I had neither the good sense nor the good feeling to know that this was all my fault, and that if I had been easier with Joe, Joe would have been easier with me. I felt impatient of him and out of temper with him; in which condition he heaped coals of fire on my head.
– Charles Dickens
Great Expectations, Chapter 27. Joe is visiting Pip in London, where he feels uncomfortable and out of his comfort zone. Pip is annoyed by Joe’s awkward behavior, but realizes that he is at fault for the discomfort of his friend, whom he has neglected. The phrase “heaped coals of fire on my head” is a metaphor for Pip’s feelings of remorse over his own behavior towards Joe. Originating in the Bible it is to be found in Romans 12:20 and Proverbs 25:22. It refers to the act of showing kindness and generosity to an enemy or someone who has done you wrong.