After the “Red Room” incident Bronte introduces us to another character in the story, who like Mrs Reed wants to make Janes’ life hell. This character is Mr Brocklehurst, the head teacher of Lowood School. Jane has to sit in a room while Mrs Reed and Mr Brocklehurst insult her as Mrs Reed tries to get her a place at Lowood School. Mr Brocklehurst says “that proves that you have a wicked heart” after hearing that Jane doesn’t like the psalms. If a young child is constantly bullied, insulted and put down it can seriously damage their self esteem, but not Jane. She listened to all of the comments made by Mr Brocklehurst and Mrs Reed and when she was told to leave the room Jane had the strength to have a go at Mrs Reed. “I am not deceitful: if I were, I would say I loved you; but I declare I do not love you.”
In the next episode Bronte reminds the reader of Jane’s feelings for Mr Brocklehurst. Knowing that Mr Brocklehurst will make Jane’s life a misery she constantly hopes that she will not meet him at Lowood School. She works hard and tries not to do anything wrong in case he turns up. When the day does come that Mr Brocklehurst visits the school, Jane accidentally drops her slate and it breaks. Mr Brocklehurst notices and summons her to the front of the school and makes her sit on a stool as he insults her in front of the whole school. He tells everyone to ignore Jane and avoid her at all costs. He says she is evil, “who would think that the evil one had already found a servant and agent in her?”, by saying this he hopes that he scares the other pupils away from Jane, and prevents her from making friends. During his speech he tells the whole school that Mrs Reed looked after Jane well, but Jane threw it all back at her. He also calls Jane a liar, “this girl is a liar”, by doing this I believe that he is trying to make it hard for Jane to tell everyone about the truth of Mrs Reed. Jane’s friend Helen helps her through the experience and Jane finds the strength to tell Miss Temple the truth.
Bronte then introduces us to Jane as an eighteen year old, working as a governess at Thornfield hall. She works with a young child called Adele, for a Mr Rochester. During her stay Jane goes to see Mrs Reed after hearing that she is severely ill and asking for Jane. Mrs Reed tells Jane about how she told Jane’s uncle that Jane was dead when he offered to take her to live with him. She says that she regrets doing it, and that she regrets how she treated Jane. Whilst by her bedside Jane says: “dear Mrs Reed, think no more of all this, let it pass from you mind.” Even after hearing the news about her uncle and after how Mrs Reed treated her, Jane isn’t angry at Mrs Reed. “You have my full and free forgiveness: ask now for gods and be at peace.” , Jane finds the strength to forgive her aunt, Mrs Reed, when most people would find it hard to even go to see her. Many people have feuds over very little things but what Mrs Reed did to Jane was a big part of her life. What Jane did was a selflessness act, as she wanted her aunt to die without what she did on her conscience.
Bronte now brings in an important part of Jane’s life. Unfortunately it takes a while for everything to work. During her stay at Thornfield hall, Jane falls in love with Mr Rochester. She becomes increasingly jealous of Blanche Ingram as Mr Rochester speaks of marriage with her and he seems very happy when he is with her. One night Mr Rochester asks Jane to marry him and tells her of his true feelings. Jane is extremely happy. They arrange to get married, but during the wedding a man walks in claiming that Mr Rochester is already married. the man with him is Mr Mason and he says that Mr Rochester’s wife is his sister. The wedding is cancelled. They return to Thornfield hall where Mr Rochester shows Jane his wife. His wife is a mad woman
After finding out this news Jane decides that she must leave, “Mr Rochester, I will not be yours”, she has respect for herself and although she loves Mr Rochester she cannot commit bigamy. In the 1800’s people were very religious. Committing a sin/crime such as bigamy would be seen as wrong in the eyes of god.
Bronte shows the reader how strong Jane is this next episode, as Jane leaves Mr Rochester even though she could have been happy with him. This step made her homeless. As Jane is homeless and has no personal possessions Jane knocks at the doors of houses trying to find a place to stay. Eventually someone lets her stay, they are the Rivers. Coincidently they are her cousins. St John Rivers asks Jane to marry him as he is off abroad as a missionary, and wishes to go with a wife. She declines, “I repeat I freely consent to go with you as your fellow missionary, but not as your wife, I cannot marry you and become a part of you”, she doesn’t love him, and has a firm belief, therefore she will not marry him. “I scorn your idea or love”, she stands up for what she believes in, she loves Mr Rochester and she soon realises this. One day Jane believes that she hears Mr Rochester calling her. She returns to Thornfield Hall to find it burnt down; she is then taken to where Mr Rochester lives. He is blind, has one eye, and has lost a hand. She still continues to love him. Mr Rochester and Jane decide to get married, as Mr Rochester’s wife had died in the fired. They have a child and Mr Rochester starts to regain some sight. Before they get married Mr Rochester says: “a poor blind man who you will have to lead about by the hand?” Jane replies with “yes sir”, Jane loves Mr Rochester and just wants to be happy.
Throughout the story Bronte shows Jane as having many heroic qualities, while being bullied by John Reed she shows courage and bravery. She doesn’t cave in and give up hope, she is resilient. All of the episodes throughout this essay show Jane’s resilience. I believe that the reason Bronte wrote Jane Eyre was to show that if you want something bad enough you will get it. Jane wanted happiness and respect from others; at the end of the novel she has achieved this. Jane was in many bad situations but she was determined so she got through them all. The novel is also about the status of women in the 1800’s. I think that Bronte was also trying to show that women have strength and that they deserved the same respect as men. The detail in the story and the point of view that Bronte gives us, encourages the reader to understand the sort of life led by women during the 1800’s and their low status in society. The reader would also admire Jane as she was such a strong individual.
