The themes of ambition and snobbery start to appear. When Joe compliments him for being a scholar, Pip notes that he should like to be, evidence that even at this young age he has a drive to achieve something more in life than those around him. Pip sees all the seeds in the little drawers at Pumblechook’s store and wonders if they want to be free of their jails to grow. This symbolizes the themes of freedom and growth. No doubt, Pip’s sister and her condescending attitude toward Joe and his work also fuel this drive. She has made it clear she does not like her station in life. Pip, in turn, shows some condescension toward Joe and his lack of education. He also describes Biddy in somewhat uncomplimentary terms, but she has knowledge and so they become friends.
Joe is a loyal man, calls his wife a fine figure of a woman and a mastermind, and when Pip tries to pick a fight with him on these counts, Joe stops it with a fixed look and a firm word. He is also very astute and aware. Mrs. Joe likes “governing” the house and he recognizes her skills in this regard. Knowing she will be threatened if he starts to become educated, he insists on keeping his lessons with Pip a secret. Joe has the ability and compassion to recognize a person’s faults and still see their good points. In spite of his father’s drinking and abuse, Joe speaks of the man’s good heart. Also, because of what his mother suffered with his father, Joe willingly endures Mrs. Joe’s abuse so she never has to suffer the pain his mother did. Joe does regret that his choice means Pip gets hit with the Tickler from time to time. He is sorry about that and notes it as a shortcoming of his. This point will surface again in Chapter 57, when Joe speaks to Pip of his failure to protect him as much as he should have. Yet in spite of his shortcomings and lack of education, Joe is an ethical, genuine, fair man with innate goodness and a natural knowledge of life. He senses it is a problem to mix children of different social classes for play, and his morality is straight and clear. When Pip admits he feels coarse and common and that he lied in describing his visit to Miss Havisham’s, Joe tells Pip that you have to be common before you can be uncommon, that no good comes of lies, and if you cannot get to be uncommon by being honest, you will never get there by being dishonest.
