Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brönte

Their time at Lowood was one of harsh treatment and unfair conditions. While Helen was treated very poorly and often abused Jane became very close to her.  Jane and Helen had many similarities which allowed them to open up to each other about their beliefs. From Helen, Jane learns the traits of open-mindedness and accord, but she does not fully accept Helen's denunciation of materialistic items in the world. Helen's teaches Jane to work hard at school in order to better herself for the future. Helen Burns told Jane 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" (Brontë 84). This is very ironic because by the end of the story Jane epitomizes this quote. From her time at Lowood Jane learned that if being alone was the right thing, that is what she would do. It can be seen throughout the book that Jane is a very honest person and Helen helps to advance her in seeking the truth. Helen was a very positive influence on Jane as she challenged her to seek only the best on stand for what she believed in. Despite the social perception of women in the period Jane learned that she indeed could break those laws and make her life however she hoped.  In the literary analysis article titled, “Jane Eyre’s Quest for Truth and Identity”, it discusses the very fact that Jane did not recognize her own social

Having found a new strength in rebellion, Jane is placed in another oppressive situation: Lowood School. In this situation, there is little opportunity for her to resist; she has a different lesson to learn. Shortly after her arrival at Lowood, Jane meets Helen Burns, who teaches her patience and rationality. Helen is in many ways a Christ figure, accepting what happens to her as God's will and speaking often of heavenly rewards. When Jane is falsely accused and humiliated by Mr. Brocklehurst, her instinct is to lash out in anger, and she finds it difficult to deal with her emotions. When Miss Temple asks her to explain why the accusations are false, it is Helen Burns' words that allow Jane to present her side of the story fairly. "...mindful of Helen's warnings

Throughout the Victorian-era novel Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte utilizes religion to examine how a character’s beliefs influence not merely his or her treatment of other characters, but also the decisions that he or she makes and the reasoning behind these decisions. Jane Eyre, on her search for autonomy, searches for God’s guidance when she needs Him most. While Jane has trust in God, and acknowledges that God’s presence is everywhere, she affirms that God gives humans the power to make their own fate. Jane’s view of religion, as well as human nature, is impacted by her relationships with Helen Burns, Mr. Brocklehurst, and St. John, as religion plays a key role in the course of the lives of these three characters. By contrasting the different religious beliefs of Helen, Mr. Brocklehurst, and St. John, and by highlighting the effects of their religious views on their actions and thoughts, Bronte is asserting that a person’s religious beliefs are not consistently a strong measure of that person’s character.

Helen’s life was influential to Jane’s life because she taught her so much, but Helen’s death was more important, because it burdened Jane with carrying on Helen’s legacy. Helen was the first person Jane has cared for in a positive way. She idolizes Helen, arguably as a mother or sister figure, and her death leaves an emptiness in Jane’s life. Although she never announces that she will carry the lessons Helen taught her, Jane’s actions demonstrate the importance and the hold that these lessons have on her life. Most notably, before her death from consumption, Helen tells Jane to study the New Testament and follow Jesus’s notion to “Love your enemies” (Bronte #). When Jane is summoned back to Gateshead, where her aunt is dying, she displays this doctrine in its fullest. Mrs. Reed was one of Jane’s most antagonizing enemies. She banishes Jane to the “red room” and says she may not be let out until Mrs. Reed came to get her herself. When Jane cries out in terror of seeing a ghost, Mrs. Reed “thrust [her] back and locked [her] in”

When Jane arrives at Lowood, she is immediately struck by negativity. Jane gets accused of being a liar, and this brings her to make some major changes to her persona. She soon sparks a friendship with a girl named Helen. As she and Helen begin to form this friendship, Jane begins to build up courage, as she sees Helen as her support group. Together the girls watch out for each other, and Jane begins to learn not to be so careless, just as Helen has taught her. By the end of her first three months at Lowood, Jane has built a stronger character, when it is compared to the person she was before Lowood and her friendship with Helen.

Once again, Jane is unfairly judged and it appears to her that the new life she seeks is long gone. She’s labeled as the outcast, similar to the way she’s treated at Gateshead. (Moseley 3) Jane is stricken; however, Helen Burns assuages the pain. Jane’s friendship with Helen Burns plays a crucial role in controlling her zealous manner. Helen is the archetype of a pure-hearted, caring person with genuine intentions. Her ability to withstand unfair treatment while she maintains her composure provides a role model for Jane to look up to. It’s this persona that Jane desperately needs at this point in her life, especially following the humiliation by Mr. Brocklehurst concerning her fate at Lowood. She teaches Jane the importance of self-control and

Following the experiences of Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte, expresses many elements of gothic literature throughout her novel Jane Eyre. In her perfect understanding of gothic literature, she expresses the three types of evil commonly found in gothic literature, including the evil of the supernatural, the evil within or the instinctual evil motives of humans, and lastly, the evil because of societal influence. Jane Eyre experiences all of these three evils with her aunt and three cousins with her residency and return to Gateshead: Jane encounters the supernatural and the evil of societal influence as a child and she fully encounters the evil within upon her return.

“This book might have been written by a woman but certainly not a lady.” It is bildungsromane (Triska); a type of novel concerned with the education, development, and maturing of a young protagonist (Dictionary.com). Jane Eyre was a very shy, plain, and reserved person. Even though she had a very plain look she had a passion that wasn’t expected of her (Green). She also had hopes and dreams and aspirations. So I wonder, how might Jane Eyre react to the women of today?

Unfortunately, Lowood's values are centered around modesty, and conforming to society's belief in how a middle class women should act. The school raises the students to either become a wife or a governess. For eight years of Jane’s life her creative side is suppressed. Mr. Brocklehurst, the supervisor of the orphan school, says that the purpose of the school is to “render them (the girls) hardy, patient, [and] self-denying.” The supervisor of Lowood does not focus on children learning, or growing into adults, but instead focuses on then becoming self-doubting and modest. Because of the this, this portion of Jane Eyre’s life mentions very little of reading. Jane is forced to conform to the school's rules. Jane loses the rebellious side of her that expressed in Gateshead. Jane instead becomes reserved and she forgets her love for adventure and learning. When talking about her life at Lowood she says “my experience had been of its rules and systems.” Jane says this after realizing the lack of experience she has had in her life because she fell in the routine of Lowoods system. Even though Lowood was a school, they did not give the children freedom to express their interests. Jane no longer was able to read the books she had once enjoyed and was blinded by the ways of Lowood for so long that she forgot the excitement of the outside world. The only

The time that Jane Eyre spent at Lowood was a low point in Jane’s life, hence the name. Jane goes to describe the quality of life there. The food that the students must consume is often burnt and meager portions. Every girl must wear a matching straight cut dress, hair pulled straight back into an unbecoming fashion. Jane continues in further detail that Mr. Brocklehurst forced a young student to crop off her naturally curly hair because he claimed it was vain. This was oxymoronic because he and his family dressed in clothing of the highest fashion. Because conditions were poor at Lowood, Jane was often felt gloomy and discontent. Furthermore, when Mr. Brocklehurst falsely identified Jane is a scoundrel in front of the whole school, which Aunt Reed had relayed to him, Jane was profoundly wounded from it. Though Miss. Temple, the head teacher, put straight the incident Jane still held a deep rooted hatred towards Mr. Brocklehurst. However Jane did have a few blissful moments and friends during her stay at Lowood. Jane’s first true friend was Helen Burns. Being several years older than herself, Helen possessed a wisdom like none Jane had previously known. In the instant where Jane was chastised by Mr. Brocklehurst, Helen consoled her by saying “If all the world

One of the people who she meets that ends up having an influence on her is Helen Burns. Helen is a girl who is very obedient and submissive. She let people tell her what to do and doesn’t really stand up for herself. Helen eventually dies of typhus fever, but for the short time that Jane knew her, she ended up having a big influence on how Jane acts in the future when she leaves Lowood. The book says, “Her grave is in Brocklebridge churchyard: for fifteen years after her death it was only covered by a grassy mound; but now a grey passionate, but she didn’t show that as much as she did when she was still a young child, she learned to think before she acts.

Jane Eyre begins with Mrs. Reed, a wealthy and punishing aunt, who is raising the title character Jane Eyre. Jane receives little to no kindness in the house of her deceased uncle and is in fact cruelly abused; one such incident of abuse leads her to hallucinate her uncle’s ghost while locked in a room. This leads her aunt to take the suggestion of the doctor and send her away to the Lowood School. Another abusive man who let the students live in horrifying condition runs the Lowood School. Eventually due to a Typhus epidemic, leading to the death of one of Jane’s friends, the corruption at the school is discovered and Jane lives in much happier

At Lowood Jane is repulsed by Mr. Brocklehurst and his “two-faced” character. Even so, Jane fines her first true friend. Helen Burns, another student at the school. By instruction, Helen is able to prove her messages. When Jane is punished in front of the whole school, she tries to accept it. But Jane still dreams of human affection and is deeply hurt when she is scolded. Jane goes as far to say, “If others don’t love me, I would rather die than live.” Helen’s response, “You think to much of the love of human beings,” (69). Through example Helen teaches Jane too. Helen is punished by, Miss Scatcherd because her finger nails were not clean. Jane wonders why she just took it and did not fight back. Jane says, “When we are struck without a reason, we should strike back again very hard; I am sure we should . . .” Helen replies, “Love you enemies; bless them that curse you . . .” (56). When Helen is dying of Typhus she reminds Jane, “I believe: I have faith: I am going to God,” (82). Jane is able to draw strength from Helen’s faith, making her stronger. Helen’s messages guide Jane through her turbulent life. This is how Jane learns not to worry so much how other think of her.

Helen Burns’s memorable, albeit short-lived role in Jane Eyre proves to be incredibly influential on young Jane during the rest of the novel. Helen serves as Jane’s first direct interaction with strong faith in someone her own age. Helen embodies an incredibly passive faith, believing that she will be rewarded in heaven for her suffering on Earth. She goes as far to say, “...do good to them that hate you and despitefully use you” (Bronte 70). And being a student at Lowood, the boarding school where Jane first makes her acquaintance, she is quite familiar with suffering. All of the students, in fact, are familiar with the sacrifice and self-deprivation present in many aspects of their life, such as their diet of “burned porridge” and “strange

The Importance of Jane's Early Life at Lowood to Shaping Her Character in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre