Though her tone is a sad one, she finally seems to find her “happiness” through isolation and a good book. This beginning part Of the book plays a major role of setting the stage, as we now know, through the authors tone, that the journey of the person being described begins as a really tough one. 2 “All John Reed’s violent tyrannies, all his sister’s proud indifference, all his mothers aversion, all the servants’ partiality turned up in my disturbed mind like a dark dared commit no fault; I strove to fulfil every duty; and I was termed naughty and tiresome, sullen and neaking, from morning to noon, and from noon to night. (chapter 2, page 10) We continue to get more insight on how Jane feels about the standpoint she IS in in her life, and we begin to feel that through all her tribulations–becoming an orphan, living through harsh put-down–she has matured far beyond her age. In this quote, she describes the ill-mannered people she is surrounded by on a daily basis, helping us to realize that she has far more maturity than all of them who are much older than her.
It is clear that Jane realizes that she is unwanted, that though Mrs. Reed’s own children have many more faults than Jane erself, she is treated like in reality as if she is far worse than them, the reality being that she really does nothing wrong. 3 ” .. ]he departed, to my grief: I felt so sheltered and befriended while he sat in the chair near my pillow; and as he closed the door after him, all the room darkened and my heart again sank: inexpressible sadness weighed it down. (chapter 3, page 16) This second quote I have chosen only strengthens the argument that Jane is going through not only physical by the wicked John Reed but more severe mental abuse by all those around her. As she is being looked at for eterioration of health due to her traumatic red room experience, she finds the simple and basic notions that the doctor does a huge comfort. Then we see Jane regress back to her more depressed state, an “inexpressible sadness weigh[ing her] down”due to his leaving because of her realization that the comfort was only temporary, there is no one left to genuinely care for her.
Although Jane presents herself with tough character, withstanding the horrible abuse, it is building up inside of her, a mixture of anger, sadness, feelings of neglection; not a bit of love or kindness for her from a single person, all hinking that she can do without any of it. As the scene continues, we see a less passionate Jane emerge; something that even worries her caretaker Bessie as it is so out of the norm for her. It is clear it’s taken it’s toll. 4 -‘Do you know where the wicked go after death? They go to hell. ‘ -‘And what is hell?
Can you tell me that? –‘A pit full of fire: –‘And should you like to fall into that pit, and to be burning there for ever? ‘ –‘No sir. ‘ ‘… l must keep in good health, and not die. ‘ ” (chapter 4, page 30) As Jane once again regains herself, Mrs. Reed is quick about getting rid of her, wanting her to leave possibly ore than Jane wants to leave Gateshead herself. As she meets the demeaning Mr. Brocklehurst (the director of Lowood School for girls, her intended new place of stay), we see a kind of sneaky revenge from Jane finally come to light.
As before she would take the abuse, and escalate if needed, we see her escalate first, this time with witty but not disrespectful responses towards the questions being directed at her. Through this first meeting Mr. Brocklehurst presumptuously, with the help of Mrs. Reed’s judge on her character as being “deceitful”, views Jane as something that must be fixed. However, without them knowing, Jane has already begun to outsmart them through her accelerated thinking maturity. Something that was in Jane all along, has finally been awoken. Now it is something that she must accomplish, her liberty of being and doing who she chooses to be.
This marks the beginning of that journey, whereas before we saw a girl with really no meaning for life, other than living through abuse. 5 “‘l am not deceitful: if I were, I should say loved you but I declare I do not love you: I dislike you the worst of anybody in the world except John Reed People think you are a ood woman, but you are bad, hard hearted. You are deceitful! ” (chapter 4, page 34-35) Having been almost completely stripped of meaning for life, instead of letting that happen, Jane has bounced back, and with a vengeance!
To some point, Jane cannot hold her patience despite being naturally patient. When she is wrongly accused of being a deceitful child and that children like her needed to be “corrected for their faults”, she is completely outraged and even surprised that Mrs. Reed understands her little. She dares to completely speak her mind to the true deceitful person here, her orribly evil and neglectful caretaker, Mrs. Reed. Through this scene in the tea room, after seeing Jane’s new take on a way to deal with her situation, some foreshadowing of coming revenge towards Mrs.
Reed for all she has done to her is shown, making me wonder if my prediction is correct? Surely there must be some justice for all the evil that was bestowed upon Jane, even if is not by Janes own hands. “l shuddered as I looked around me: it was an inclement day for outdoor exercise– not positively rainy , but darkened by a drizzling yellow fog as the dense mist penetrated to heir shivering frames, heard frequently the sound of a hollow cough. ” (chapter 5, page 49) Jane has been thrust into a new environment, still not expecting to be shown a wonderful load of kindness.
As she is still a child of ten years old, she busies herself on her arrival by taking in what is around her, knowing this will be where she will reside for many years to come. Closing the chapter of Gateshead out of her life allows her to continue on, it being enough for her to strive towards what she Wants, being enough motivation for now. It is not somewhere where she will find complete appiness, but it is somewhere where she can be as far from abuse as possible, working toward a better future.
This speaks for how little it takes to make Jane happy, something that could have been done with basics such as demonstrations of love. Although specific teachers and Mr. Brocklehurst are unfortunately a glooming shadow upon her, the prospect of opportunity and what can come if she works hard to reach anything and finally, ultimately independence, allows Jane to accept her new surrounding and make the most of it. Being far from Gateshead means just that, a whole new chapter in Jane’s life. 7
She has been unkind to you, no doubt, because, you see she dislikes you cast of character, as Miss Scatcherd does mine; but how minutely you remember all she has done and said to you! What [ … l degradation never too deeply disgusts me, injustice never crushes me too low; I live in calm, looking to the end. ‘ getting up, obeyed the monitor without reply as without delay. “(chapter 6, page 60-61) Jane meets a kind and sickly girl named Helen Burns, who acts as Jane’s safe ground as she witnesses similar situations to that of Gateshead unfold before her at Lowood.
Helen plays a huge role in the spiritual side of Jane’s life; convincing her that although there are many things that happen that are not quite fair to specific persons who don’t deserve such, life is too short to spend it contemplating on revenge or how that one who did you wrong shall pay. Having such a wise role model approximately her own age acts as Jane’s reflection of who she wants to be spiritually. It makes her look back on her life, and although she recognizes that most of the wrong done to her isn’t for an excusable reason, forgiveness, as Helen preaches, is the best way to move forward.
Although having already a religious ackground, it is Helen that truly sews those ideas within her soul to act as a guide, something that will take a large part in Jane’s Journey. 8 is a sad, melancholy occasion; for it becomes my duty to warn you that this girl, who might be one of God’s own lambs, is a little castaway—not a member of the true flock, but evidently an interloper and an alien. You must be on your guard against; you must shun her example”- if necessary avoid her company, exclude her [… ]this girl is a liar! ‘” (chapter 7, page 70) Jane clearly isn’t a favorite. For anyone, really, although she tries her hardest.
There is irony in the scene in which Mr. Brocklehurst punishes Jane and encourages the other school girls to shun her away, claiming that she is a liar, when in truth, by calling her a liar, he is the true liar! By coming back into Jane’s life, she is only reminded of the torment of Gateshead; what she strives to forgive and forget, only to have Mr. Brocklehurst take the simple mistake Of dropping something (very similar to her doing nothing and being labeled as naughty and rebellious at Gateshead) and reminding her of the torment of living the life she is trying to stray away from.
Her punishment s cruel and uncalled for, the only thing getting her through being Helen’s occasional but constant smiles directed at her, every time she looked at her only ascertaining Helen’s words to her about completely avoiding that kind of situation by being completely submissive, that it will all play out in the end. Helen’s endurance for compassion for all, even those who wrong her, is one that parallels Jane’s belief of self respect. 9 “‘Helen, why do you stay with a girl whom everybody believes to be a liar V (chapter 8, page 73) This line accentuates the importance of Helen’s role in Jane’s life.
All her life, she hasn’t had one person that truly loves her. All who supposedly were put on the Earth to care for her had all passed away, leaving Jane alone in a cruel world. Helen enters her life and becomes the one constant thing in her life besides her dreams, hopes and aspirations. Even she herself, despite her friends loyalty, is surprised that one person has decided to stay along her side this long, a completely humbling experience for Jane, as she has finally met a true person to accept her and to better her with the best intentions possible. 0 “l got on her crib and kissed her, her forehead as cold, and her cheek both cold and thin, and so were her hand and wrist; but she smiled I was asleep, and Helen was dead. ” (chapter 9, page 88 – 89) The death of Helen is another turning point in the book; and we also learn to appreciate Helen’s amazing selfless actions during the final moments with Jane. As a worried Jane makes her way to Helen, Helen makes her best, in a selfless act, to make her friend not worry about her by acting like she is not in pain, and treats her situation as one where she is going to end up in a happy place, “going home to her permanent home, going home to God. As almost a survivor’s guilt in a way for Jane, I feel that she comes to the resolution that as she lives on with all that Helen made her realize, she must continue to follow in those steps that Helen would have wanted her to follow. Through Helen and Jane’s time spent together, a lot of each others positive aspects flowed into the other that made them that much stronger as a person and their friendship much stronger as well.
As much as losing Helen hurts Jane (her being the only one she has felt true human connection with) the loss of Helen also strengthensJane in order to keep her memory alive and ake a reality all that they dreamed about together. It is also Jane’s strong self respect that will help her pull through the loss and make something out of herself. 11 “l tired of the routine of eight years in one afternoon. desired liberty; for liberty I gasped; for liberty I uttered in prayer; it seemed scattered on the wind then faintly blowing. I abandoned it and framed a humbler supplication: for change, stimulus.
That petition, too, seemed swept off into vague space. ‘Then,’ I cried, half desperate, ‘grant me at least a new 10, 93) As the book moves on to the next chapter, we enter a ew chapter in Jane Eyre’s life. Apparently, she has not moved at all from Lowood School for Girls and is around eighteen years of age by now, ready to set all she has prepared for in motion. Jane seems to be at her wits end to reach what she has always desired– using prayer to the Lord as a way to bring her more chance of getting out of where she currently is and where she has been for so much of her life.
Through the words spoken in the quote: “… for liberty I gasped… “, referencing and comparing freedom, liberty as something as essential as breath, we see that she has grown desperate for what seems to be aking too long to finally come. There is a foreshadowing where she says, “grant me at least a new servitude! “, hinting at the event of being summoned to a new profession as her way of getting out of Lowood School for Girls. 12 “–‘WeIl, and what of John Reed? ‘ ”’Oh he is not doing so well as his mama could wish.
He went to college, and he got plucked, I think they call it. And then his uncles wanted you are quite a lady, Miss Jane! I knew you would 10, page 99-100) There is a slight theme of redemption hinting through the conversation Bessie (her former caretaker at Gateshead) and Jane have after so long of not seeing each other. Where John Reed began at a much higher rank compared to Jane Eyre when they were forced to be in the same environment as younger children, John has amounted to nothing despite his fortune.
In fact, he has negatively influenced his life with bad choices, and the readers later learn that not even his loving mother can approve. Then, moving on down the conversation, the theme becomes explicit! Bessie outright says, “Oh you are quite a lady, Miss Jane! “, which can be labeled as ironic as not a soul of that house ever seemed like they would ever hink something of the like, that in fact, it would be the opposite, with John Reed, the spoiled rich child being the successful one and Jane Eyre, the orphaned cast away amounting to nothing.
