“I see so much in my poor mother, of a woman drudging and slaving and breaking her honest hart and never getting no peace in her mortal days, that I’m dead afeerd of going wrong in the way of not doing what’s right by a woman, and I’d fur rather of the two go wrong the t’other way, and be a little ill-conwenienced myself. I wish it was only me that got put out, Pip; I wish there warn’t no Tickler for you, old chap; I wish I could take it all on myself; but this is the up-and-down-and-straight on it, Pip, and I hope you’ll overlook shortcomings.”
– Charles Dickens
Great Expectations, Chapter 7. Joe explains to Pip his tolerance for Mrs. Joe’s tempers and her use of Tickler, the punishment cane. Joe along his mother suffered at the hands of a cruel and hard-drinking father who beat them both. His mother’s hardships made such a deep impact on him, it made him resolve to do right by women and not make their life harder.