Jane Eyre Essay
Thesis: Jane struggles with balancing her independence and the need for companionship with her relationships with Helen, St. John and Rochester
Body Paragraph 1: Helen
With her relationship with Helen, Jane explores her need to be cared for by the world. One example of Jane’s struggle to balance her needs for companionship and independence is especially apparent in her relationship with Helen Burns. When Jane first meets Helen, Jane is in desperate need of companionship. Jane never felt companionship at Gateshead, and she searches for someone when she starts at Lowood.The first way that Helen helps her with her struggle with isolation is when Mr. Brocklehurst punishes Jane and makes her stay in isolation. Helen’s smile inspires Jane--on page …show more content…
80, Jane says “what a strange light inspired them.” For Jane, her first light that helps her calm the harms that her isolation causes. Helen’s strength allows Jane to attack her fear of isolation and not feel so alone. Helen also helps Jane when Jane explores her need to be cared for by the world, and Helen tells her that she must instead find peace within herself. After Jane tells Helen that she “cannot bear to be solitary and hated (82),” showing her fundamental inability to be alone with herself. Helen tells her that “if all the world hated you, and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved you, and absolved you from guilt, you would not be without friends (83)”. Jane struggles through an inner journey to find herself through being solitary and having companionship. When Helen talks to her about the importance of her inner self, it is the first time Jane contemplates a solitary life since she leaves Gateshead, feeling alone. Another instance where Jane feels alone but freed is after Helen dies. When Helen is dying, Jane describes her mental state as “fully free, unwatched, and almost alone: for this unwonted liberty and pleasure there was a cause, to which it now becomes my task to advert(95).” Jane understands the impact of Helen’s death, and even though she will definitely miss Helen’s companionship, she understands the benefits that solitary reflection will give her. She also questions Helen about being alone with God, asking her “where is that region? Does it exist (97)?” as Helen lays dying, telling Jane that she will go to God. Jane’s questioning demonstrates her discomfort with being alone with God and her need for companionship.
Body Paragraph 2: St John
During Jane’s relationship with St.
John, she considers companionship and freedom. When Mr. Rochester asks her if she would like to go to India and become his wife, she says “I am ready to go to India, if I may go free.” Her valuing of freedom over the life and prestige she would have as a missionary’s wife shows her priorities. She has learned to value her freedom, and refuses to give it up just to serve the world. Her refusal shows her understanding of having to save herself from a potentially harmful situation that would not suit her other than saving the world. She does not want to be restricted by St. John and his views of who Jane should be. In a way, her prioritizing of freedom demonstrates that she has moved on from the pain of being alone that she endured as a child at Gateshead and Lowood and understands why her freedom is necessary, and why she feels as though she has to be alone. St. John did not always respect that about her, and was often patronizing. Instead of Jane leaning on him for companionship because she was afraid of being once again alone, she understood the importance of her freedom and sometimes being alone. Her realization is demonstrated when she tells the readers, “ I broke from St John, who had followed, and would have detained me. It was my time to assume ascendancy. My powers were in play and in force.” She realizes what a life that St. John in India would have been, and decided to value her freedom more. She realizes the power that she has over her life, which is the first time Jane decides to put her life in her own hands since she leaves Mr. Rochester. This decision to put her life in her own hands symbolizes how Jane has concluded the search for her truth, and found what the truth and life means to her--and can now focus outwardly on the world. Later in the paragraph, she realizes her own values and
priorities.
Body Paragraph 1: Helen
With her relationship with Helen, Jane explores her need to be cared for by the world. One example of Jane’s struggle to balance her needs for companionship and independence is especially apparent in her relationship with Helen Burns. When Jane first meets Helen, Jane is in desperate need of companionship. Jane never felt companionship at Gateshead, and she searches for someone when she starts at Lowood.The first way that Helen helps her with her struggle with isolation is when Mr. Brocklehurst punishes Jane and makes her stay in isolation. Helen’s smile inspires Jane--on page …show more content…
80, Jane says “what a strange light inspired them.” For Jane, her first light that helps her calm the harms that her isolation causes. Helen’s strength allows Jane to attack her fear of isolation and not feel so alone. Helen also helps Jane when Jane explores her need to be cared for by the world, and Helen tells her that she must instead find peace within herself. After Jane tells Helen that she “cannot bear to be solitary and hated (82),” showing her fundamental inability to be alone with herself. Helen tells her that “if all the world hated you, and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved you, and absolved you from guilt, you would not be without friends (83)”. Jane struggles through an inner journey to find herself through being solitary and having companionship. When Helen talks to her about the importance of her inner self, it is the first time Jane contemplates a solitary life since she leaves Gateshead, feeling alone. Another instance where Jane feels alone but freed is after Helen dies. When Helen is dying, Jane describes her mental state as “fully free, unwatched, and almost alone: for this unwonted liberty and pleasure there was a cause, to which it now becomes my task to advert(95).” Jane understands the impact of Helen’s death, and even though she will definitely miss Helen’s companionship, she understands the benefits that solitary reflection will give her. She also questions Helen about being alone with God, asking her “where is that region? Does it exist (97)?” as Helen lays dying, telling Jane that she will go to God. Jane’s questioning demonstrates her discomfort with being alone with God and her need for companionship.
Body Paragraph 2: St John
During Jane’s relationship with St.
John, she considers companionship and freedom. When Mr. Rochester asks her if she would like to go to India and become his wife, she says “I am ready to go to India, if I may go free.” Her valuing of freedom over the life and prestige she would have as a missionary’s wife shows her priorities. She has learned to value her freedom, and refuses to give it up just to serve the world. Her refusal shows her understanding of having to save herself from a potentially harmful situation that would not suit her other than saving the world. She does not want to be restricted by St. John and his views of who Jane should be. In a way, her prioritizing of freedom demonstrates that she has moved on from the pain of being alone that she endured as a child at Gateshead and Lowood and understands why her freedom is necessary, and why she feels as though she has to be alone. St. John did not always respect that about her, and was often patronizing. Instead of Jane leaning on him for companionship because she was afraid of being once again alone, she understood the importance of her freedom and sometimes being alone. Her realization is demonstrated when she tells the readers, “ I broke from St John, who had followed, and would have detained me. It was my time to assume ascendancy. My powers were in play and in force.” She realizes what a life that St. John in India would have been, and decided to value her freedom more. She realizes the power that she has over her life, which is the first time Jane decides to put her life in her own hands since she leaves Mr. Rochester. This decision to put her life in her own hands symbolizes how Jane has concluded the search for her truth, and found what the truth and life means to her--and can now focus outwardly on the world. Later in the paragraph, she realizes her own values and
priorities.