Jane thought that even though it was unacceptable within her society but if her father understood it would help her cope:
"...he'd turned to me with a sort of shaky, fumbling anger and told me to clear out his house, that I was no better than a street woman."
The words 'sort of shaky, fumbling anger' are effective as I can imagine how Jane's father could not take it in as he is shocked that he becomes upset and begins to tremble as he can't bear the truth. His words seem to hold all his anger as he did not care how and what happened but immediately told Jane to leave the house and tells her she is 'no better than a street woman.' These words are devastating as it implies how she is now transformed from a clean living middle class office girl in a prestigious job and regarded as being little better than the prostitutes that live in the basement. I feel it clearly portrays that the society will exclude her for being an unmarried single mother, as her reputation is low as she is now compared with the prostitutes. From this I think Jane's Father is strict and does not take Jane as much of his responsibility as he is not willing to adjust to the situation even though it is Jane's life and she is legally allowed to do what she feels right for her in life. Jane realises it is a mistake "Oh God, now what I have done?" The rhetorical question shows how she can't believe what she has caught herself in. However her father cares more about respect, he does not want anyone knowing as the class system will be ruined and shame will come upon him not in a religious point of view but a generation difference or social unacceptance.
Jane feels discriminated by her father and on the other hand is embarrassed of what people will think of her, as pregnancy is not permitted before marriage. She is disappointed with her actions as she has nowhere to go but had to consider her social conditioning:
“In some obscure way I wanted to punish myself, I wanted to put myself in the setting that seemed proper to my situation."
Jane has no support from anywhere but she understands that her way of living has to change as she can no longer live in a respected area among middle class people as no one would even lift an eyelid at a woman in her mid-twenties having a one night stand and living with the consequences to deal with. Therefore the word "setting" shows how setting affects Jane's situation as an aspect of strictness, shame, and disgraceful is deplored from the society for being an unmarried pregnant woman. Furthermore I feel the word 'obscure' reveal how she does not understand why she should have to suffer for her mistake but is willing to by the repetition of 'myself' and it gives an insight to the difference in generations:
"I wanted to bury myself in this alien world; I'd chosen it with the vague idea that here nobody would bother me or interfere with me; coming from such a different life."
This signalises how she wanted to be on her own as she is prepared to have no connection with anyone as her pregnancy has confronted her to be a downfall to her life because the more people she got to know, the more would have to be told. The word 'alien' creates the image how she will keep to herself from now on due to the society's social code but Jane feels she should be herself and it does not matter what people think but the code enforced by the society forces her to keep her pregnancy undercover. However this quotation is ironic as it gives me an insight to how Jane will not be in peace on her own to crawl away from the world and keep the pregnancy a secret but will face difficulties through her journey of pregnancy with questions and decisions which she is on her own initiative to cope.
Jane's father is at loss too due to the social morality as there is lack of respect for someone making one mistake:
"I'm telling anyone who telephones that you've gone abroad. This seems the best thing."
This is a turning point as I thought since he is angry at what Jane has committed he would just tell the truth as she is no longer his responsibility, however he does not confront the truth as he knows it is never going to be accepted and above all else he will ruin his own respect too.
The society has a major input to Jane as it makes her opportunities worse of what she decides to do with the baby:
"I could sometimes forget it almost completely. So long as nobody knew about the baby, it didn't seem, even to me, quite real."
This shows due to the constraints from the society she doesn't seem to bother about they baby she is just letting time pass and acting normal so no one would find out. I feel the more she thinks about the baby it panics her so she tries to avoid it but fears of anyone finding out. However this shows the other side when she lies at nights thinking alone:
"My bogies were chiefly questions. How am I going to keep it? Should I keep it at all- wouldn't it be better to have it adopted? What will it think of me when it's old enough to realise it hasn't a father? Or immediately ones like: How am I going to tell people like Toby and James? What shall I do? How will it feel to be the only woman in the maternity ward whose husband never comes to see her? And over and over again: Why did this have to happen?"
The writer made me feel and realise Jane’s misery through several techniques like colloquial language used as Jane spoke as if she was thinking aloud. The sentences are short and simple which is dramatic as it shows the desperation of wanting freedom from the sin she has committed. I think it shows Jane now takes it serious and realises her biggest mistake made which will ruin her own and the baby's life. The author uses a series of rhetorical questions which shows the endless list of thoughts running through Jane’s mind and gives a vivid image of what constraints are on Jane now as it involves me to think and performs a close relationship with Jane as I sense her now panicking and really frustrated. It also gives me a feeling of rhythm being deplored as it shows the speed of how fast Jane was thinking and at the same time makes me feel sympathy for her as she is unlucky enough to get pregnant the night she loses her virginity in a passionless bungled sexual encounter with her ex-boyfriend. These thoughts suggests how these constraints are placed on Jane due to the deep morality conveyed through the society however it reveals a build of climax as Jane takes actions to overcome her thoughts:
"But whatever wickedness in me added that vile motive to the other clean ones, was foiled and deluded; because if he had been my husband and known I had his child in me..."
This shows the other side of Jane as Toby and her have become really close by staying with one another therefore this quotation builds up strong emotions as the words 'wickedness,' 'vile motive' and 'deluded' shows how determined she is to solve this misery of her pregnancy by twisting the story so she will be accepted in society. It shows her mischievous aspect to deceive Toby into believing that the baby is his. I feel Jane has no way out but it shows desperation of freedom from the baby:
"Was I respecting the life within me, or pandering to my own healthy terror."
The quotation above is from when Jane decides to take pills to make her miscarry it shows she does not understand how it feels to give birth to a child and does not appreciate its life which shows she created a life without understanding the true pleasure of love. Furthermore 'pandering' suggests she is thinking about herself only and what she wants and not the baby as she is trying to ruin the baby. As well as this she had thought about an abortion which is illegal in this societies time period but the only way was to go to a private doctor who would charge a lot of money but she couldn’t afford it and at the same time she didn’t even try to just for the moral courage. The author reflects stream consciousness techniques by Jane’s thoughts which make me realise that she is going increasingly depressed as the baby places a future burden on her but the society's reaction builds more pressure.
Jane experiences too much pressure due to her pregnancy as so many people seem to have so many wrong impressions:
"Shall I wear a ring and pretend to be a widow? Have I the courage not to tell any lies?... Put a ring on your finger, call yourself Mrs."
The thoughts are emerging again but the word 'Shall' emphasises how the rhetorical question is aimed to the reader as what do they feel to be right. It reveals how if she lies either by saying her husband has passed away or does not stay with her due to business travelling but feels she can’t continue with life with the barrier in her mind of cheating with herself and the baby which will give her position in society to stand strong and not so low down. The private doctor advises her to put a ring and change to Mrs as through her journey of pregnancy she will not be isolated in her society with indifference. The time goes on and she suffers from morning sickness as a daily routine but she covers this up so by her appearance so it only reveals she is ill:
“What caused you to be ill? Have you been to see a doctor? But this is not the first time you have been unwell. Episodes like this in the morning are unfortunate they create such a bad impression."
At work Jane’s manager speaks to her as if he feels sympathy and is concerned with her being ill but he is being prejudice as he holds her illness against her to sack her. He is a misogynist and he is anxious to get the truth out her but inside he probably knows what is going on which shows he is judging her. The rhetorical question create his anxiety however ‘but’ changes the directions as he acts as if he seems to know how long she has been ill for. I feel sympathy for Jane as he could have gave her little time off to till she is fit to work but Jane would have quit work when she was unable to cope and keep the pregnancy undercover. I think Jane is left to do decide what she wants to do and make decisions which are not socially wrong as she is being influenced by the society.
In the meantime to all the actions going on she slowly builds up a close relationship with Toby although Toby is unaware of her situation but she fears to tell him as she will lose him. While out with Toby he gives an insight to the aspect of this social code:
"One of these days that poor half baked bitch is going to have a baby, without ever having understood what love really mean."
Toby said this when he was about and seen some male take advantage of a female it gives the image of how he still has the same class system or social code reflected within him. It was true, and it was hard to bear for Jane as she now heard the truth. It also hits her for the first time as she was falling in love with Toby and understanding what love meant. The quotation is ironic as Toby is unaware of her pregnancy but he described as if he knew as this is exactly what happened to Jane and made her commit the sin of creating a life.
The relationship with Toby had to end as Jane realises it will not work out but she couldn't let go however she feels sick with horror to tell him but since society has a major influence Toby finds out through people:
"It's not a matter of fairness; it's a matter of feeling. You've got another man's child in you. Well I do love but how would you feel if I had told you there was a girl going to have a child of mine- some other girl, some stranger?"
Toby explains how love is another side to it but it shows how a baby makes the situation far more worse but his words are strong as the rhetorical question are aimed at Jane to show if he had done this it would not easily be accepted. The rhetorical question in my opinion gives the image that Toby is stuck he does not whether to go with love or what is socially right. I think Toby is inconsiderate as a baby can come from a single night and it could have happened like that between them both in their relationship. However Jane understands how she is bringing misery upon both their lives but her love for Toby has reflected how she suffers for her actions and tried to end the baby's life however through Toby appreciates love and changes her viewpoint to make the world a better life and she has no right to end the life of the baby.
In the novel a strict moral code has been established throughout. In my opinion a strict moral code could makes society “better” and “worse.” In a strict moral code parents are more demanding and expect alot from their children which takes away freedom and some rights to an extent. However it may lead to increased happiness as no one will go out of turn or do an outrageous act due to the society’s influence. On the other hand a strict moral code would not account for individual’s special needs or feelings because they would not be dealt with and ignored as the social code would be enforced.
I think ‘The L-Shaped Room’ is a clearly well structured novel which is true to life as in some society’s or countries individuals have no rights. The novel provokes a message across that this is a preparation for real life, as this could happen if you go astray and don’t think about the consequences. In my viewpoint Jane as a character can be admired for her strength that she gains.