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How Does Jane Change Throughout The Novel

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David Morales
Mrs. Lopez
AP English IV
July 25, 2015

The development of Jane in novel can be seen through the people and places she stays/lives out throughout the course of her life. These people and places help her develop as person, and help Jane discover who she is. Jane's origins and upbringing help influence her future decisions and aspirations. Being an orphan in an abusive household then moving to a boarding school under poor conditions envelop Jane's young life. Becoming a governess at Thornfield, falling in love with Rochester, eventually running away and ending up at the Moor House, then go through the fallout of St. John and goes to Ferndean to rekindle the her relationship with Rochester. This envelops Jane's adult life and the …show more content…

In this part of the novel, we are introduced to Jane and the Reed family. Jane's time at Gateshead was rather unpleasant, oppressive, and cruel. The Reed family viewed Jane as a nuance and never treated Jane as her own. This can be seen in Chapter 2 when Jane is put in the red room and exclaims, “All John Reed's violent tyrannies, all his sisters' proud indifference, all his mother's aversion, all the servants' partially… Why was I always suffering, always browbeaten, always accused, for ever condemned?” (1) This shows the division and the apathetic nature of the Reed's family towards Jane Eyre. Jane describes her stay at Gateshead as oppressive, gloomy, and as a prison; especially at her stay in the red room. Though not all was bad for Jane at Gateshead. There were some supporting characters that helped nurture Jane through the dark, depressive times of her youth. This is shown in Chapter 4, “Christmas and the New Year has been celebrated at Gateshead with the usual festive cheer… I was, of course, excluded....” (2) Bessie comforted Jane during her red room stay and during her down times. As well as Mr. Lloyd, who listened to Jane and considered the idea to Mrs. Reed to put her in school. Her stay at Gateshead symbolizes the dark, unfortunate beginnings of Jane Eyre. It shows a child who is lonely and mistreated because of being born at the wrong place, …show more content…

This is one of the most difficult times for Jane in the novel. Begging, alone, and heart broken, she ends up the Moor House with the aid of St. John. The reader is met with character like Mary and Diana, St. John's sisters, and other inhabitants of the place. This is a time in Jane's life is one of the hardest because the search of identity and purpose. Her relationship with Rochester shows Jane's regret and embarrassment. This is shown in Chapter 29, “ I felt a burning glow mount to my face; for bitter and agitating recollections were awakened by the allusion to marriage.” (8) St. John has a powerful influence over Jane throughout the chapters at the Moor House. More developments occur that change Jane's status and image. Towards the end of her stay at the Moor House, she has a large inheritance and doesn't need to rely on St. John. In this point of the novel, Jane can achieve independence, but needs to break the control of St. John over her by she refuses to marry St. John, which distraught him. Though the voices of Rochester call her back, and by the end of the Moor House era, she was ready to live the life she wanted to

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