Monday, September 22, 2008
Additional Comments on Jane Eyre (chapters 1-16)
In the comments box post any questions, observations, and comments still lingering after the student-lead discussions (Monday, September 15 through Wednesday, September 17). You are evaluated during these discussions and may feel that your contributions during class did not adequately convey your understanding of the novel. If so, post comments.
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While reading this first portion of the novel, I attempted to draw a connection between Jane's character and another. I found this connection in Adele after Jane had taken the position of governess at Thornfield. It is apparent that Adele grows up motherless and with an absentee father, similar to Jane who had neither a mother nor a father at Gateshead. The major flaw in this comparison was the treatment of the two, where Jane was abused and thus desperate to find some loving connection in life, and Adele was brought up treated well. Here however, I yet again tried to find a corrolation between Jane and another character, in which I came to Miss Temple. At Lowood, Miss Temple acted as Jane's role model and treated her very well, almost as a motherly figure. Jane followed Miss Temple's path and began spreading her knowledge to others (originally at Lowood, and ultimately teaching Adele at Thornfield). Here Jane fulfilled the role of Adele's mother, similar to how Miss Temple had for her.
As a side note, while reviewing some passages I had noted before in chapters 1-16, one of Jane's quotes jumped out at me from chapter 4, "I am glad you are of no relation of mine. I will never call you aunt again as long as I live. I will never come to visit you when I grow up. . . ". Jane had directed this quote to her Aunt Reed. Initially, all this quote meant to me was a display of Jane's fierce persona, however, we learn in the second portion of the novel that Jane does in fact return to her aunt's deathbed, signifying her growth as a person. Her willingness to forgive the past shows her true character, and may possibly be related to her new found sense of religion, or "Helenism" (seeing as she has derived many of her beliefs from her late friend).
Brian Hand
A few days ago in class, the character of Helen came up in discussion and I remember someone saying how they thought Helen was perfect and therefore a foil to Jane. I disagree with this assertion because in Helen's dedication and blind faith, she has become somewhat detached from the physical human world. While Helen waits for heaven, Jane longs to discover beauty and human affection in the physical world. As Jane says, she finds meaning in "the present; all the rest is formless cloud and vacant depth." (82) However, Helen tells Jane "you think too much of the love of human beings." (72) Helen believes she will get "a full reward" in heaven" (72) Bronte summarizes this contrast in Helen's final moments of life. As Helen prepares to go to her "last home," Jane contrasts her blind faith by saying "Where is God? What is God?" (84) She instead attempts to comfort Helen in a more affectionate, human way--by hugging her. For Jane, meaning lies in playing alongside "sunshine...and wild primrose plants. (79) Although Helen's forgiveness is used to contrast Jane's fiery passion, Bronte uses Helen to show how believing only in the future distracts us from the beauty of the present world.
When discussing the beginning of the novel, there was a comment made that was along the lines of Mrs. Reed simply not liking Jane. I dissagree with this. I think that Mrs. Reed resents Jane more than anything. Probably the most resentment comes from knowing that her late husband liked Jane and that she had vowed to take care of her. Mrs. Reed must miss her husband and is already having to cope and raise her children without him, but now Jane is a constant reminder of him as well. Also Jane is a very level headed young girl and obviously intellegent. Over all I think that Mrs. Reed is a bit envious and resentful of Jane. Where Jane is looking for someone to be loved by and someone to love, I think that Mrs. Reeds resentment takes a harsher toll on Jane. If she wasnt looking for the attention of love and already had it its hard to think that Mrs. Reeds anger and dislike towards her would have the same large impact.
What I find most fascinating about Bronte's Jane Eyre, is the prevailing theme of Christianity, which is most obviously introduced when Jane meets Helen. Bronte clearly presents Helen's disciplined character as a foil to Jane's fiery character, and in doing so correlates Christianity with human goodness. This gives the reader the idea that Helen is the better person, however, I find Jane's behavior to be much more admirable and far more grounded than Helen's. Helen believes and adheres so stongly to the the teachings of Christianity that she is incapable of finding joy in the human world in which she lives. Although Jane's behavior may be rash on occasion, she allows herself to feel the emotions that come naturally to her, and she is not afraid to delight in earthly, secular things. Although Helen's blind faith prohibits her from truly, and physically connecting with the human world, she remains to be a productive, successful individual; two qualities that Jane yearns to possess. In befriending Helen, Jane, to a certain degree, surrenders herself to "Helenism".
When Helen dies Jane poses the question "Where is God? What is God?". I think that it is in this moment that Jane decides to live her life the way Helen did, in hopes that when it is her time to depart from the physical world she too will be at peace with herself.
In my opinion, in adopting "Helenism", Jane lost her spunk. However, I think to truly understand Jane's decision one must have blind faith in Christianity. Because there is no existing tangible evidence to corroborate such faith, I find myself unable to dedicate my life to serving a higher power, which is why I am able to understand and identify the earlier Jane, as opposed to the post-Helen Jane.
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