After Jane witnesses Helen being beaten across the neck with a bunch of twigs without flinching in front of Miss Scatcherd she becomes angry that her friend is being so poorly treated. In the evening she seeks Helen out to talk to her on the matter. She believes that Helen must wish to leave Lowood due to the cruelty of the punishment she has received. It is very apparent at this point that the girls have two very opposing views on authority and Miss Scatcherd. Jane states “And if I were in your place I should dislike her; I should resist her. If she struck me with that rod, I should get it from her hand; I should break it under her nose,.” Helen’s retort is “It is far better to endure patiently a smart which nobody feels but yourself, than to commit a hasty action whose evil consequences will extend to all connected with you besides, the Bible bids us to return good for evil.”
Jane struggles with Helen’s view that you should accept such oppression and undeserved cruelty without complaint stating “but it seems disgraceful to be flogged, and to be send to stand in the middle of a room full of people; and you are such a great girl: I am far younger than you and I could not bear it.” Again Helen reinforces her beliefs to Jane saying it would be her “duty to bear it”. Jane really cannot understand Helen’s attitude towards her punishment or for the “forbearance she expressed for her chastiser.” Unable to make sense of this matter Jane puts her thoughts aside for another time.
Jane proceeds to question Helen about her faults. She sees Helen as a good person and wonders how Helen perceives herself. Helen proceeds to list her faults and how they grate Miss Scatcherd “I am, as Miss Scatcherd said, slatternly; I seldom put, and never keep, things in order; I am careless; I forget rules; I read when I should learn my lessons; I have no method; and sometimes I say like you, I cannot bear to be subjected to systematic arrangements. This is all very provoking to Miss Scatcherd, who is naturally neat, punctual, and particular.” Jane still seeks to extract an unkind word from Helen about Miss Scatcherd by adding on the end of Helen’s speech “and cross and cruel” but Helen would still not admit to Jane’s words. This shows that Helen is mature, wise and accepting of her way of life. Although Jane is in awe of Helen she can still not accept the way she endures punishment when she has done no wrong.
Although Helen is older than Jane and wiser she also aware of her faults, she notes that she finds herself drifting off in lessons but for Jane it is easy for her to pay attention in class whereas she finds herself wondering off into a day dream. Jane retorts that “Yet how well you replied this afternoon”. Helen informs Jane that it was a mere chance that she was interested by the subject, she rants on the subject of Charles the first and this makes Jane feel ignorant as she has no knowledge of the subject. Jane then turns the topic of their conversation to Miss Temple, with whom both girls have a bond with.
As Helen talks about Miss Temple, Jane observes that as Helen is attentive with Miss Temple and that Helen is “good” for her in class. Helen admits this although she does say it is in a passive way as Miss Temple teaches in a way she likes and about subjects she is interested in. Jane clearly makes a reflection on her childhood at Gateshead stating “when we are struck without a reason, we should strike back again very hard; I am sure we should – so hard as to teach the person who struck us never to do it again.”
Helen again reinforces her religious beliefs and this repetition shows that this must have been a great influence to Jane. Helen always looks to the Bible and in this instant asks Jane to refer to the passages in the New Testament Jane enquires as to why Helen quotes “love thy enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you and despitefully use you.” Helen probes Jane and the she tells her about her life and Gateshead and Helen counsels Jane and explains her philosophy that it is better not to feel sadness or anger in life for if we are good we shall be rewarded in death by going to heaven.
After Jane is publicly humiliated by Mr. Brocklehurst we can see how much Helen’s friendship means to Jane when the mere smile from her invokes a huge reaction. “What a smile! I remember it now, and I know that it was the effluence of fine intellect, a true courage; it lit up her marked lineaments, her thin face, her sunken grey eye, like a reflection from the aspect of an angel.”
Following this Helen then comforts and clams Jane down after Mr Brocklehurst’s speech by reassuring her that no one believes her to be a liar. After this Jane says “Resting my head upon Helen’s shoulder, I put my arms round her waist; she drew me near to her, and we reposed in silence.” This suggests that as well as friendship Jane saw Helen as an older sister or perhaps the mother she never had.
When called to Miss Temple Jane reinforces further the feelings of awe and admiration she feels for Helen when she is conversing with Miss Temple “has a girl of fourteen a heart large enough, vigorous enough to hold the swelling spring of pure, fill fervid eloquence.”
After this Helen falls ill and we learn of Jane’s new companion, however, although Jane
has fun with her new friend there is a distinct contrast from Helen and Jane shows us how much she admires and reveres Helen by saying “Surely the Mary Ann Wilson I have mentioned was inferior to my first acquaintance.”
Finally when Jane learns that Helen is dying she immediately rushes to be by her side, in her dying hours Jane is there with her and Helen reassures her that she will be happy in death and that Jane must not grieve for her for she is going to God. Helen passes away in Jane’s arms.
The most moving and poignant part of their friendship that is although Helen is not mentioned again we know that fifteen years on Jane places a headstone on her grave, showing what a huge impact Helen had on her and what a great friendship they had.
