Jane’s

Relationships
Kara and Madison
 Helen Burns

❖ Jane approaches Helen as she is reading the book Rasselas outdoors. Jane also enjoys to read,
so she continued to ask questions about the book until Helen is forced to participate in the
conversation. Helen is patient and level-headed during this time, something that Jane lacked.

❖ Jane learns to take discipline in a mature manner, rather than fight back. She also learns to
take responsibility for what she can control, and to love your enemies.

❖ Helen is at peace with the thought at dying, she knows she will live on in Heaven, and she
knows she will be free from suffering. She feels she has lived a full life, and is content about
leaving it.

2
Helen Continued
❖ Brontë arouses the reader’s admiration for Helen by portraying her as a young girl
that is extremely mature for her age. Helen is a good, Christian girl that should be
appreciated my the reader. Brontë also makes Helen a sick orphan, which really
grabs the reader's emotions through pathos.

❖ Helen’s core beliefs and values are based off of Christianity. Her speech reveals that
Helen is very mature compared to Jane and the other girls.

❖ The last paragraph reveals Helen’s godlike personality with the use of the word
“resurgam.” This shows that Helen is alive again, living in Heaven. The headstone is
foreshadowing for Jane’s inheritance because Jane paid for the headstone 15 years
later. Jane felt Helen deserved a proper headstone, and she could now afford it.

3
Mrs. Reed

❖ Mrs. Reed and Jane’s relationship was a toxic one. The two of them hated each other.
Mrs. Reed disliked Jane’s mother, and was jealous that John Reed had so much love for
Jane and her mother. Even though Jane’s mom was disowned by the rest of the family,
she was still the favorite of John. When Jane forgives Mrs. Reed as she dies, it shows that
Jane has truly matured. Jane was the bigger person and I respect her for that.

❖ Mrs. Reed succeeds at first, because Jane did not get her inheritance. Mrs.Reed doesn’t
succeed for long because the guilt of treating Jane so badly got to her and she finally
admitted to Jane that she was an awful person. She also failed because Jane eventually
receives money from her uncle and she gets a loving family.

4
Mrs.Reed Continued

❖ Mrs. Reed makes Jane more independent because Jane was forced to fight for
herself when she lived with them. She learned to not depend on anyone but
herself.

❖ Mrs.Reed’s reappearance allows us to see just how much Jane has grown since
she was younger. It also allows us to see that Jane is and still will always be a
better person than the entire Reed family.

5
St. John

❖ Jane has looked at St. John as a superior, and she feels the need to obey what he says.
Later, Jane begins to look at him like a brother. St. John is described as a very handsome
man. He has blonde hair, blue eyes, and is like a Greek god.

❖ Both St. John Rivers and Helen Burns are extremely religious people. Helen consistently
offered Jane a different perspective on life. St.John continued to do the same after Helen
is no longer in the story. St.John’s way of life and commitment to God showed Jane a
different aspect of commiting your life to the fullest.

6
St. John Continued

❖ Jane decides she would not be happy if she married St. John. She would not be loved
properly, because St. John only looks to her as a good missionary wife, he does not see
all of the amazing qualities she provides. Jane knows she will be truly loved by
Rochester.

7
Mr.Rochester
❖ The start of their relationship is nothing more than a boss and employee relationship, but as
time goes on their relationship alters. Jane doesn’t stand out for being beautiful which is why
Rochester doesn’t take notice to her at first, but he is intrigued once she opens her mouth.
Through time, Rochester takes a liking to Jane for her integrity, opinion, and overall ability to
keep a conversation. Blanche is the complete opposite of Jane. Blanche is beautiful but has
not personality, which is why Rochester choose Jane over her.

❖ Jane’s descriptions and observations of Rochester lead the reader to be intrigued with
Rochester but also confused. Bronte’s use of strong diction throughout Jane’s thoughts and
experiences with Rochester allow the reader to see that he is slightly immature yet also warm
hearted towards Jane. Jane only allows the reader to see some of her true emotions of how
she feels towards Rochester. At times the reader can comprehend that she wants to be with
Rochester, but at other times the reader can understand that Jane needs to be by herself and
grow.

8
Mr.Rochester Continued

❖ Bertha changed the story dramatically. The discovery of Bertha not only stopped the
marriage but also slowed the development of Jane and Rochester. This discovery turned
out to be a good thing for Jane. This allowed Jane to leave and continue to grow but also
allow her to realize that she truly does love Rochester and wants to be with him. If
Bertha was never discovered, the lies would have continued and they would have been
miserable.

❖ Jane’s remarks allow the reader to see what she loves about Rochester and what she
dislikes. Jane allows the reader to experience her love for Rochester through her
self-growth.

9
Mr.Rochester Continued

❖ Bronte presents the themes of sanity and madness through the craziness of everything
thing that goes on within the walls of Thornfield. Bronte uses this scene to prove that,
“Only the master had been reading in his bed last night. He fell asleep with his candle lit
and the curtains caught fire; but, fortunately, he woke before the bed - clothes - or the
wood word caught” (131). This also counts as foreshadowing. The theme of sight and
blindness is represented by Helen’s spiritual words to Jane throughout her young ages.
Helen tries to open Jane’s blind eyes to a new perspective. Helen states, ‘‘I believe, I have
faith: I am going to god. He is my maker and yours, who will never destroy what he
created. I rely implicitly on his power, and confide holy in his goodness’” (69). This quote
strongly influenced Jane.

10
Mr.Rochester Continued

❖ The supernatural factors throughout Jane’s story gives the reader a different kind of
perspective into Jane’s feelings and fears about Rochester. The most important
supernatural experience was when Jane was hearing Rochester’s voice. This proved that
Jane truly loved Rochester and wants to be with him. Jane brushed the voices off and just
considered it a spiritual connection. This brings a connection between love and religion
in the story.

11