What's the deal with Jane Eyre? How exactly can we classify her growth, if she indeed grows at all? I said, in class today, that her growth was purely introspective--that is, Jane does not progress and grow in the eyes of society; rather, her growth is strong and evident only insofar as it pertains to her own psychological characteristics, viz., her knowledge of what she truly wants, how she sees herself as a person and member of society, how that image of herself matters, etc. To me, it seems Brontë is not concerned with how the opinion of society at large might change regarding Jane, but rather how society's unchanging opinion, namely one of sexual prejudices, forces Jane to change herself, and ultimately come to the realization of what is important to Jane, not society.
What do you think? Does my proposition seem sound? Is it invalid? Is it entirely wrong and contrived :) ?
What? I don't want to criticize or anything because I'm often guilty too. But you're not doing anyone - including yourself - any favors by writing like that.
ReplyDeleteThat said, it’s safe to say that Jane grows. But her growth isn’t exclusively introspective. She does become more accepted in society’s eyes (though I suppose this can be debated depending on the definition of society). She grows up an orphan who is treated like vermin but later becomes a well-respected teacher, governess, wife, etc. The essay prompt from over the weekend pointed to exile in Jane Eyre. But I would argue that after childhood, any exile is largely self-imposed (when, unsatisfied, she leaves each of her homes, etc.), not forced by society. Sure, she still faces sexual prejudice and never climb to the top of the social totem pole, but she grows in society’s eyes all the same.
On the same token, I disagree that society "forces Jane to change herself and ultimately come to the realization of what is important to her". Jane never really changes this way, and she always realized what is important. In one of the novel’s memorable lines, Jane already describes herself as a child as a “rebel slave”. This never changes. Jane always tries to assert her independence, realize her identity, find a sense of belonging, find happiness, and so on.
To me, Jane’s most obvious growth came in relation to her relationships and marriage. She remained unsure about her first engagement to Rutherford. “Reader, I married him”, Jane’s popular refrain, suggested a great deal of uneasiness. And Jane refuses St. River’s offer of a loveless marriage. It takes the sum total of her life’s experiences for Jane to accept Rutherford’s marriage offer and realize her happiness.
I think what you propose is eminently correct, but I think that Jane does rise in the ranks of society at the end solely because of her marriage to Rochester. She has a de facto increase in social status because Rochester is a well-off country gentlemen, whereas before Jane is basically an aimless wanderer. Rochester gives her the protection of his name and his wealth, something that was a mark of class in Jane’s day. However, I agree that Jane grows mostly internally, and this is where Brontë’s feminist commentary on society comes into effect, in my opinion. By having Jane mature into an independent, self-reliant young woman, Brontë has Jane defy the classic stereotype of meek, dutiful women of the day. As she grows up, Jane learns love and respect from people like Rochester and Miss Temple and Jane eventually finds happiness and a family with Rochester. Though she has a childhood of suffering and difficulty – what with Aunt Reed mistreating her and the austerity of Lowood – Jane’s experiences form her to be a survivor. I think Jane learns to define herself, because of these ordeals, not by class or wealth, but by substance of character and I believe she begins to see herself as strong, independent, and self-sufficient, rather than the out-of-place person she perceives herself as when she is young at Reed Manor. Therefore, although I think Jane improves her status in society, this is irrelevant to both herself and Brontë, and the true growth that Brontë wants the reader to observe is the internal maturity.
ReplyDeleteclark, lets all get along.
ReplyDeleteaustin i think your point is valid, much of her growth is internally based. she definitely learns about herself throughout her various stages of life, much more so than society learns about her.
however... it is true, that she rises also in society. she started as an orphan where she was inferior to even the servants. then she becomes a student and is able to converse with her peers and be treated as an equal. then she is adele's governess, a position of authority. and finally, she marries a man of wealth.
most important, in my mind, is the combination: Jane's opinion of her own value in society. initally, she thinks very little of her own worth... and even after she has matured greatly, she wont marry rochester until she truly feels superior to him, a man of high status. obvoiusly, bertha stood in the way, but even without the crazy lady in the attic, the split tree rightly noted their divide. she was only plain jane, with little to call her own, while rochester owned thornfield. thus, jane only feels comfortable marrying him when he is blind (and therefore dependent,) and she has inheritance money from john eyre. it is then that she fully accepts her love and marries the irresistable rochester.
i also think she grows in a feminist regard... though at first she feels inferior, living with the reeds, she develops a higher opinion and a distinctly feminine ethos.
I completely agree with Austin. Jane never changed her place in society. Although in the end she was a wife and not a governess her benefits and social status was practically the same. Throughout the novel she was surrounded by wealth so the end is no different. I do think that she came of age in some aspects, in terms of her acceptance with her position and her ability to get over Mr. Rochester's fault (the hidden wife in the attic). Furthermore, Jane Eyre never completely changed. Sure she got inherited money, found her family and got married, but she still had the same outlook on society. She was still judgemental and shallow. In addition, i am not sure how much i agree with Demetra when she says that Jane has become an "independent, self-reliant young woman." This is solely because Jane does not become that character, as much as she always was. In the beginning she brought it upon her self to seek work outside of Lowood and even when she left Mr. Rochester, she did so independently, regardless of how much money she had (or didnt have), and regardless of who she had to contact (or who she didnt).
ReplyDeleteclark, who is Rutherford?
ReplyDeleteelizabeth, i really like your point about how Jane only feels comfortable being with Rochester once he is dependent. I think her desire to be independent and Bronte's desire for her to be seen as a feminist is illustrated well by that idea.
I also think that if Jane does grow in this novel it is mostly in her societal position. On the very first page she asks, "What does Bessie say I have done?" Even as a child she is questioning her authority about the fairness of her punishment. It does not take a dramatic journey throughout the book for Jane to become a feminist and a confident woman. I think her internal growth is minimal.
I agree that Jane's growth is mainly introspective. To me, most of Jane's growth comes from the increasing control she has over situations. In the beginning of the novel, Jane appears inferior, always trying to make up for her inherently bad behavior, whether it be at the Reed's or at Lowood. Overtime, Jane gains control and freedom and is able to do what she pleases. For example, Jane takes the initiative to leave Lowood, and she does not succumb to St. John's will for her to marry him. So I believe that Jane's internal growth comes from her increasing ability to act for herself.
ReplyDeleteWithout question, Jane grows throughout the novel. However, I disagree with the statement that her growth was “purely introspective.” I agree with Josh in that her internal growth is most clearly demonstrated through her increased freedom and control over situations. In contrast to the life she led at Gateshead Hall, where she fell victim to her aunt’s torture, Jane learns to take control of her life. This is exemplified in the text when she leaves Lowood School and Thornfield Hall on her own terms. As Austin said, she grows psychologically. I agree with this idea, too. Obviously, as one grows older they are going to discover what they want in life. That’s just naturally how it works. For Jane, she discovered her passion for teaching and romance with Rochester. This shows Jane’s development as an adult and emotional growth. With that said, Jane definitely shows societal growth, too. After she inherits her uncle’s money, and marries Rochester, her rank in society is automatically elevated. She is no longer Rochester’s employee, but rather his wife and life-partner.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with Austin to an extent. I think much of Jane's growth is indeed introspective, as she becomes more and more independent-minded throughout the novel.
ReplyDeleteBut I also think that Jane grows in the eyes of society- as several people said- she transforms from a "devilish" child to a mature, tempered young woman. Her increasingly logical independence is mainly shown in her reactions to the adverse (or sticky) situations she encounters. At Gateshead, Jane reacted to the injustice of her punishments, by lashing out angrily, thereby benefiting no one. A big step in her growth is obviously her education, after which she becomes "tame," in many senses. She seldom lost her temper after leaving Lowood, and instead became mild. When she finds out that Rochester is married, she leaves without throwing a tantrum and still is pretty kind to Rochester. Even when she is asked by St. John to marry him, she remains calm and logical, yet bold. (I do not think that most women in nineteenth century England rejected such eligible men in marriage).
As for her relationship with Rochester-I agree with Elizabeth. Jane wants to earn Rochester's love, thereby making her an equal or superior. Bertha was in the way of marriage initially, and I think Bronte definitely did that so that Jane would return when Rochester actually needed her. This also reflects a lot about Jane's independence. In the beginning of the book, she was always dependent on other people (whether internally or externally), but now Rochester depends on her. And she whole-heartedly accepts Rochester only when he is dependent on her.
After reviewing many of your comments, it seems I should clarify my point...
ReplyDeleteSure, Jane goes from being an disrespected child to a respected governess and wife, but this (change in societal standing) is not what is important, or at least not what Brontë wants us to notice (as many of you have said).
After all, if Brontë were truly concerned with Jane's standing in society, as viewed by others, why would she make Jane the narrator of the novel, so that we only hear Jane's take on things?
I agree with Clark. Jane Eyre most definitely grows by the end of the novel, both internally and externally - in society. Internally, Jane grows because she learns something new at each place she stays. As a student at Lowood, Jane’s character develops because she learns the value of respect and basic academic skills. By the end of her time at Lowood, Jane is very learned, academically; she can speak French and German, and draw. As Adéle’s governess at Thornfield Hall, Jane’s character continues to develop because she learns to let go and trust her emotions. She does this by allowing herself to fall in love with Mr. Rochester, when at first, Jane was reluctant to fall in love with him. And, as an inmate at the Moor House with the Rivers, Jane’s character develops even more because she discovers that love is more important than work; she refuses to stay with St. John, who would only provide work and no love for her. Additionally, throughout the novel, Jane befriends so many motherly figures – such as Bessie Lee, Miss Temple, Alice Fairfax, and Diana and Mary Rivers – that ultimately Jane becomes her own motherly figure. She marries Mr. Rochester and starts a family.
ReplyDeleteExternally, Jane grows because her social status and society's view of her rise as she matures. The truth is, Jane grew up an orphan, went to boarding school where she was not treated exceptionally well, and then made a living by teaching. However, by the end of the novel, Jane becomes very wealthy. She inherits a huge sum of money from her late uncle, John Eyre - and the fact that Jane (despite her not-so-good economic situation) decides not to keep all the money to herself but instead split it with her cousins, illustrates just how much Jane has grown. Furthermore, her social status improves when she marries into a great deal of wealthy by marrying Mr. Rochester.
Now, for Jane's growth in retrospect to society's view of her: at the beginning of the novel, the other characters often refer to Jane as inferior. However, towards the end of the novel, the characters start recognizing her as an almost well-to-do young lady. Such is the case when the Rivers meet Jane and immediately notice that she is not a beggar, but an intelligent young lady. In my opinion, no matter which way one looks at the novel, it is clear that Jane Eyre is a coming of age story and that Jane experiences progress in various ways,
I agree with Austin's point that Jane's growth in social standing is not the main focus of the story. However, I believe her rise in rank leads to her independence and internal growth.
ReplyDeleteJane was a rebellious child and I think her rebellious attitude evolved into a more independent nature as she grew older. Jane was never one to sit by and let people control her decisions. She fought back- both physically and verbally- against John Reed but because of her poor orphan status, there was not much she could have done. As an adult, however, once she discovers Rochester’s secret, she takes initiative to leave Thornfield and be autonomous. Her position as a teacher and governess helps her find new work and respect from others. I believe Jane always had the capacity to be a strong and self reliant woman and her increasing rank in society helps to develop her independence.
My bad. As you may know, Erica, I'm not very good with names.
ReplyDeletei really like austin's point about jane's role as narrator only giving the reader her thoughts... and not society's. i guess because of this we can assume that the changes bronte really wants us to notice are those pertaining to jane's own attitudes and perceptions, and not the views that others have of her.
ReplyDeleteso because of this, i (now) think that all of the rising-up-in-society examples definitely show jane growing, but this is not the main focus of the story. maybe jane's asides to the reader almost highlight this- it's as if bronte is flagging jane's important thoughts about her life events and making it so the "reader" doesn't even have to search very hard to realize jane's changing attitudes... (because this is the main thing she wants us to see) (or maybe i'm just totally off-topic)
hi again
ReplyDeletethanks er
dani - its awesome that you figured out those accents on adele's name. i also really liked the point that you started to make on how jane grew in love. since she never had any real family, jane scarcely felt compassion (except for helen when she hugged her in her deathbed.) she never knew love, and i doubt that she believed in its power to affect her. when rochester tells a story about how the green snake of jealousy overcame him... and he criticizes her for never experiencing jealousy or being in love. however, rochester teaches these emotions when he semi flaunts blanche and even proposes to a woman where there is no love. jane experiences jealousy for the first time, and then discovers true love. this and janes relationship with rochester change her immensely, and inevitably create the woman she is - strong, independent, but also very in love.
@Austin: Although I can see where you are coming from, I tend to disagree. Jane certainly does undergo internal changes. However, this internal maturity cannot happen alone. No matter how mature you are internally, you cannot do anything if society views you as lowly. If you are a genius, but cannot afford to go to college (ignoring scholarships &c.) you will probably not have as successful a life as if you are average and can pay.
ReplyDeleteAs to why Brontë (yes, I can do those accents too (and yes I like parenthetical statements (even nested ones!))) made Jane the narrator, I agree that this is done to show how Jane matures. However, I do not think it is done to detract from the changes in how society views her. It merely points out the personal maturity (which tends to be overlooked in third person narrations) more than is normally done.
Hey guys
ReplyDeletesorry to reply so late. I just got home an hour ago.
I feel as if Jane's growth is internal as well as external, as several people have said. Jane's external growth is marked by wealth and a change in social status. People, she has 20000 English Pounds under her belt. Even if she divided the money with her cousins, Jane still remains a rich heiress who can completely live by herself for quite a while. We see her become the rich woman from a poor orphan.
On the other hand, Jane's internal growth stems from the fact that she is looking back. this entire novel, to me, is a flashback because she would refer to years later a few times. She's summing up all of her experiences. Because she is looking at her experiences, she is able to pick out the important experiences and what we read is like a summary of her experiences and how those experiences evolved. it's as if jane is inspecting her own personal growth and we are viewing her experiences with her.
Stephen
@austin: i partially agree with what you believe. since jane eyre is a coming of age story, jane obviously matures as the book progresses. she does grow internally by looking at her past experiences and analyzing her decisions, as stephen has already said.
ReplyDeletei also agree that female stereotypes cause jane hardship and force her to become more assertive to reach her goals. however, i don't think that was the only factor. jane is exiled by her aunt because mrs. reed favors her children to whom she is biologically related. she is also treated poorly when she begs for food and shelter after leaving mr. rochester. there were many more limitations in jane's life besides gender stereotypes. nevertheless, i do agree that all of these prejudices cause jane to change.
i disagree with your opinion that bronte is not concerned with how society as a whole views jane. actually, i think it's very important to note that society's view does not change after jane's personal growth. to some, this might say that jane's transformation was insignificant since she did not make a big impact. however, jane did influence certain people's lives with her newfound personality. jane was significant to some people. bronte wants to point out to the reader that significance is relative; a person does not need to change society in order to make an impact on someone's life. jane's transformation was important to herself, and that's all that matters.
bronte also brings to our attention that a change in societal status doesn't always matter to society. jane becomes a fairly wealthy woman when she receives 20,000 pounds, but she isn't suddenly surrounded by new rich acquaintances. instead, she chooses to share the money with her cousins, which again shows that a person doesn't have to tell everyone that he/she has changed in order to make an impact.
Sorry about the uber late post. My computer thought this new account was trying to take over my computer and blocked it.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Jane goes through growth, although slight throughout the novel. The problem with gauging this growth however is that we have no insight into her mind and all we know about her feelings are what she says to aside in asides.
I do feel however that by the end of the novel Jane has a sense of what she wants out of life rather than her previous state of just wandering where she could go or needed to go. Also, it seems as if she becomes more confident in herself. At the beginning of the novel she discussed her plainness and all the misdeeds done against her and to a degree, she felt like a second class citizen. As she realizes that a person is not just his/her looks or wealth, but their inner person she is able to make decisions based on her heart rather than rational thinking. Honestly, if she was thinking rationally she would have settled for St. John when he asked her to marry him.