Joe in Great Expectations has two main parts: the meaning of the character and the symbolism of the character. The meaning of Mrs. Joe is to complete the figure of Joe. Mrs. Joe's symbolism is the physical manifestation of Joe's fears, combined with his desire for an authoritative father figure. Joe's reign of terror is obviously necessary for Joe's existence. At the beginning of Great Expectations, Joe requests identification as the main character. Without the weakness that Mrs. Joe instills in Joe through her reign of terror, Joe will never be able to develop his own character. Joe is identified as a compassionate and sensitive character; the most direct way to show this trait is to make the character appear vulnerable. Mrs. Joe serves as a tyrant for whom Joe is rendered powerless. Joe, unless he is a frightened character, does not recognize the friend he has in Pip. Without Joe as the protagonist in Pip's life, Pip also seems very incomplete. Joe also serves as a comedic interlude to an otherwise dark story. Having exhausted a torrent of such questions, he threw a candlestick at Joe, burst into a loud sob, took out the dustpan - which was always a very bad sign - - put on his rough apron and began to clean terribly. Not content with dry cleaning, she took a bucket and a brush and cleaned us from house and house, (author's last name and page no.) Truly a fearful creature is that which can destroy a house, cleaning when anger attacks it. The comedy also has a serious side, though, as we remember our mothers exercising their great frustrations on household cleaning tasks. So Mrs. Joe acts as a mother to Pip. In addition to the age difference and maternal cleaning duties for Pip and Joe, the attitude of a dismissive mother is also evident. This, of course, brings Joe even closer to Pip, by relationship. Mrs. Joe serves as a liaison to allow Joe to appear as Pip's father. Furthermore, Joe, although terrified of Mrs. Joe, is a very honorable man and would never consider divorcing her. Joe chooses to preserve sacred matrimony rather than seek its comfort.