Great Expectations 3

• "Joe laid his hand upon my shoulder with the touch of a woman. I have often thought him since, like the steam-hammer that can crush a man or pat an egg-shell, in his combination of strength with gentleness." (p. 142)

Throughout Pip's childhood he was never accustomed to a maternal figure. In this passage, Pip describes Joe's touch as one of a woman. Pip's sister's cruelty and abuse failed to serve Pip with a proper parental figure, which is why Dicken's indicates Joe's patient, compassionate character to be one Pip respects. Pip lacked a stable father figure during his lifetime, but Joe defined his childhood, Mr. Jaggers was constantly referred to as "my guardian," Magwitch served to be a figure that constantly cared for Pip, and towards the end of the novel, Joe returned to nurse Pip back to good health.