Jane Eyre's Development With Characterization

Two major men teach Jane to appreciate the complexities of her emotions and passions for life: Mr. Rochester and St. John. Both are antithesis of each other but both help Jane blossom into a woman with morals and ideals. With Mr. Rochester, she thrives in Thornfield’s environment where she does not need to suppress her passion and responds naturally to Rochester’s strong fervor. Because she did not receive proper moral schooling as a child, she did not know how to control her emotions. This problem is solved when Rochester fully exploits Jane’s weakness to his advantage by constantly making her feel jealous and inferior. It is not until Jane realizes Rochester’s sadistic intentions of making her feel jealous does she rebel and develop her independent thinking. “Her nature is passionate, but she also recognizes the dangers of uncontrolled passion…inherently conscious that actions must be tempered by reason” (Napierkowki 164). Because of the heartache and betrayal she experiences with Mr. Rochester, Jane finally recognizes her unrestrained emotions. His constant bombardment and humiliation leads Jane to learn to control her emotions or risk getting harmed. By becoming aware of her faults, she is able to reason her every move and make wise actions. Jane’s aspirations to finding a family of her own with Mr. Rochester overshadow her problem of being easily manipulated through her emotions.

While Rochester was passionate and fiery, St. John was the opposite of him. The cold restraint and extremes St. John goes to subdue Jane’s ardor to the point where it no longer exists. “…fixed his blue pictorial-looking eyes full on me. There was an unceremonious directness, searching, decided steadfastness in his gaze” (Brontë 517). Living in an...

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...l the very last moment when she is famished. Her stubbornness paves the way for her independence. Moor House is where most of Jane’s progress toward independence happens. St. John offers the most schooling through his unique relationship with her. Because he does not oblige to her every whim, St. John enchants Jane. His power over her is so commanding that she had little say in _______. When St. John is persuading Jane to go to India with him and become his missionary wife, Jane gets swept up by his sudden passion and her responsibility toward her faith. Holding onto to the little independence she has, Jane breaks St. John’s power and follows her ____. “Her immediate triumph over St. John’s power is stated in terms which confirm Jane’s sense of the absolute correction of her own inner drives and her totally confidence in her ability to assert her will” (Blom 100).