Blanche Ingram in Jane Eyre

In the novel Jane Eyre, Blanche Ingram indirectly raises Jane's sense of self-worth by allowing Jane to see that her humility and compassion can be prized above wealth and physical appearance. Blanche Ingram is a a complete contrast to Jane in the way she looks and acts. Ms. Ingram is beautiful and affluent, as described by Ms. Fairfax: "Tall, fine bust, sloping shoulders; long, graceful neck: olive complexion, dark and clear; noble features; eyes rather like Mr. Rochester's: large and black, and as brilliant as her jewels.” Ms. Fairfax describes Ms. Ingram with very regal and powerful terms such as “noble” and “graceful.” Ms. Fairfax also says that, “her eyes are as brilliant as her jewels.” This right away put Ms. Ingram in a position of wealth and by comparing her to her jewelry. Also, buy comparing Ms. Ingram to a material object, the novel suggests that she is very vain and materialistic rather than humble and spiritual. Ms. Fairfax than says, " And then she had such a fine head of hair; raven-black and so becomingly arranged: a crown of thick plaits behind, and in front the longest, the glossiest curls I ever saw. She was dressed in pure white; an amber-colored scarf was passed over her shoulder and across her breast, tied at the side, and descending in long, fringed ends below her knee. She wore an amber-colored flower, too, in her hair: it contrasted well with the jetty mass of her curls." Here Ms. Fairfax describes the luxury of Ms. Ingram’s hair and dress. This is a wild contrast to Jane becauseJane was not accustomed to these luxuries, rather the opposite. At Lowood, a pious school for orphan girls as well as Jane's previous residence, she was taught that luxury was associated with evil, and that you cannot be pure if you take so much time and pride in your physical appearance. Jane therefor is always in humble dress and her hair is always drawn back rather than in “glossy curls.” Miss Ingram is aware, in her vanity, that she has a strong, stunning