In Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, the main character, Jane, matures throughout the course of the novel. Jane learns new lessons in each of the places she lives during her life. From Gateshead Hall to Ferndean, Jane learns lessons that are fundamental and essential to her maturation. Each lesson that she learns is not only important for her growth, but each lesson learned is important to the particular place where she learns it. Jane Eyre learns a lesson in each of the five stages of her life, vital for her development into the mature, retrospective woman who narrates the story.
Jane Eyre, orphaned at a young age, has to live with her widowed aunt and three cousins, Eliza, John, and Georgiana at Gateshead Hall. But because she is an orphan, her aunt treats her as beneath her cousins; lower than even a servant. No; you are less than a servant for you do nothing for your keep (19). Her cousins bully her and her Aunt Reed ignores or yells at her.
John had not much affection for his mother and sisters, and an antipathy to me. He bullied and punished me; not two or three times in the week, nor once or twice in the day, but continually: every nerve I had feared him, and every morsel of flesh on my bones shrank when he came near. (17)
Jane grows up in a loveless and friendless environment, always frightened and shy, and never defending herself. But Jane starts to show signs of her true personality when she fights her cousin John back when he tries to hurt her. Not only that, but she revolts against her Aunt for treating her poorly.
Dont talk to me about her John: I told you not to near her; she is not worthy of notice; I do not choose that you or your sisters should associate with her.
Here, leaning over the banister, I cried out suddenly, and without at all deliberating on my words--
They are not fit to associtate with me. (38)
Jane goes on to chastise her aunt: What would Uncle Reed say to you, if he were alive? was my scarcely voluntary demand (38). In doing this, Jane finally shows that she is not willing to let things just happen to her; that she is willing to and capable of fighting for herself. The lesson she learns at Gateshead is ultimately to stick up for herself, and that she is not worthless. This is where Jane first begins learning about herself. Her experiences at Gateshead set up an outline for how she lives the rest of her life.
When Jane has a chance to go off to school and leave Gateshead, she gladly accepts. When she arrives at Lowood, she finds it dark and depressing, and very miserable, but she finds more comfort here than at Gateshead. For the first time in her young life, Jane finds a friend in a girl named Helen Burns. Helen is like a saint; she is meek and humble, she submits to her punishment without question, and she is more concerned with the next life, or her life in heaven, than with her life in the world. When Jane is wrongly accused of being a liar, Helen tells her not to be troubled by the rejection of people.
You think too much of the love of human beings; you are too impulsive, too vehement: the sovereign hand that created your frame, and put life into it, has provided you with other resources than your feeble self, or than creatures as feeble as you. Besides this earth, and besides the race of men, there is an invisible world and a kingdom of spiritsWhy then, should we ever sink overwhelmed with distress, when life is so soon over, and death is certain an entrance to happiness--to glory? (91)
Jane, as is in her honest and open nature, does not accept this. No; I know I should think well of myself; but that is not enough: if others dont love me, I would rather die than live--I cannot bear to be solitary and hated, Helen (91). Jane finds a friend and confidant in Helen, which she never had before. Jane finds someone she can trust and rely on. Although she admires Helen, Jane knows that she can never accept Helens ideals and her views on life. Jane insists on finding happiness in this life.
Jane stays Lowood for over eight years, graduating and eventually becoming a teacher herself. But she becomes restless and feels the need to experience the world outside of her school. She finds a position as a governess at Thornfield teaching a young girl. At Thornfield she will meet Mr. Rochester, who is almost more worldly than Jane can handle.
At Thornfield, Jane begins teaching Adele, the young ward of Mr. Rochester. Over time, Jane begins to admire Rochester, and her admiration eventually grows into love. This is the first time Jane has ever experienced romantic love, and it almost overwhelms her. She faces the pressure of their separate social classes and it daunts her. She is also afraid that Rochester will not love her back, for she is plain and unattractive.
I knew there would be pleasure in meeting my master again; even though brokenby the knowledge that I was nothing to him: but there was ever in Mr. Rochester (so at least I thought) such a wealth of the power of communicating happiness, that to taste but of the crumbs he scattered to stray and stranger birds like me, was to feast genially. (309)
Jane is so sure that Rochester could not possibly love her, that she believes he is mocking her when he first proposes. But, Jane, I summon you as my wife: it is you only I intend to marry. I was silent: I thought he mocked me (320).
Finally, Jane accepts Rochesters proposal, and the wedding is set, but she threatens to lose herself in her love of him.
My future husband was becoming to me my whole world; and more than the world: almost my hope of heaven. He stood between me and every thought of religion, as an eclipse intervenes between man and the broad sun. I could not, in those days, see God for his creature: of whom I had made an idol. (344)
Janes need for love, expressed to Helen at Lowood, is revealed in her idolatry of Rochester. When Jane discovers that Rochester deceived her and was already married, she realizes that Helens warning about needing the love of people too much had come true. She flees Thornfield with nothing but a broken heart.
After leaving Thornfield, Jane arrives cold, wet, and hungry, at the home of Mr. St. John Rivers and his two sisters. With the Rivers family, Jane finds healing and friendship, equality and intellectual satisfaction. Her relationship with them is the first familial bond she has ever known. But as Jane and St. John become more involved, she faces a horrible choice. St. John asks her to join in his missionary work as his wife, but he admits he doesnt love her.
he asks me to be his wife, and has no more of a husbands heart for me than that frowning giant of a rock Unmarried to him, this would never grieve me; but can I let him complete his calculations-- Can I bear the consciousness that every endearment he bestows is a sacrifice made on principle? No: such a martyrdom would be monstrous. I will never undergo it. As his sister, I might accompany him--not as his wife. (505)
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