Jane Eyre - Chapters 24-29:
I find the engagement of Jane and Mr. Edward Rochester to be, if not the weirdest, certainly one of the most odd engagements ever. It starts out where both are passionate and giddy, as one would expect a newly engaged couple to be. However, the next morning when Jane wakes up and comes out of her slumber back to the realities of the previous night, she allows her doubt to overcome her joy and she begins to be unkind, aloof, and odd towards Mr. Rochester. He, in return, begins to describe putting her in fancy dresses, jewels, and making her beautiful - not only to him - but to everyone else in the world around them. It is stated almost as though he feels some need to make her appear commensurate with a class closer in proximity and status to his. Jane is scared and seemingly put off and requests to simply, for the next month until their marriage, act as a nothing more than Adela's governess. To top it all off, Jane finally restates for the reader that despite her stated wishes, she is falling more in love with Mr. Rochester every day. I believe Bronte creates this contradiction between the two of them to show that their marriage is bringing two people together into lives they have previously been unaccustomed to and both are still figuring out how to adjust. Jane is clinging to the comfort of her solitary, plain life and scared to branch out beyond that comfort zone. Therefore, she shuts out Mr. Rochester and his ideas. His end of this conflict is far more confusing. I cannot discern whether he simply wishes to give her all he can, due to how much he loves her or due to his own sense of longing and loneliness. I prefer to believe it is a little of both. For the rest of their engagement, Jane is cold, shows no love or compassion toward Mr. Rochester, and stays as aloof, strict, and non-emotional with him as she can be. She tries to say strictly professional, except in their few personal encounters in which she is often unkind and disrespectful to him, despite his attempts to be cordial and loving to her. At the start of their engagement, to support my supposition and foreshadowing, Mrs. Fairfax mentions to Jane that it is likely that there is some ulterior motive other than love as to why Mr. Rochester is marrying Jane. Mrs. Fairfax states that Jane is not extraordinarily beautiful or considerably wealthy, and that she has little to no stature of importance in society; therefore, there must be another reason. I iterated before that most likely, smooth sailing would not lie ahead for the 'happy' couple. Sadly, I was correct.
A few nights before the wedding, Jane woke to see a woman who was a goblin looking creature that tore her veil in half and stared at her in the face before leaving. Jane tells Mr. Rochester of this occurrence, but he assures her it is just Grace Poole. He further asserts that it is a figment of her imagination that she looked so ugly. At this moment, I was quite sure that the woman was most certainly NOT Grace Poole and that Jane, as I always knew her to be, was not an idiot, but rather tragically fooled, just as the others in this story are, into believing that the woman upstairs was no more harmful than the demure Grace Poole. Mr. Rochester assured that there was nothing to worry about. Sadly, Jane was soon to discover that nothing was what it seemed, and I soon discovered that my hypothesis, while not entirely correct in the smallest detail, were foundationally correct. At the wedding, all that had been hidden was unveiled. The reader, along with Jane, finds out that the woman locked away in the attic is not Grace Poole. Rather, she is Bertha Mason, the wife of Mr. Edward Rochester and the sister of Mr. Richard Mason. As a reminder, Richard Mason is the man from earlier in the novel at the party who ended up getting attacked by his sister. He is the same man who, while injured, who prevented from speaking to Jane, because Mr. Rochester did not want her to discover the secret of his wife. He kept this from Jane, because he was already in love with her, and he did not want to prevent her feelings from growing for him. He was hoping she would fall in love with him. Such news would have prevented that event from occurring. Grace Poole, as I predicted, was in fact a nurse to the mystery woman and knew of her situation, which is why she covered for the laughing, the noise, and the multiple strange encounters with the woman. Not only was her job to nurse her, but the less well-known, yet equally important, part of her duties was to help conceal the woman and maintain the secret Mr. Rochester had upheld for so many years now.
On her wedding day, as the clergyman asks if Rochester takes Jane to wife, someone yells out that the wedding cannot go on. There is a problem! That's how this was all unveiled. Poor Jane! This person announces that Rochester already has a wife! Mr. Mason and lawyers present are upset with Mr. Rochester, feeling he is betraying Bertha Mason, his wife and about to commit bigamy. To quiesce the rumblings and explain his predicament, he takes everyone to the house so that they can see, firsthand, his agony and the condition of his wife. He wishes for them to see the hideous, crazy person woman Berthat has become! During this whole encounter, Jane describes the events as if she were just an object, powerless to stop it, all of her dreams of love and happiness are cold and dead. The world is spinning around her, and she can hardly believe what is happening. She says little to nothing during this entire event. My heart just breaks for her and what she must be feeling. Putting myself in the very position she is living in, I imagine standing on an alter, being hopelessly in love yet looking like a complete fool, knowing not what to do because your blissful reality has just come crashing down around you. How tragic!
At this point in the novel, of particular interest is what Jane learns further of her uncle and the events that lead to this wretched event on her special day. It seems that John Eyre, Jane's uncle, told Mason about Rochester's intent to marry Jane. Jane had written a letter to her uncle advising him of her upcoming nuptials. John Eyre then told Mason of the event, an Mason, knowing of Rochester's existing marriage to his sister, came solely to stop the wedding!
Finally, once everyone has left, after seeing Bertha, Jane retreats to her room and begins to feel as though she has to leave. She then has a heart-wrenching encounter with Mr. Rochester in which they both cry, and he begs her not to leave. Her conscience reasons with her that, despite her love for Rochester, she must leave before temptation and love take over her senses, and her ability reason and form logic. This is not a life she could ever live and feel comfortable in assuming. She decides it is not a sound judgement to stay. She feels further justified in such a decision and develops a firm resolve to leave. My heart breaks for Jane and, frankly, for Edward Rochester. Although I had imagined, several chapters ago, that some harm might befall their relationship, I never imagined it would be as catastrophic as this.
Jane flees into the night and presses on, in spite of her inner conflicting battle of returning to him, because she so desperately loves him. After a long carriage ride to another town, Jane finds herself with no more money, barely any food, no home, and no friends or family to support her. Instead, she encounters coldness, harsh and unresponsive people. Finally, after four days, she ends up at the door of a clergyman who is away from home, but his sisters are there, as well as their housemaid. At first, the housemaid tries to turn Jane away with only a penny and here Jane accepts the fact that she will most likely die. However, the man of the home, the brother, returns and decides to take Jane in. After some discussion, the sisters ( Diana and Mary ) and the brother ( John ) decide to allow Jane to stay till she is no longer ill. Finally after a few days, Jane regains her strength and they begin to ask her a myriad of questions: from whence she came, her background, her former friends, her family, etc. John however, unlike the rest of them, studies Jane with less of an innocence than the others. He is not rude toward her, rather a little more pensive. Some of John Rivers' attributes remind me of that of Mr. Rochester. His inquisitive eyes, his trying personality, yet the gentle comfort of his approval, and his discreet care for others, despite his outward robust nature, all pays tribute and reminisces of Mr. Rochester. Did it also remind Jane of him? If so, she does not say so. Jane proceeds to advise the Rivers clan that she has no family. She describes her life before this (leaving out her real name), and she even speaks some of Mr. Rochester, but does not go into great detail. She then reveals her intentions of her present and soon to be new life, as states she should be known as " Jane Elliot." Mr. John agrees to help support her, but he does not describe in what way. With room and board, or a job perhaps? I am left here with many questions, such as: will Mr. Rochester return to Jane? Will she eventually return to him? Will a romance brew between Jane and John, instead? How is John planning on helping Jane get on her feet? Luckily, Charlotte Bronte wrote nine more chapters for the readers curiosities to be quenched and their questions to be answered. If I am betting, I would say that, eventually, Mr. Rochester will return to Jane's life. In what way, I do not know and dare not to hazard a guess. I do imagine that some kind of friendship or close relationship will emerge between Jane Elliot (Eyre) and John Rivers. To that end, I am both excited and nervous as to the outcome of that union. Perhaps there will be two women at inner war with one another: a past, Miss Jane Eyre, and a present, Miss Jane Elliot. It is only yet to be discovered how the past will meet and deal with the present and how, together, the two will shape the future.
Thursday, June 27, 2019
Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Jane Eyre - Chapters 18-23: Bidding Adieu to the Past
Jane Eyre - Chapters 18-23:
These are arguably the biggest and most influential chapters in the entire novel thus far. It begins with Jane describing, in-depth, the interactions between the entire group and, specifically, the relationship between Miss Ingram and Mr. Rochester. It becomes very clear that the two are not exactly in it for one another, but rather for more material matters. For Miss Ingram, it was how deeply "lined" Mr. Rochester's pockets are, and for Mr. Rochester, it was her social status and where that positions them in society. I concur with Jane that the interaction between them is almost absurd and a little grotesque, because at this point it has become almost certain that he has feelings for Jane. Also, another member of the party arrives on the scene, Mr. Mason. His arrival first gives the reader insight into more of Jane's personal emotions; then, later on, into the life of Mr. Rochester. Although Mr. Mason is a handsome man, as described, and apparently far more handsome than Mr. Rochester, Jane finds his lack of depth, substance, intellect, and adventuresome nature to be dull. In fact, she finds him highly unattractive. Before Jane even has to say it, I can see that she has fallen completely in love with Mr. Rochester. We now see an incredible paradox: Jane as compared to the other characters (those amongst the wealthy class). Jane sees beyond faces, wealth and societal stature, just as when she was a little girl with Helen Burns. Jane values people for the beauty of their character and the treasures of their soul. She looks for what they contribute to the hearts, minds, and souls of others; which, at this point, I feel makes her far too good for Mr. Rochester. He, at least presently, seems very shallow. He is planning to marry Miss. Ingram for reasons opposite from those which Jane believes he should, and, frankly, he knows this to be all too true. I believe he will somewhere, somehow, eventually come to his senses and realize that to marry for material benefits alone is foolish and will not sustain a happy life. He is a far more intelligent man than to make such a foolish and short-sighted decision. However, sadly, to this point, the tide is not yet turning. Later on in the evening, when everyone believes Mr. Rochester to be away, a gypsy comes to the house and wishes to read palms and tell fortunes of all the single women staying there. As she proceeds through performing readings for all of the young ladies, she leaves Miss. Ingram feeling distraught and almost depressed, while the younger ladies are feeling giddy and even at times frightful. Then, she comes to Jane. Jane enters with a very cautious and stoic air, as she usually does, only to discover that the witch is actually Mr. Rochester. My first question, as I read this, was, " What kind of mind games is he trying to play with her?" He brings her in to try and coerce her to say that she likes him, and then proceeds to tell her that, despite the unhappy marriage Mr. Rochester (himself) and Miss Ingram will have, he is still going to marry that woman. Interestingly, Jane calls him out on this prank and tells him he is being creepy and acting more than a bit strange. He apologizes to her. This is a bit of foreshadowing and a pivotal point, because, in the midst of these interactions, the reader realizes that Mr. Rochester actually is developing genuine feelings for Jane; feelings she does not know of yet, which creates a sense of dramatic irony.
Next, Jane tells him of a man named Mr. Mason who is here to see him and suddenly, Mr. Rochester grows almost ill! He freaks out and begins to send Jane in and out of the room to do his bidding, which she seems to do with joy! Oh, what love will do to someone. Mr. Rochester proceeds to have a long conversation with Mr. Mason. Jane goes to bed; however, later that night, Jane hears a lot of commotion and some yelling that awakes the other house guests, but only she is able to make out what was actually being said. After Mr. Rochester comes and settles all the commotion, he comes to Jane's room and requests her help upstairs with a sponge and strong salts. When she gets upstairs, she hears growling, laughing, and sees Mr. Mason covered in blood! I generally find Jane to be a very intelligent woman with a great deal of common sense, but she still is of the belief that it is Grace Poole who is laughing, growling, and who hurt Mr. Mason. Maybe I am wrong, but I feel with a certainty that no servants maid carries on throughout the day acting completely sane, and then completely transforms, becoming insane during the night, almost killing people! Mr. Rochester requests for Jane to remain with Mr. Mason and take care of him, while Mr. Rochester leaves and goes to seek a doctor. Before his departure, he tells Jane and Mr. Mason that they cannot say a word to one another. At this point, I am wondering why. So, as I am pondering this for a moment, I figure that the only plausible reason is that there is something going on that Mr. Mason knows about that Jane does not. Therefore, Mr. Rochester wishes to keep it concealed from her, because he cares about Jane. I got to considering what it could be that he is hiding from her. So, this may be wrong, but here is my theory: ruling out that the crazy, laughing and snarling woman is Grace Poole, the mystery woman has to be someone that both Mr. Mason and Mr. Rochester know, especially considering that Mr. Mason wished to have an interview with her. So, the truth is one of two possibilities. Option 1: the crazy woman is actually Adela's mother, the opera singer who went crazy for an unknown reason and now Mr. Rochester, because he was in love with her, refuses to put her in a mental institution and is now taking care of her, despite her troubled mind and possible dangers to the household. Also, remember the other boy that she cheated on Mr. Rochester with? That could very well be Mr. Mason, and possibly, he is also still in love with her. Potentially, Adela is his child, and so he is stopping in to discreetly visit her, as well. Option 2: All of Option 1, except Mr. Mason's role. In this scenario, perhaps Mr. Mason is a doctor who, periodically, comes to help with the illness of the woman, and Adela is actually Mr. Rochester's daughter. Either way, I believe Grace Poole may have something to do with the affair of this tortured woman. Not that Grace is she, but perhaps she is her nursemaid, as she often assumes blame for the laughing and noise making. Finally, the question has also occurred to me, does Mrs. Fairfax not know the truth about this woman? She must! Or perhaps is she just oblivious, and she is just as fooled as everyone else is, into thinking that it is Grace Poole?
A bit of a twist occurs in the story now. Jane receives a visit from the coachman from Gateshead, in which he informs her that her cousin John has died, that the family is not doing well, and Mrs. Reed is gravely ill and requests her company. She requests leave, and Mr. Rochester at first does not wish to grant it to her. He finally does, exemplifying to the reader that he truly does care for Jane and fears losing her, as he makes her promise to stay no longer than a week. Yet, due to the illness of Mrs. Reed, Jane stays an entire month. Although beautiful writing, imagery, and character depth and development occurs during this part of the story, besides a letter that Jane receives, not much occurs that is vital to the story line in this part of the novel. We see Jane become more accepted, grow closer to her cousins, Eliza and Georgiana, and we see the vast character contrast between the two sisters. The main thing that occurs is that first, we see Jane has finally overcome her hatred for Mrs. Reed and has come to love her, despite Mrs. Reed's disdain for Jane. Secondly, Jane receives a letter which Mrs. Reed gives her from Jane's uncle, who wished to give her all of his possessions and adopt her as his own child, three years ago. The amazing thing is that Jane, instead of immediately writing back to him, because Mrs. Reed told the man Jane had died at Lowood, decides to think no more of it at the time and return home to Thornfield. Jane is focused, almost singly, on the Hall and on Mr. Rochester. The girl has just been told she has money waiting for her and a way to start a grand life on her own, yet she returns to a man who is destined to be married to a woman who is not his love, while she is clearly in love with him. So, once Mrs. Reed has died, and Jane has seen her cousins off to better and more stable places and lives, she returns to Thornfield. However, she does not wish to make her presence known immediately to anyone. So, she decides to walk from Millcoat. As she walks, she ponders her feelings about Mr. Rochester and her return to Thornfield. She thinks about how, although she will be excited to see Adela and Mrs. Fairfax, the person who she is truly longing to see is Mr. Rochester. Jane imagines he does not even think about her.
When she arrives, she smells his cigar and decides to go by way of the garden, instead, in order to make it into the house. However, Rochester follows her. So, she slips away where she believes he will not know she is there. When he is turned away, Jane decides to try to slip out, but just as I figured, he knew of her presence the whole time, and, without even glancing at her, asks her opinion of a moth he has just found. Jane stays and their conversation continues, and he begins to discuss with her how he will soon be married to Miss. Ingram, how Adela will be sent away to school, and how Jane will be sent to Ireland. Jane naturally begins to sob, and Mr. Rochester continues to talk, as if it is not happening. He was either quite daft or quite strategic! Luckily, it ends up being the latter. Eventually, through a long push and pull of conversation, argument, and strong emotion, he finally confesses his love to Jane, who, rightfully, does not believe him and thinks he is "patronizing her." He finally asks her to marry him, and she realizes he is telling the truth. At this point, she says yes! My heart is very happy because it has been this long, and an overdue notion of them finally confessing their love to one another. I am gleeful he is finally snapping out of any idea of marriage to Miss Ingram, who is simply using him for money. They finally return inside, and Mrs. Fairfax sees them kissing. She even hears Mr. Rochester address Jane as " darling." The poor thing!. She must have been mortified, as she, along with every other servant there, could have sworn Mr. Rochester was going to marry Miss Ingram. Well, he was! However, Jane only flees to her room and, although perplexed for a moment on whether she should have discussed the occurrence with Mrs. Fairfax, quickly returns to her joyous state, as the future Mrs. Edward Rochester. I assume at this point that they will most likely keep Adela, and, although I hope it will be smooth sailing ahead for the two of them, with so many things left unresolved, such as: Mr. Mason, the creepy laughing woman in the attic, and even the status of the relationship between Mr. Rochester and Miss Ingram, I have a feeling that, sadly, turbulence lies ahead.
These are arguably the biggest and most influential chapters in the entire novel thus far. It begins with Jane describing, in-depth, the interactions between the entire group and, specifically, the relationship between Miss Ingram and Mr. Rochester. It becomes very clear that the two are not exactly in it for one another, but rather for more material matters. For Miss Ingram, it was how deeply "lined" Mr. Rochester's pockets are, and for Mr. Rochester, it was her social status and where that positions them in society. I concur with Jane that the interaction between them is almost absurd and a little grotesque, because at this point it has become almost certain that he has feelings for Jane. Also, another member of the party arrives on the scene, Mr. Mason. His arrival first gives the reader insight into more of Jane's personal emotions; then, later on, into the life of Mr. Rochester. Although Mr. Mason is a handsome man, as described, and apparently far more handsome than Mr. Rochester, Jane finds his lack of depth, substance, intellect, and adventuresome nature to be dull. In fact, she finds him highly unattractive. Before Jane even has to say it, I can see that she has fallen completely in love with Mr. Rochester. We now see an incredible paradox: Jane as compared to the other characters (those amongst the wealthy class). Jane sees beyond faces, wealth and societal stature, just as when she was a little girl with Helen Burns. Jane values people for the beauty of their character and the treasures of their soul. She looks for what they contribute to the hearts, minds, and souls of others; which, at this point, I feel makes her far too good for Mr. Rochester. He, at least presently, seems very shallow. He is planning to marry Miss. Ingram for reasons opposite from those which Jane believes he should, and, frankly, he knows this to be all too true. I believe he will somewhere, somehow, eventually come to his senses and realize that to marry for material benefits alone is foolish and will not sustain a happy life. He is a far more intelligent man than to make such a foolish and short-sighted decision. However, sadly, to this point, the tide is not yet turning. Later on in the evening, when everyone believes Mr. Rochester to be away, a gypsy comes to the house and wishes to read palms and tell fortunes of all the single women staying there. As she proceeds through performing readings for all of the young ladies, she leaves Miss. Ingram feeling distraught and almost depressed, while the younger ladies are feeling giddy and even at times frightful. Then, she comes to Jane. Jane enters with a very cautious and stoic air, as she usually does, only to discover that the witch is actually Mr. Rochester. My first question, as I read this, was, " What kind of mind games is he trying to play with her?" He brings her in to try and coerce her to say that she likes him, and then proceeds to tell her that, despite the unhappy marriage Mr. Rochester (himself) and Miss Ingram will have, he is still going to marry that woman. Interestingly, Jane calls him out on this prank and tells him he is being creepy and acting more than a bit strange. He apologizes to her. This is a bit of foreshadowing and a pivotal point, because, in the midst of these interactions, the reader realizes that Mr. Rochester actually is developing genuine feelings for Jane; feelings she does not know of yet, which creates a sense of dramatic irony.
Next, Jane tells him of a man named Mr. Mason who is here to see him and suddenly, Mr. Rochester grows almost ill! He freaks out and begins to send Jane in and out of the room to do his bidding, which she seems to do with joy! Oh, what love will do to someone. Mr. Rochester proceeds to have a long conversation with Mr. Mason. Jane goes to bed; however, later that night, Jane hears a lot of commotion and some yelling that awakes the other house guests, but only she is able to make out what was actually being said. After Mr. Rochester comes and settles all the commotion, he comes to Jane's room and requests her help upstairs with a sponge and strong salts. When she gets upstairs, she hears growling, laughing, and sees Mr. Mason covered in blood! I generally find Jane to be a very intelligent woman with a great deal of common sense, but she still is of the belief that it is Grace Poole who is laughing, growling, and who hurt Mr. Mason. Maybe I am wrong, but I feel with a certainty that no servants maid carries on throughout the day acting completely sane, and then completely transforms, becoming insane during the night, almost killing people! Mr. Rochester requests for Jane to remain with Mr. Mason and take care of him, while Mr. Rochester leaves and goes to seek a doctor. Before his departure, he tells Jane and Mr. Mason that they cannot say a word to one another. At this point, I am wondering why. So, as I am pondering this for a moment, I figure that the only plausible reason is that there is something going on that Mr. Mason knows about that Jane does not. Therefore, Mr. Rochester wishes to keep it concealed from her, because he cares about Jane. I got to considering what it could be that he is hiding from her. So, this may be wrong, but here is my theory: ruling out that the crazy, laughing and snarling woman is Grace Poole, the mystery woman has to be someone that both Mr. Mason and Mr. Rochester know, especially considering that Mr. Mason wished to have an interview with her. So, the truth is one of two possibilities. Option 1: the crazy woman is actually Adela's mother, the opera singer who went crazy for an unknown reason and now Mr. Rochester, because he was in love with her, refuses to put her in a mental institution and is now taking care of her, despite her troubled mind and possible dangers to the household. Also, remember the other boy that she cheated on Mr. Rochester with? That could very well be Mr. Mason, and possibly, he is also still in love with her. Potentially, Adela is his child, and so he is stopping in to discreetly visit her, as well. Option 2: All of Option 1, except Mr. Mason's role. In this scenario, perhaps Mr. Mason is a doctor who, periodically, comes to help with the illness of the woman, and Adela is actually Mr. Rochester's daughter. Either way, I believe Grace Poole may have something to do with the affair of this tortured woman. Not that Grace is she, but perhaps she is her nursemaid, as she often assumes blame for the laughing and noise making. Finally, the question has also occurred to me, does Mrs. Fairfax not know the truth about this woman? She must! Or perhaps is she just oblivious, and she is just as fooled as everyone else is, into thinking that it is Grace Poole?
A bit of a twist occurs in the story now. Jane receives a visit from the coachman from Gateshead, in which he informs her that her cousin John has died, that the family is not doing well, and Mrs. Reed is gravely ill and requests her company. She requests leave, and Mr. Rochester at first does not wish to grant it to her. He finally does, exemplifying to the reader that he truly does care for Jane and fears losing her, as he makes her promise to stay no longer than a week. Yet, due to the illness of Mrs. Reed, Jane stays an entire month. Although beautiful writing, imagery, and character depth and development occurs during this part of the story, besides a letter that Jane receives, not much occurs that is vital to the story line in this part of the novel. We see Jane become more accepted, grow closer to her cousins, Eliza and Georgiana, and we see the vast character contrast between the two sisters. The main thing that occurs is that first, we see Jane has finally overcome her hatred for Mrs. Reed and has come to love her, despite Mrs. Reed's disdain for Jane. Secondly, Jane receives a letter which Mrs. Reed gives her from Jane's uncle, who wished to give her all of his possessions and adopt her as his own child, three years ago. The amazing thing is that Jane, instead of immediately writing back to him, because Mrs. Reed told the man Jane had died at Lowood, decides to think no more of it at the time and return home to Thornfield. Jane is focused, almost singly, on the Hall and on Mr. Rochester. The girl has just been told she has money waiting for her and a way to start a grand life on her own, yet she returns to a man who is destined to be married to a woman who is not his love, while she is clearly in love with him. So, once Mrs. Reed has died, and Jane has seen her cousins off to better and more stable places and lives, she returns to Thornfield. However, she does not wish to make her presence known immediately to anyone. So, she decides to walk from Millcoat. As she walks, she ponders her feelings about Mr. Rochester and her return to Thornfield. She thinks about how, although she will be excited to see Adela and Mrs. Fairfax, the person who she is truly longing to see is Mr. Rochester. Jane imagines he does not even think about her.
When she arrives, she smells his cigar and decides to go by way of the garden, instead, in order to make it into the house. However, Rochester follows her. So, she slips away where she believes he will not know she is there. When he is turned away, Jane decides to try to slip out, but just as I figured, he knew of her presence the whole time, and, without even glancing at her, asks her opinion of a moth he has just found. Jane stays and their conversation continues, and he begins to discuss with her how he will soon be married to Miss. Ingram, how Adela will be sent away to school, and how Jane will be sent to Ireland. Jane naturally begins to sob, and Mr. Rochester continues to talk, as if it is not happening. He was either quite daft or quite strategic! Luckily, it ends up being the latter. Eventually, through a long push and pull of conversation, argument, and strong emotion, he finally confesses his love to Jane, who, rightfully, does not believe him and thinks he is "patronizing her." He finally asks her to marry him, and she realizes he is telling the truth. At this point, she says yes! My heart is very happy because it has been this long, and an overdue notion of them finally confessing their love to one another. I am gleeful he is finally snapping out of any idea of marriage to Miss Ingram, who is simply using him for money. They finally return inside, and Mrs. Fairfax sees them kissing. She even hears Mr. Rochester address Jane as " darling." The poor thing!. She must have been mortified, as she, along with every other servant there, could have sworn Mr. Rochester was going to marry Miss Ingram. Well, he was! However, Jane only flees to her room and, although perplexed for a moment on whether she should have discussed the occurrence with Mrs. Fairfax, quickly returns to her joyous state, as the future Mrs. Edward Rochester. I assume at this point that they will most likely keep Adela, and, although I hope it will be smooth sailing ahead for the two of them, with so many things left unresolved, such as: Mr. Mason, the creepy laughing woman in the attic, and even the status of the relationship between Mr. Rochester and Miss Ingram, I have a feeling that, sadly, turbulence lies ahead.
Monday, June 24, 2019
Jane Eyre - Chapters 14-17: The Enigmatic Mr. Edward Rochester
Jane Eyre - Chapters 14 -17:
In these chapters, the character of Mr. Rochester begins to really develop before our eyes, as well as his relationship with Miss Jane Eyre. In the previous chapter, he is seen as cold, abrupt, and frankly almost crazy, after he accuses her of "bewitching his horse." Yet, in chapter fourteen, He calls her and Adela down for tea. He proceeds to give Adela a gift and then calls in Mrs. Fairfax to amuse her, so that that will occupy her time, thus buying himself some time with Jane to talk and discover her as a person. This, in my personal opinion and observance, is the first liking I believe Mr. Rochester takes to Jane. After this long discussion, wherein they discuss her opinion of him, his looks, her opinions on being a governess, etc., he thereafter consistently seeks her opinion in many matters. We then begin to see another side to Mr. Rochester, a more open one that is far more vulnerable and likeable. In this chapter and in the following, he discusses the love that he had for a woman long ago. The woman in this case was Adela's mother, a famous opera singer from Europe. He had planned to marry her; however, when he found out she was also seeing someone else, things fell through. Despite his anger, he still loved her afterward, and when he found out she had a child, he felt obliged to care for that child - otherwise known to the reader as the young girl, Adela. Through Mr. Rochester's confiding this heartfelt truth to Jane, it draws them closer, makes them tied and more emotionally connected to one another, and they begin to spend far more time together.
As a result of Jane's and Mr. Rochester's recurring time spent, we begin to see their fondness of one another grow, even turn into a bit of a flirtatious nature. Jane begins to describe how he is not ugly, as she first imagined, but rather charming and handsome. Also, despite the fact that we do not hear this story from the perspective of Mr. Rochester, Jane does describe how he would look at her with forms of endearment. She often utilizes words such as "gaze" and "study" when describing the way he looks at her, which are both pathos-related words which denote love, and further to be mesmerized by another. In the midst of this growing admiration of one another, a crucial moment occurs that, oddly, makes them more connected than ever before. In chapter sixteen, Jane has gone to bed and, in the middle of the night, she once again hears the bellowing laugh that she believes belongs to Grace Poole. She is frightened! Now awake, she leaves her room to check the hall; however, in doing so, she smells a burning scent coming from across the hall - - from Mr. Rochester's room! When she goes to his room, she finds him asleep while everything else is in flames: the floor, the bed, and even the sheets! She vigorously tries to wake him, but, when she cannot, Jane runs to her room and fills up buckets of water from the bath. She returns and throws them all over his room to put out the fire. Finally, when Mr. Rochester wakes due to the commotion, he begins to question Jane as to who did this, and what was happening, as he awoke to a room flooded with a nauseating, burning odor. Shortly after Jane answers his questions, he comes to a realization of who the perpetrator was and asks Jane to remain there. Yet, when he returns, he tells her not to mention it to anyone, and that he will take the blame for all of it. This, rightly, confuses Jane, but in loyalty to Mr. Rochester, she obeys his commands. She believes the perpetrator is Grace Poole. I am not sure if it was Grace Poole, due to the encounter Jane has with her the next day in which Grace asserts that the only person near his room was Jane. Grace acts almost suspicious of her. She does not seem nervous or even quiet, but rather concerned and cautionary, in the very same manner as Jane is.
Additionally, Mr. Rochester's behavior was quite unusual for someone who almost died. Therefore, I have no doubt he is hiding something. Yet, as Jane has begun to truly like him, the fact of this matter only puzzles her for a moment, before she overlooks it to follow the orders of the master of the house.
Shortly after this, Mr. Rochester has left again, but this time he is gone for about a week and his whereabouts begin to concern Jane. She begins to think about him constantly and with a greater personal care and concern than just as her employer. She cannot understand why she feels this way, considering she has never had the opportunity to feel attraction for a man, until this point. She attended an all girls school for the past several years of her life. One day, she inquires of Mrs. Fairfax where he is and when he will be coming back, and Mrs. Fairfax tells her that he has most likely left and is not coming back for a long while. Jane then becomes quite sad and is still longing for him. She finds herself once again perplexed by these emotions and decides to simply push them away, on the notion that she will most likely not see him again for a long time. However, just a few days later, Mrs. Fairfax receives a letter from him in the mail that states that he will be back within seven days and he is bringing some very prestigious guests; namely, he is bringing Miss Ingram. Jane inquires to know who she is and Mrs. Fairfax begins to describe her beauty, elegance, charm, talent, and riches, and Jane then feels she has been foolish the whole time for allowing her feelings to grow for Mr. Rochester. Jane then decides to draw a picture of Miss Ingram, to the very best of her ability, to remind herself that she is not at Mr. Rochester's level. She plans to look at it to continually remind herself she also is not what Mr. Rochester seeks in a wife and to help her put him out of her mind. However, this scheme does not last long, before she is thinking about him again.
Finally, the guests arrive, and they are all indeed very posh and prim. Her heart is light, and she is joyous when she sees Mr. Rochester again. Jane studies them all, but particularly the interactions between Mr. Rochester and Miss Ingram. She wishes to be in her place. We get this sense subconsciously, as Bronte portrays to the reader this sensation in Jane's mind that Jane does not yet understand fully nor consciously. Jane is coming to the realization of this quite slowly. Jane intends to stay out of the affairs of the group and remain distant. However, Mr. Rochester requests her presence at dinner one night. I find this very interesting, because it shows that he is obviously missing something, lacking still something, even with this group of high-class people that he seems to find only with Jane by his side. When Jane arrives, they shortly begin to discuss governesses. While Jane sits silent, the women in the elite group describe governesses as "nuisances" and pains to deal with. What is interesting to me is that, during this exchange, Mr. Rochester remains silent. Is this his way of standing up for Jane by not partaking in the banter? Or is he actually a coward for choosing to not speak? Perhaps, there is part of the answer lying in both questions. Later in the evening, Miss Ingram requires Mr. Rochester to sing for the group. Miss Ingram's character is a pompous, arrogant woman, who believes herself the better of a man, not in any way subordinate to any, which was a unique trait during these times. Some of her attributes include money, fame, being an independent ruler of her own life, and even, it seemed, a ruler over Mr. Rochester. Mr. Rochester agrees to sing and once again, Jane is captivated by him and his performance. Once he has finished and Jane is 'awakened from her trance,' she leaves, as she feels uncomfortable and unsettled knowing that he will not be hers, but no doubt would become Miss Ingram's. Jane stops to tie her shoe, and when she stands, she realizes that Mr. Rochester has come to find her. He asks her why she is leaving and requests for her to stay, but as he does, he begins to notice her sad countenance. He starts commenting on why she is about to cry, to which Jane responds that she is not. However, he is not fooled, and as he continues to question her, she actually does begin to cry. I believe that, in this moment, Jane is crying because, despite her picture drawing, trying to withdraw, and trying to convince herself she will not fall for Mr. Rochester, she now realizes that she has fallen in love with him! She also believes he does not and will not feel the same toward her. I think she is wrong on this matter. As he finally decides to leave her be, he tells her that it is his expectation to have her with them every evening, and just before Jane is about to go, he says to her, " Good night my- - -." This is where that conversation ends. He simply states this, then holds his tongue and does not complete this thoughts. He departs, leaving her stunned. This may leave many readers confused. This act rather reaffirms my original thoughts about Mr. Rochester. He too feels something for her now. Instead of the question of whether they feel anything for one another, a new question presents itself. Will either one do anything about it?
In these chapters, the character of Mr. Rochester begins to really develop before our eyes, as well as his relationship with Miss Jane Eyre. In the previous chapter, he is seen as cold, abrupt, and frankly almost crazy, after he accuses her of "bewitching his horse." Yet, in chapter fourteen, He calls her and Adela down for tea. He proceeds to give Adela a gift and then calls in Mrs. Fairfax to amuse her, so that that will occupy her time, thus buying himself some time with Jane to talk and discover her as a person. This, in my personal opinion and observance, is the first liking I believe Mr. Rochester takes to Jane. After this long discussion, wherein they discuss her opinion of him, his looks, her opinions on being a governess, etc., he thereafter consistently seeks her opinion in many matters. We then begin to see another side to Mr. Rochester, a more open one that is far more vulnerable and likeable. In this chapter and in the following, he discusses the love that he had for a woman long ago. The woman in this case was Adela's mother, a famous opera singer from Europe. He had planned to marry her; however, when he found out she was also seeing someone else, things fell through. Despite his anger, he still loved her afterward, and when he found out she had a child, he felt obliged to care for that child - otherwise known to the reader as the young girl, Adela. Through Mr. Rochester's confiding this heartfelt truth to Jane, it draws them closer, makes them tied and more emotionally connected to one another, and they begin to spend far more time together.
As a result of Jane's and Mr. Rochester's recurring time spent, we begin to see their fondness of one another grow, even turn into a bit of a flirtatious nature. Jane begins to describe how he is not ugly, as she first imagined, but rather charming and handsome. Also, despite the fact that we do not hear this story from the perspective of Mr. Rochester, Jane does describe how he would look at her with forms of endearment. She often utilizes words such as "gaze" and "study" when describing the way he looks at her, which are both pathos-related words which denote love, and further to be mesmerized by another. In the midst of this growing admiration of one another, a crucial moment occurs that, oddly, makes them more connected than ever before. In chapter sixteen, Jane has gone to bed and, in the middle of the night, she once again hears the bellowing laugh that she believes belongs to Grace Poole. She is frightened! Now awake, she leaves her room to check the hall; however, in doing so, she smells a burning scent coming from across the hall - - from Mr. Rochester's room! When she goes to his room, she finds him asleep while everything else is in flames: the floor, the bed, and even the sheets! She vigorously tries to wake him, but, when she cannot, Jane runs to her room and fills up buckets of water from the bath. She returns and throws them all over his room to put out the fire. Finally, when Mr. Rochester wakes due to the commotion, he begins to question Jane as to who did this, and what was happening, as he awoke to a room flooded with a nauseating, burning odor. Shortly after Jane answers his questions, he comes to a realization of who the perpetrator was and asks Jane to remain there. Yet, when he returns, he tells her not to mention it to anyone, and that he will take the blame for all of it. This, rightly, confuses Jane, but in loyalty to Mr. Rochester, she obeys his commands. She believes the perpetrator is Grace Poole. I am not sure if it was Grace Poole, due to the encounter Jane has with her the next day in which Grace asserts that the only person near his room was Jane. Grace acts almost suspicious of her. She does not seem nervous or even quiet, but rather concerned and cautionary, in the very same manner as Jane is.
Additionally, Mr. Rochester's behavior was quite unusual for someone who almost died. Therefore, I have no doubt he is hiding something. Yet, as Jane has begun to truly like him, the fact of this matter only puzzles her for a moment, before she overlooks it to follow the orders of the master of the house.
Shortly after this, Mr. Rochester has left again, but this time he is gone for about a week and his whereabouts begin to concern Jane. She begins to think about him constantly and with a greater personal care and concern than just as her employer. She cannot understand why she feels this way, considering she has never had the opportunity to feel attraction for a man, until this point. She attended an all girls school for the past several years of her life. One day, she inquires of Mrs. Fairfax where he is and when he will be coming back, and Mrs. Fairfax tells her that he has most likely left and is not coming back for a long while. Jane then becomes quite sad and is still longing for him. She finds herself once again perplexed by these emotions and decides to simply push them away, on the notion that she will most likely not see him again for a long time. However, just a few days later, Mrs. Fairfax receives a letter from him in the mail that states that he will be back within seven days and he is bringing some very prestigious guests; namely, he is bringing Miss Ingram. Jane inquires to know who she is and Mrs. Fairfax begins to describe her beauty, elegance, charm, talent, and riches, and Jane then feels she has been foolish the whole time for allowing her feelings to grow for Mr. Rochester. Jane then decides to draw a picture of Miss Ingram, to the very best of her ability, to remind herself that she is not at Mr. Rochester's level. She plans to look at it to continually remind herself she also is not what Mr. Rochester seeks in a wife and to help her put him out of her mind. However, this scheme does not last long, before she is thinking about him again.
Finally, the guests arrive, and they are all indeed very posh and prim. Her heart is light, and she is joyous when she sees Mr. Rochester again. Jane studies them all, but particularly the interactions between Mr. Rochester and Miss Ingram. She wishes to be in her place. We get this sense subconsciously, as Bronte portrays to the reader this sensation in Jane's mind that Jane does not yet understand fully nor consciously. Jane is coming to the realization of this quite slowly. Jane intends to stay out of the affairs of the group and remain distant. However, Mr. Rochester requests her presence at dinner one night. I find this very interesting, because it shows that he is obviously missing something, lacking still something, even with this group of high-class people that he seems to find only with Jane by his side. When Jane arrives, they shortly begin to discuss governesses. While Jane sits silent, the women in the elite group describe governesses as "nuisances" and pains to deal with. What is interesting to me is that, during this exchange, Mr. Rochester remains silent. Is this his way of standing up for Jane by not partaking in the banter? Or is he actually a coward for choosing to not speak? Perhaps, there is part of the answer lying in both questions. Later in the evening, Miss Ingram requires Mr. Rochester to sing for the group. Miss Ingram's character is a pompous, arrogant woman, who believes herself the better of a man, not in any way subordinate to any, which was a unique trait during these times. Some of her attributes include money, fame, being an independent ruler of her own life, and even, it seemed, a ruler over Mr. Rochester. Mr. Rochester agrees to sing and once again, Jane is captivated by him and his performance. Once he has finished and Jane is 'awakened from her trance,' she leaves, as she feels uncomfortable and unsettled knowing that he will not be hers, but no doubt would become Miss Ingram's. Jane stops to tie her shoe, and when she stands, she realizes that Mr. Rochester has come to find her. He asks her why she is leaving and requests for her to stay, but as he does, he begins to notice her sad countenance. He starts commenting on why she is about to cry, to which Jane responds that she is not. However, he is not fooled, and as he continues to question her, she actually does begin to cry. I believe that, in this moment, Jane is crying because, despite her picture drawing, trying to withdraw, and trying to convince herself she will not fall for Mr. Rochester, she now realizes that she has fallen in love with him! She also believes he does not and will not feel the same toward her. I think she is wrong on this matter. As he finally decides to leave her be, he tells her that it is his expectation to have her with them every evening, and just before Jane is about to go, he says to her, " Good night my- - -." This is where that conversation ends. He simply states this, then holds his tongue and does not complete this thoughts. He departs, leaving her stunned. This may leave many readers confused. This act rather reaffirms my original thoughts about Mr. Rochester. He too feels something for her now. Instead of the question of whether they feel anything for one another, a new question presents itself. Will either one do anything about it?
Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Jane Eyre - Chapters 9-13: Introduction to Thornfield
Jane Eyre - Chapters 9-13:
In these Chapters, we begin to see some life-defining moments and fairly monumental changes in Jane Eyre's life. Chapter 9 begins with Jane depicting her current life at Lowood in the Spring of her first year there, where everyone began to get sick with Typhus. She described how the rules became more relaxed and that she was able to go about more freely and was able to play more. However, there is no longer any mention of her discussions with her friend, Helen Burns. Jane does finally address her lack of presence, and just as surely as I predicted, Helen Burns was terribly sick, more severely than even I had expected, as it turns out. Helen had developed Tuberculosis, and her condition continued to decline. Jane, for the longest time, had been unaware. However, Jane is worried deeply about her friend, and in her usual manner, begins questioning a teacher as to Helen's well-being. The teacher replies that Helen is not well and does not have much longer to stay. Jane, in her naivete', assumes the teacher means that Helen is leaving to go to her home, to live far away from the school. Because she is so worried about her friend, Jane sneaks out to see Helen that night, because she fears it may be her last time to see her before she has to leave. Well, Jane was right, but not in the right sense. Jane finds Helen and lies down next to her, in her "crib" as it was described. They talk, and as they do, Jane begins to realize how sick Helen really has become. Jane knows now that Helen is not simply going away to live somewhere else; rather, she is dying and will soon pass beyond the veil. Jane becomes very nervous and asks Helen where she is going and if she knows for certain there is a Heaven. The two girls discuss Heaven, and Helen replies to Jane that she has very strong faith that there is indeed a Heaven and that she, Helen, is in fact going there. Jane is still nervous and fearful, but Helen is calm and at peace. They both then fall asleep together. I found it interesting that Helen, the one who is dying and in pain, is calm and serene, while Jane remains nervous and frightful. I think this is often true of many relationships in reality, between the dying and the living. It has often been said that "funerals are for the living and not the dead." This means that it is the living who are not at peace and who need comforting, while those who have passed have often done so while at peace, feeling no fear, and having a sense of comfort with the knowledge of where they are going. The living are left to mourn and to grieve. This is not true in all cases, but it certainly was in the case of Helen Burns and Jane Eyre. I also found it a bit odd, yet quite fortunate, that Jane did not acquire tuberculosis from lying beside Helen throughout the night. However, I recognize that such a scenario would not have fit well at all with Charlotte Bronte's story.
After Helen dies, Jane moves quickly to summarize the next several years at Lowood, telling the reader that she studies, learns and finally becomes a teacher for two years, after she has been a student for approximately 6 years. She then tells of a fervent desires to experience a change of scenery, people, life and also the need for servitude. She wishes to find a new line of work, which is not an unreasonable request on Jane's part. I, too, would become tired of a monotonous daily routine, living in the same environment she had been for those many years. Jane decides to put an advertisement in the paper, seeking work outside of Lowood. Only one job offer comes in. It was from a Mrs. Fairfax in a town closer to London, England. The job offer was for employment as a governess. Jane decides to take the job, and once she has been accepted formally to begin employment, she leaves Lowood very soon thereafter. She sees Bessie the morning before she leaves, and Bessie tells Jane that she is very proud of her and, further, that Jane is graced with higher intelligence and is far more stable, and living with a healthier state of mind and sense of well-being than any of the other Reed children. I believe that this is the point when Jane finally has overcome her upset about her cousins and the Reed family at large, because Jane does not chide the family or display disdain, nor is she overjoyed by this declaration. On the contrary, Jane simply sends her regards and smiles, because she is happy to be once again talking with Bessie. This is a testament to the fact that Jane has reached a true pinnacle and turning point in her life. She has now become an adult and a very independent and accomplished woman.
When Jane arrives at her new employer's home, Jane first meets Mrs. Fairfax. Jane believes this woman to be a harsh person, who is very strict. Yet, shortly after getting to know her, she sees that Mrs. Fairfax is actually a kind, gentle, and rather ordinary, in the best sense, type of woman. I believe Jane initially felt weary of Mrs. Fairfax, because she has had this similar kind of run-in with many women and others such as she believed Mrs. Fairfax to be. For example, she has had to deal with Mrs. Reed in her very early childhood, and then with Mr. Brocklehurst, who certainly did not help her perception of human beings. She did, however, learn differently about Mrs Fairfax and was glad to have been mistaken. Jane soon then meets Adรจle (aka Adela), who is an orphan child, (just as Jane was), and who is now Jane's pupil whom she was hired to govern and teach. Adela is a sweet child, but also a somewhat spoiled one. Jane figures this is due to Mr. Rochester's influence. Jane later learns that Mr. Rochester is actually the owner of the town she now resides in, which must mean he is indeed a very wealthy man. A few days later, Jane begins to hear laughing in the house - - a deep, very strange, ghost-like laughing. It unnerves her, but she decides not to let it get the best of her, until very soon after she hears it again! She then addresses the issue with Mrs. Fairfax, who tells Jane that the laughter is coming from one of the servants, a woman named, Grace. Mrs. Fairfax calls Grace out of the room she was working in, admonishes her for laughing too loudly, and sends her back to continue her work. I found this situation to be very odd and, frankly, unbelievable. It left me feeling terribly uneasy and wondering where the disturbing laughter truly was originating. Jane later describes encounters she has with Grace, during which times, Grace says little to nothing, barely making an audible sound, never mind laughing boisterously. As I continue to read this intriguing novel, I will remain curious about this mysterious laughter and the person to whom it is connected. It is simply not plausible that Grace is our culprit. I hope the person's true identity is eventually divulged. I expect it will be, else why would our author inject this bizarre circumstance at this particular time? I am fascinated to discover more as the story unfolds.
Toward the latter part of Chapter 12, and after a good bit of time at Jane's new residence, she finally meets her employer, Mr. Rochester. She meets him, rather accidentally, while out on a walk one day; yet, she does not realize initially that it is him. He slips on a patch of ice, after falling from his horse, and sprains his ankle. He is in a great deal of pain, and Jane attempts to assist him. He tries to stand by himself and does not wish to accept Jane's help, until, regrettably, he realizes he cannot. Jane then helps him to get on his way again, and, after a while longer, decides to return home. When she arrives, a servant girl informs Jane that Mr. Rochester is here and, through her telling of how he arrived, Jane realizes that the man she helped just a short while before was indeed Mr. Rochester, her employer. Jane and Adele are asked to meet with him later for tea. This seemed at first to be a nice gesture; however, when they arrive, Rochester is nothing short of rude and insolent to Jane. First, he asserts Jane bewitched his horse and caused that he should fall off of it, thereafter spraining his ankle on the ice. He proceeds then to belittle her piano playing, unfairly judges her art, and is critical of her demeanor, as well! He is not only unkind to Jane, but also brushes off and summarily dismisses the sweet little girl and Mrs. Fairfax. I pondered on what could make this man so bitter toward everyone and also, why everyone else had simply become accustomed to his shameful behavior. Was it his childhood or his general lack of having a family nearby that loved him?
As for his treatment of Jane, perhaps he did like Jane in an odd way, but did not understand how to confront her or how to deal with his feelings. Regardless of whether he actually was developing feelings for Jane, Mr. Rochester was absolutely impressed by her and found her presence a bit unsettling. Of this, I am quite certain. Perhaps he did not view her as a particularly beautiful or even striking physically, but he as most definitely taken with her personality, her intelligence and her accomplishments. He was, however, not ready to give her credit as being anyone of particular importance or even publicly acknowledge her achievements. I think it took him by surprise, in both a good way and in an unsettling way, that she was someone who would endeavor to persist in speaking with him and sometimes even assert herself to contest with him. She created a great change in the environment and brought a fresh, new perspective, to which Mr. Rochester was not accustomed. This threw him off kilter, which is why I believe he heavily questioned, ridiculed, demeaned and tired to confuse and fluster Jane Eyre. I foresee that, eventually, something very special will materialize in the relationship between Jane and Rochester. It may begin as loathing, but I anticipate a sincere fondness and appreciation will develop between them. I wonder, if my predictions hold true, how the dynamics in their relationship will manifest and how they will affect the young girl, Adele.
In these Chapters, we begin to see some life-defining moments and fairly monumental changes in Jane Eyre's life. Chapter 9 begins with Jane depicting her current life at Lowood in the Spring of her first year there, where everyone began to get sick with Typhus. She described how the rules became more relaxed and that she was able to go about more freely and was able to play more. However, there is no longer any mention of her discussions with her friend, Helen Burns. Jane does finally address her lack of presence, and just as surely as I predicted, Helen Burns was terribly sick, more severely than even I had expected, as it turns out. Helen had developed Tuberculosis, and her condition continued to decline. Jane, for the longest time, had been unaware. However, Jane is worried deeply about her friend, and in her usual manner, begins questioning a teacher as to Helen's well-being. The teacher replies that Helen is not well and does not have much longer to stay. Jane, in her naivete', assumes the teacher means that Helen is leaving to go to her home, to live far away from the school. Because she is so worried about her friend, Jane sneaks out to see Helen that night, because she fears it may be her last time to see her before she has to leave. Well, Jane was right, but not in the right sense. Jane finds Helen and lies down next to her, in her "crib" as it was described. They talk, and as they do, Jane begins to realize how sick Helen really has become. Jane knows now that Helen is not simply going away to live somewhere else; rather, she is dying and will soon pass beyond the veil. Jane becomes very nervous and asks Helen where she is going and if she knows for certain there is a Heaven. The two girls discuss Heaven, and Helen replies to Jane that she has very strong faith that there is indeed a Heaven and that she, Helen, is in fact going there. Jane is still nervous and fearful, but Helen is calm and at peace. They both then fall asleep together. I found it interesting that Helen, the one who is dying and in pain, is calm and serene, while Jane remains nervous and frightful. I think this is often true of many relationships in reality, between the dying and the living. It has often been said that "funerals are for the living and not the dead." This means that it is the living who are not at peace and who need comforting, while those who have passed have often done so while at peace, feeling no fear, and having a sense of comfort with the knowledge of where they are going. The living are left to mourn and to grieve. This is not true in all cases, but it certainly was in the case of Helen Burns and Jane Eyre. I also found it a bit odd, yet quite fortunate, that Jane did not acquire tuberculosis from lying beside Helen throughout the night. However, I recognize that such a scenario would not have fit well at all with Charlotte Bronte's story.
After Helen dies, Jane moves quickly to summarize the next several years at Lowood, telling the reader that she studies, learns and finally becomes a teacher for two years, after she has been a student for approximately 6 years. She then tells of a fervent desires to experience a change of scenery, people, life and also the need for servitude. She wishes to find a new line of work, which is not an unreasonable request on Jane's part. I, too, would become tired of a monotonous daily routine, living in the same environment she had been for those many years. Jane decides to put an advertisement in the paper, seeking work outside of Lowood. Only one job offer comes in. It was from a Mrs. Fairfax in a town closer to London, England. The job offer was for employment as a governess. Jane decides to take the job, and once she has been accepted formally to begin employment, she leaves Lowood very soon thereafter. She sees Bessie the morning before she leaves, and Bessie tells Jane that she is very proud of her and, further, that Jane is graced with higher intelligence and is far more stable, and living with a healthier state of mind and sense of well-being than any of the other Reed children. I believe that this is the point when Jane finally has overcome her upset about her cousins and the Reed family at large, because Jane does not chide the family or display disdain, nor is she overjoyed by this declaration. On the contrary, Jane simply sends her regards and smiles, because she is happy to be once again talking with Bessie. This is a testament to the fact that Jane has reached a true pinnacle and turning point in her life. She has now become an adult and a very independent and accomplished woman.
When Jane arrives at her new employer's home, Jane first meets Mrs. Fairfax. Jane believes this woman to be a harsh person, who is very strict. Yet, shortly after getting to know her, she sees that Mrs. Fairfax is actually a kind, gentle, and rather ordinary, in the best sense, type of woman. I believe Jane initially felt weary of Mrs. Fairfax, because she has had this similar kind of run-in with many women and others such as she believed Mrs. Fairfax to be. For example, she has had to deal with Mrs. Reed in her very early childhood, and then with Mr. Brocklehurst, who certainly did not help her perception of human beings. She did, however, learn differently about Mrs Fairfax and was glad to have been mistaken. Jane soon then meets Adรจle (aka Adela), who is an orphan child, (just as Jane was), and who is now Jane's pupil whom she was hired to govern and teach. Adela is a sweet child, but also a somewhat spoiled one. Jane figures this is due to Mr. Rochester's influence. Jane later learns that Mr. Rochester is actually the owner of the town she now resides in, which must mean he is indeed a very wealthy man. A few days later, Jane begins to hear laughing in the house - - a deep, very strange, ghost-like laughing. It unnerves her, but she decides not to let it get the best of her, until very soon after she hears it again! She then addresses the issue with Mrs. Fairfax, who tells Jane that the laughter is coming from one of the servants, a woman named, Grace. Mrs. Fairfax calls Grace out of the room she was working in, admonishes her for laughing too loudly, and sends her back to continue her work. I found this situation to be very odd and, frankly, unbelievable. It left me feeling terribly uneasy and wondering where the disturbing laughter truly was originating. Jane later describes encounters she has with Grace, during which times, Grace says little to nothing, barely making an audible sound, never mind laughing boisterously. As I continue to read this intriguing novel, I will remain curious about this mysterious laughter and the person to whom it is connected. It is simply not plausible that Grace is our culprit. I hope the person's true identity is eventually divulged. I expect it will be, else why would our author inject this bizarre circumstance at this particular time? I am fascinated to discover more as the story unfolds.
Toward the latter part of Chapter 12, and after a good bit of time at Jane's new residence, she finally meets her employer, Mr. Rochester. She meets him, rather accidentally, while out on a walk one day; yet, she does not realize initially that it is him. He slips on a patch of ice, after falling from his horse, and sprains his ankle. He is in a great deal of pain, and Jane attempts to assist him. He tries to stand by himself and does not wish to accept Jane's help, until, regrettably, he realizes he cannot. Jane then helps him to get on his way again, and, after a while longer, decides to return home. When she arrives, a servant girl informs Jane that Mr. Rochester is here and, through her telling of how he arrived, Jane realizes that the man she helped just a short while before was indeed Mr. Rochester, her employer. Jane and Adele are asked to meet with him later for tea. This seemed at first to be a nice gesture; however, when they arrive, Rochester is nothing short of rude and insolent to Jane. First, he asserts Jane bewitched his horse and caused that he should fall off of it, thereafter spraining his ankle on the ice. He proceeds then to belittle her piano playing, unfairly judges her art, and is critical of her demeanor, as well! He is not only unkind to Jane, but also brushes off and summarily dismisses the sweet little girl and Mrs. Fairfax. I pondered on what could make this man so bitter toward everyone and also, why everyone else had simply become accustomed to his shameful behavior. Was it his childhood or his general lack of having a family nearby that loved him?
As for his treatment of Jane, perhaps he did like Jane in an odd way, but did not understand how to confront her or how to deal with his feelings. Regardless of whether he actually was developing feelings for Jane, Mr. Rochester was absolutely impressed by her and found her presence a bit unsettling. Of this, I am quite certain. Perhaps he did not view her as a particularly beautiful or even striking physically, but he as most definitely taken with her personality, her intelligence and her accomplishments. He was, however, not ready to give her credit as being anyone of particular importance or even publicly acknowledge her achievements. I think it took him by surprise, in both a good way and in an unsettling way, that she was someone who would endeavor to persist in speaking with him and sometimes even assert herself to contest with him. She created a great change in the environment and brought a fresh, new perspective, to which Mr. Rochester was not accustomed. This threw him off kilter, which is why I believe he heavily questioned, ridiculed, demeaned and tired to confuse and fluster Jane Eyre. I foresee that, eventually, something very special will materialize in the relationship between Jane and Rochester. It may begin as loathing, but I anticipate a sincere fondness and appreciation will develop between them. I wonder, if my predictions hold true, how the dynamics in their relationship will manifest and how they will affect the young girl, Adele.
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Jane Eyre - Chapters 4-8: Jane's Life at Lowood
Jane Eyre - Chapters 4-8:
In these chapters, we really begin to see the transition into a new life that Jane realizes from leaving the Reed family and going to school. Bronte first writes of how Jane was completely shut out, not just socially, but also physically from the Reed family, by being banished to the red-room. During that time, however, she grows closer to Bessie, and we see a profound change in their relationship from caretaker and parental figure, to a friend. Jane begins to confide in and truly love Bessie, while Bessie begins to take true pity on and care for Jane. Slowly, Bessie and the doll which Jane has kept her whole life become Jane's only friends. This isolation however does prepare her for life later on at her new school, Lowood, as Jane will be quite alone or without company at first. She tends to cope there better than other girls who have left close-knit, loving families.
The next thing that happens is one of the main turning points of these early chapters, and frankly of the novel itself. A man named Mr. Brocklehurst arrives and is there to examine as to whether Jane is fit to be admitted to a school like Lowood. Jane remarks that she has not been called into any public area, especially the breakfast room, in many months. I found this part to be terribly sad and that although they were no longer "permitted" to physically abuse Jane, the Reed family has found other ways, such as emotionally, to abuse her. It has been found that it is unhealthy and unjust to keep people in solitude with little to no interaction and opportunity to be around others. It amazes me how a child so young as Jane endured such hardship as no friends or family to love her besides Bessie, at such a young age of ten years old. Nevertheless, she is called up to the room to meet with Mr. Brocklehurst. Wearily she goes to meet him and while nervous, she is excited for a moment, until her dreams of a new start are crushed. He begins to thoroughly question her over the Bible, how often and how much she reads, her habits of playing, her carnal desires, etc. After a few of Jane's responses, Mrs. Reed begins to answer for her and describes her as a heathen and a liar, crushing her hopes at a new beginning and the potential for a life of joy and the ability to learn and to interact with others in a healthy way. At this point in the book, I began to laugh, very hard, due to Jane's responses. Mr. Brocklehurst presumes to inquire of Jane how she will ensure that she does not go to Hell, to which she answers, " By staying in good health and not dying." From the very start, I knew she was certainly witty and intelligent. Jane's wit never fails to make me smile or chuckle. Despite the words of Mrs. Reed, Mr. Brocklehurst still decides to take Jane and admit her to Lowood, yet under the condition that she would be heavily watched and essentially labeled a problematic, evil child at the institution. I fail to reason or understand why he decides to admit her despite the fact that he feels so disagreeable toward her. If he planned to simply belittle and monitor Jane, why did he agree to have her at Lowood in the first place? In Mr. Brocklehurst's account at the Reed home, we see the first delve into religion and displeasure with Jane for not being more in tune with what their religious beliefs. Instead of being guided and assisted to understand the importance of God, people appear to be reprimanded and ridiculed for any lack of knowledge, or imperfections they possess. I think Charlotte Bronte was trying to exemplify this aspect of the culture of that time in this part of the book and by using a little child such as Jane, illustrated to her audiences how harsh, judgmental, and unforgiving people can often be, yet they claim it is in keeping with the ways of God. However, Jesus Christ says love and forgive all, does He not?
However, soon after Mr. Brocklehurst leaves, Jane finds a new passion. Not of love or joy, but rather of anger and directs that at Mrs. Reed. She describes how she has not been the liar, the wretch, the evil one as Mrs. Reed described, but rather, it has been her cousins, the Reed children who have been such characters. She informs Mrs. Reed that she will not speak highly of her at Lowood, but rather that she will tell of all the mean things she has done to her. I believe that Jane felt enough courage at this moment to do this because she knew she would be leaving her Aunt in days and that this would have very little severe consequence, if any. The most insincere and unfathomable thing then occurs. Mrs. Reed begins to tell Jane that this is not true and that she truly loves Jane. She advises her to speak highly of her when she goes to school. Yet, as I consider it, this directive issued by Mrs. Reed is not contrary to but rather completely in accordance with her nature. I believe she does this in order that she might attempt to keep her high stature and social status, instead of entertaining the possibility that people might be forced to think ill of her or her family. I think, however, what Mrs. Reed fails to recognize is that this selfish attempt to save her own reputation and status only causes the resentment Jane carries to grow immensely. Jane understands how insincere Mrs. Reed's words are.
A few days later, Jane is picked up by coach, and taken to her new school. Here she describes how plain all the girls' hair, dress, and appearances are and how they genuinely were so obedient reserved and quiet. She specifically points out one girl with whom she gets on very well, Helen Burns. She meets her in a free period of walking that they have while Helen is reading a book. Jane begins to question her on many aspects of the book, Helen's life, the school, etc. to which Helen replies kindly, until at one point, she abruptly and rather matter-of-factly tells Jane that she asked too many questions of her for that day and that she would no longer answer them. I think, although taken aback by this, Jane admired this frankness because Helen reminded her of herself in this way. As the story continues, we learn of a woman named Miss Temple, rightfully so. Miss Temple is the kindest teacher at the school who soon became like another Bessie to Jane. Miss Temple becomes Jane's confidante and friend, beginning at the point where Mr. Brocklehurst arrives at the school with his family who, contrarily, is adorned in silks and fine jewels, unlike what he claims Christian girls should look like. During his visit, he ridicules Jane once more, yet this time in front of all of the girls at Lowood. I consider that the author does this, because she wants to show he reader that people are also often quite selfish and frankly hypocritical; seeking the best for their own and denying others through their own defined "just" cause. In this case, the reason was not just, as it was contradicted openly by the same person who reasoned such a cause. Jane's friend, Helen, throughout Jane's time at Lowood, really begins to develop as a character and the reader, along with Jane, begins to fall in love with the person that Helen Burns is. We also learn to love her influence on Jane Eyre. We begin to see her as intelligent, respectable, insightful, faithful, and she gives Jane a new perspective on Jane's life that she previously never considered: a highly positive one! Helen shows Jane that life is actually quite joyful and there is good to be found in all things, no matter how hard or arduous we may at first believe they are. She opens Jane's mind to understanding the love of Christ, the concept of believing in God, the meaning of true friendship, feeling true happiness and joy, and seeking for things beyond what we are and what we currently possess. Helen becomes Jane's best friend and a motivator at Lowood, along with Miss Temple.
In the eighth chapter, Miss Temple asks Helen "how her cough is doing." Helen proceeds to answer that she "is doing a little better." This short but insightful encounter enlightens the reader that Helen is most-likely sick and presumably not turning for the better, despite Helen's answer to Miss Temple. It leaves you to wonder if Helen is just a fleeting but impactful person in Jane's life, and if so, how much longer will she be around for Jane? Nevertheless, I love the way Jane describes and recounts the way Helen looked that evening with Miss Temple. She states that she did look beautiful, but not in the way the world might consider one to be beautiful, and certainly not because her face or hair were well adorned or glamorously made up. Her beauty was not due to her physical appearance, but rather because of Helen's soul and the light that shone in her eyes as she spoke. Bronte shows the reader that Jane truly looked deep within people to seek their worth and admired them for their inner traits, especially Helen, for the knowledge he imparts and the value of the heart, soul, and mind that she has to offer, instead of looking at people for their social status, wealth, beauty or popularity they may be able to offer to her. The chapter ends by Jane explaining how she has progressed at Lowood, and how she has begun to learn great things, such as Art and French. We see that, although she began there alone and with little hope, she truly did receive a fresh start, a new beginning, and a chance to become more than she ever thought she could be. We see Jane Eyre no longer as the oppressed child of her past, but rather as an exuberant young girl with an exciting future.
In these chapters, we really begin to see the transition into a new life that Jane realizes from leaving the Reed family and going to school. Bronte first writes of how Jane was completely shut out, not just socially, but also physically from the Reed family, by being banished to the red-room. During that time, however, she grows closer to Bessie, and we see a profound change in their relationship from caretaker and parental figure, to a friend. Jane begins to confide in and truly love Bessie, while Bessie begins to take true pity on and care for Jane. Slowly, Bessie and the doll which Jane has kept her whole life become Jane's only friends. This isolation however does prepare her for life later on at her new school, Lowood, as Jane will be quite alone or without company at first. She tends to cope there better than other girls who have left close-knit, loving families.
The next thing that happens is one of the main turning points of these early chapters, and frankly of the novel itself. A man named Mr. Brocklehurst arrives and is there to examine as to whether Jane is fit to be admitted to a school like Lowood. Jane remarks that she has not been called into any public area, especially the breakfast room, in many months. I found this part to be terribly sad and that although they were no longer "permitted" to physically abuse Jane, the Reed family has found other ways, such as emotionally, to abuse her. It has been found that it is unhealthy and unjust to keep people in solitude with little to no interaction and opportunity to be around others. It amazes me how a child so young as Jane endured such hardship as no friends or family to love her besides Bessie, at such a young age of ten years old. Nevertheless, she is called up to the room to meet with Mr. Brocklehurst. Wearily she goes to meet him and while nervous, she is excited for a moment, until her dreams of a new start are crushed. He begins to thoroughly question her over the Bible, how often and how much she reads, her habits of playing, her carnal desires, etc. After a few of Jane's responses, Mrs. Reed begins to answer for her and describes her as a heathen and a liar, crushing her hopes at a new beginning and the potential for a life of joy and the ability to learn and to interact with others in a healthy way. At this point in the book, I began to laugh, very hard, due to Jane's responses. Mr. Brocklehurst presumes to inquire of Jane how she will ensure that she does not go to Hell, to which she answers, " By staying in good health and not dying." From the very start, I knew she was certainly witty and intelligent. Jane's wit never fails to make me smile or chuckle. Despite the words of Mrs. Reed, Mr. Brocklehurst still decides to take Jane and admit her to Lowood, yet under the condition that she would be heavily watched and essentially labeled a problematic, evil child at the institution. I fail to reason or understand why he decides to admit her despite the fact that he feels so disagreeable toward her. If he planned to simply belittle and monitor Jane, why did he agree to have her at Lowood in the first place? In Mr. Brocklehurst's account at the Reed home, we see the first delve into religion and displeasure with Jane for not being more in tune with what their religious beliefs. Instead of being guided and assisted to understand the importance of God, people appear to be reprimanded and ridiculed for any lack of knowledge, or imperfections they possess. I think Charlotte Bronte was trying to exemplify this aspect of the culture of that time in this part of the book and by using a little child such as Jane, illustrated to her audiences how harsh, judgmental, and unforgiving people can often be, yet they claim it is in keeping with the ways of God. However, Jesus Christ says love and forgive all, does He not?
However, soon after Mr. Brocklehurst leaves, Jane finds a new passion. Not of love or joy, but rather of anger and directs that at Mrs. Reed. She describes how she has not been the liar, the wretch, the evil one as Mrs. Reed described, but rather, it has been her cousins, the Reed children who have been such characters. She informs Mrs. Reed that she will not speak highly of her at Lowood, but rather that she will tell of all the mean things she has done to her. I believe that Jane felt enough courage at this moment to do this because she knew she would be leaving her Aunt in days and that this would have very little severe consequence, if any. The most insincere and unfathomable thing then occurs. Mrs. Reed begins to tell Jane that this is not true and that she truly loves Jane. She advises her to speak highly of her when she goes to school. Yet, as I consider it, this directive issued by Mrs. Reed is not contrary to but rather completely in accordance with her nature. I believe she does this in order that she might attempt to keep her high stature and social status, instead of entertaining the possibility that people might be forced to think ill of her or her family. I think, however, what Mrs. Reed fails to recognize is that this selfish attempt to save her own reputation and status only causes the resentment Jane carries to grow immensely. Jane understands how insincere Mrs. Reed's words are.
A few days later, Jane is picked up by coach, and taken to her new school. Here she describes how plain all the girls' hair, dress, and appearances are and how they genuinely were so obedient reserved and quiet. She specifically points out one girl with whom she gets on very well, Helen Burns. She meets her in a free period of walking that they have while Helen is reading a book. Jane begins to question her on many aspects of the book, Helen's life, the school, etc. to which Helen replies kindly, until at one point, she abruptly and rather matter-of-factly tells Jane that she asked too many questions of her for that day and that she would no longer answer them. I think, although taken aback by this, Jane admired this frankness because Helen reminded her of herself in this way. As the story continues, we learn of a woman named Miss Temple, rightfully so. Miss Temple is the kindest teacher at the school who soon became like another Bessie to Jane. Miss Temple becomes Jane's confidante and friend, beginning at the point where Mr. Brocklehurst arrives at the school with his family who, contrarily, is adorned in silks and fine jewels, unlike what he claims Christian girls should look like. During his visit, he ridicules Jane once more, yet this time in front of all of the girls at Lowood. I consider that the author does this, because she wants to show he reader that people are also often quite selfish and frankly hypocritical; seeking the best for their own and denying others through their own defined "just" cause. In this case, the reason was not just, as it was contradicted openly by the same person who reasoned such a cause. Jane's friend, Helen, throughout Jane's time at Lowood, really begins to develop as a character and the reader, along with Jane, begins to fall in love with the person that Helen Burns is. We also learn to love her influence on Jane Eyre. We begin to see her as intelligent, respectable, insightful, faithful, and she gives Jane a new perspective on Jane's life that she previously never considered: a highly positive one! Helen shows Jane that life is actually quite joyful and there is good to be found in all things, no matter how hard or arduous we may at first believe they are. She opens Jane's mind to understanding the love of Christ, the concept of believing in God, the meaning of true friendship, feeling true happiness and joy, and seeking for things beyond what we are and what we currently possess. Helen becomes Jane's best friend and a motivator at Lowood, along with Miss Temple.
In the eighth chapter, Miss Temple asks Helen "how her cough is doing." Helen proceeds to answer that she "is doing a little better." This short but insightful encounter enlightens the reader that Helen is most-likely sick and presumably not turning for the better, despite Helen's answer to Miss Temple. It leaves you to wonder if Helen is just a fleeting but impactful person in Jane's life, and if so, how much longer will she be around for Jane? Nevertheless, I love the way Jane describes and recounts the way Helen looked that evening with Miss Temple. She states that she did look beautiful, but not in the way the world might consider one to be beautiful, and certainly not because her face or hair were well adorned or glamorously made up. Her beauty was not due to her physical appearance, but rather because of Helen's soul and the light that shone in her eyes as she spoke. Bronte shows the reader that Jane truly looked deep within people to seek their worth and admired them for their inner traits, especially Helen, for the knowledge he imparts and the value of the heart, soul, and mind that she has to offer, instead of looking at people for their social status, wealth, beauty or popularity they may be able to offer to her. The chapter ends by Jane explaining how she has progressed at Lowood, and how she has begun to learn great things, such as Art and French. We see that, although she began there alone and with little hope, she truly did receive a fresh start, a new beginning, and a chance to become more than she ever thought she could be. We see Jane Eyre no longer as the oppressed child of her past, but rather as an exuberant young girl with an exciting future.
Monday, June 10, 2019
Jane Eyre - Chapters 1-3: Meet the Young Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre - Chapters 1-3:
The first thing to capture my attention in Charlotte Bronte's novel was the character behavioral paradox that is portrayed in the young Jane Eyre. It begins with her life at Gateshead Hall. Jane is simply attempting to read a book while hiding behind a window curtain, when her cousin, John, finds her, reprimands her, and advises her she has no right to read. John reminds Jane that she is just an orphan, dependent upon his family. Jane has long endured abuse from this family, but Jane is not thwarted. She hides to pursue her love of books and learning and to stay sane amidst the cruelty. This shows a sign of Jane's determination, intelligence and keen cleverness. On the inside, Jane is bright, witty, curious, observant, but also is perpetually nervous amidst her surroundings. Jane demonstrates her intellect, observance and perceptivity in how she describes almost everything in great detail throughout the novel, down to the colors, fabrics, window dressings, and even the feelings a certain room emits or transfers to her mind. On the outside, however, she is, at least at first, found to be cautious, plain, reserved, and she depicts an introverted nature. However, soon to be discovered in the story, Jane has been "trained" to behave this way outwardly, due to her cousin's and her Aunt, Mrs. Reed's, cruelty towards her. They are quite abusive, unkind, and contemptuous toward Jane, as is seen several times throughout these first chapters. In the beginning, Jane describes how the family, especially her "benefactress," Mrs. Reed, accuse her of being a liar, and also being rude, selfish, naughty, etc., when, in reality, it is all of Mrs. Reed's own children that hurt people, animals, one another, and who are spoiled, selfish, liars, and who possess many other dreadful characteristics. Even with their mischief, the Reed children never seem to get in trouble for any of their actions, and Jane seems to get the brunt of all inquiry and resulting punishment. This situation caused me to wonder if perhaps the Reeds, whether consciously or unconsciously, direct their unhappiness with their own circumstances onto Jane. Perhaps Mrs. Reed does not wish to find fault with her own children or accept their wrongdoings, so Jane has become the target of her contempt. It seems the Reed children have also learned, through their mother's actions, that Jane Eyre is an easy scapegoat, someone they can menace to relieve their own wretched state of unhappiness.
I found it very interesting how such a huge part of the novel and insight into Jane's life at this point is established with little preamble at the outset of the book. Bronte invites us into the red-room, which at first appears as only a small fraction of Jane's abuse, but later, as Mr. Lloyd - the Apothecary - comes to their home, it is revealed that Jane's present state of health is far worse than the reader, and even the Reed's, had assumed. Life with the Reeds, and particularly the red room, becomes a scarring memory for Jane for the rest of her life. She references the experiences there multiple times as the novel continues. Jane cites the red room as one of the reasons Mrs. Reed was such an awful woman. Her experiences with her "Benefactress" and cousins become the underpinning for her comparison to each and every trial she undertakes moving forward. She compares future experiences of trial and grief to those horrific memories. I predict, however, that at some point these experiences may begin to also be memories Jane compares not only with hard times, but also with new and more positive beginnings in her life. Mr. Lloyd's arrival and willingness to listen presented a gateway for Jane to express her familial abuse and at least partially begin to alleviate her pain. Lloyd then pities her and suggests she be sent to school, due to the "need for a change of scenery".
Although Jane has few friends and allies, the stable and constant ones she has gained in these early chapters are Mr. Lloyd, the Apothecary, and Bessie, the nursemaid. Mr. Lloyd is a level-headed, unchanging character who appears to pull for Jane right from the moment he comes in contact with her, seeing the condition of her health and the sorrow in her current living state. Bessie, however, is a dynamic character that, in my opinion, is quite confusing and contrary. She appears to be someone who values Jane's feelings and well-being when no one else is around, but her attitude and demeanor change as soon as the rest of the family are in the vicinity. Bessie may have had to behave this way in order to keep her job as Mrs. Reed's nursemaid. However irresolute, Bessie really was the person who inspired Jane and gave her a fervent desire to become more than she was at Gateshead Hall. Bessie did this by telling Jane stories, reading to her, reminding her of her worth and intelligent nature, and by befriending her, when no one else considered her anything more than a nuisance and a delinquent. I believe that, throughout the remainder of Jane's life, Bessie's words and short time spent in her life will remain an inspiration and a driver for Jane. It will provide motivation for Jane to keep going, pursue something greater in her life, and push through the hard times, even when she feels as though she no longer can.
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