In his working-clothes, Joe was a well-knit characteristic-looking blacksmith; in his holiday clothes, he was more like a scarecrow in good circumstances, than anything else.
– Charles Dickens
Great Expectations, Chapter 4. In the novel blacksmith Joe Gargery represents the decent and honest working class. A simile compares him to a scarecrow whenever he has to wear his holiday clothes. This emphasizes how uncomfortable he is with having to dress up in “nice” clothes. It also highlights the sharp social class distinctions in Victorian England, where people like Joe have little chance to escape their class and move up the social ladder.