ness. He is kind hearted and gentle. His generosity and forgiveness is demonstrated countless times in the story. When the escaped convict speaks about the food he stole from Joe and asks his forgiveness, Joe's response is not one of anger. "God knows you are welcome to it- so far as it was ever minewe wouldn't have you starve to death (40). His forgiveness is further demonstrated by his reception and willingness to take care of Pip after Pip had been so cruel to him. He simply replies that "you and me was ever friends" (463). His wonderful kindness to his mean wife, Mrs. Joe, demonstrates his unconditional love. He speaks nicely of her even though she is not very nice to him. Biddy shares these characteristics with Joe. She still cares for Pip even though he has been rude to her and pushed her out of his life. Biddy and Joe are both totally good. However good and evil is not always so clear cut. Some characters appear to fit the fairy tale pattern of being all bad or all good but when they are further explored it cannot be said that they do not fit totally into either side. Consider Molly. She was a "jealous woman, and a revengeful woman; revengeful to the last degree" (405). She had murdered another woman. She told her husband (Magwitch) that she had also killed their daughter (which was not true). But when given the option to give up her child so it would have a chance at life she agreed selflessly: "If you are saved, your child is saved too; if you are lost, your child is still saved" (413). (Hainstock 3)Mrs. Joe Gargery is also an example of an more rounded character. She is mean and seems to be without a heart. She always went on as to "all the illness I had been guilty of, and all of the acts of sleeplessness I had committedand all the times she had wished me in my grave" (28). Yet had Mrs. Joe been all bad she would not have raised Joe by hand, she would simply have cast him out. Mrs. Havisham appears to be c...
