It was horrible to think that I had provided the weapon, however undesignedly.
– Charles Dickens
Great Expectations, Chapter 16. Pip is racked with guilt over what he believes to be his indirect involvement in the brutal assault of Mrs. Joe. She is left brain damaged and unable to speak after the attack, which is blamed on an escaped convict from the prison ships. A leg-iron that was broken open was found near Mrs. Joe’s body. Pip provided one of the convicts with a file and has a troubled conscience about this. However, we learn later that Mrs. Joe’s attacker was closer to home – Dolge Orlick, a laborer in Joe’s forge. The leg-iron is an important symbol of justice in the novel.