Helen Burns Character Analysis

Artist and composer Martina McBride once said, "I think we should all be tolerant of each other and embrace each other’s' strengths and differences and uniqueness and beauty." A young girl named Jane Eyre is born into the wrong life. She is sent away to Lowood school for orphans by her wicked Aunt Reed at a young age. Although life in this learning institution is grueling, she encounters another young girl who she can relate to. This young woman’s name is Helen Burns. Similarly to Jane, she is an orphan who has no connection to her biological parents. Although she dies at a young age, Helen has a profound impact on Jane’s life. Throughout Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre we see how Helen Burns is a character whose traits emphasize the distinctive characteristics and qualities of Jane.
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This perspective shows the reader how Helen is accepting and able to endure setbacks. While at Lowood Helen knows that she is not in her real home. On her deathbed she comes to the conclusion that it is her time to go. Helen expresses how she is ready to depart “to my long home … my last home” (Brontë 83). She believes that G-d is with her and heaven is a place that she will call her dwelling. The main reason why Helen is accepting this fate is because she says “I am sure there is a future state; I believe G-d is good; I can resign my immortal part to Him without misgiving. G-d is my my father; G-d is my friend; I love Him; I believe he loves me.” With this we see how Helen is particularly devoted to G-d and believes in her faith. Jane on the other hand questions her faith and is not positive that heaven exists. This is seen when Jane states,”Where is G-d? What is G-d … You are sure, then, Helen that there is such a place as heaven; and that our souls can get to it before we die?” (Brontë 84). Jane has a skeptical view on religion. This difference in character illuminates why their views on religion are