Great Expectations The importance of Mrs. Joe in Great Expectations has two major parts: the significance of the character, and the symbolism of the character. The signifance of Mrs. Joe is to complete the figure of Joe The symbolism of Mrs. Joe is actually the physical manifestation of Joe's fears in combination with his desire for a commanding father-figure. First, Mrs. Joe's reign of terror is obviously necessary for Joe's existence. In the beginning of Great Expectations, Joe requires identification as a major character. Without the weakness that Mrs. Joe instills in Joe via her reign of terror, Joe nev