Internal Conflict In Jane Eyre

In life we often find ourselves pulled into conflicting directions, with two seemingly equal choices that leave us confused and longing for guidance. Jane Eyre, as pious and faultless as she seems on the outside, is no exception to this. Just like anyone, she is susceptible to insecurity and conflicting thoughts, and when it comes to conflicts, she has more than most. The most prevalent conflict is a matter of the head versus the heart; there are many times where Jane must choose between logic and passion, what she knows and what she feels.
There is very little internal conflict in Jane’s early life; children typically do not struggle with very complex emotions. However, as Jane matures and is sent to Lowood School, her newfound friend Helen Burns presents her with a new way of looking at the world: she can continue letting her emotions get the best of her, or she can choose to think of her reactions and try to better understand those who hurt her. Helen says, “It is not violence that overcomes hate – nor vengeance that most certainly heals injury.” (70) This changes Jane’s philosophy entirely. Up to this point, Jane was accustomed to using wrathful outbursts to express her emotions, as a result of her abusive upbringing. Once she learned of an alternative, Jane was able to use her head as well, and not just her heart.
Later, however, after she leaves Lowood for Thornfield, Jane’s values are

Anything in the extreme is dangerous; too much piety, or too much anger, are both dangerous. Jane’s life is a testament to the dangers of these extremes and the good that can come from equal measure; like passion and logic, possessiveness and indifference, or wrath and submission. Jane experiences the full spectrum of these extremes and sees firsthand the dangers they bring. Towards the end, with these experiences having stayed with her, Jane is better able to control her impulses and, as a result, finds happiness at