Jane’s Journey: Fourth Stop


For the next stop on our “Jane’s Journey” series, I thought it would be interesting to turn the tables a little bit and have one of my students interview me about my thoughts on the book. A big thank you goes to Mathias Hernandez ’20 for coming up with such insightful questions! Read on for an excerpt of our discussion...

M:  What do you think Jane is feeling when she finds out Rochester has gone blind in an accident after her leaving Thornfield? Do you think she feels a sense of regret?

J:  Hmm, interesting question. She must have a lot of feelings. I would expect her first is that she is pleased she answered his call, since he clearly needs her. She must also feel relief that he was not killed in the fire — especially given this would be the second time he was close to death because of a fire. So no, not regret.

M:  I agree with this answer, and would also add that without Rochester’s accident, he and Jane would not have been able to have a healthy relationship due to their power status. It is not until Rochester goes blind and loses use of one of his hands that he feels or acts as an equal towards Jane.

What do you think is the significance of Jane referring to herself an independent woman to Rochester, specifically during this time in history?

J:  It ties in with Brontë’s preface when she writes “conventionality is not morality.” Neither Jane nor Rochester is conventional, and she needs to be clear to him that she is and wants to remain independent. It is a radical statement and at some level she is testing him to see if he might truly accept a wife who is his equal.

M:  Jane Eyre is certainly not conventional and wants to keep herself equal to Rochester. I believe her identifying as an independent woman in her society reveals her strength. Some may say they are independent, whether they are a man or a woman, but Jane truly shows her independence through her journey. She lives much of her life with no true family or friends, yet takes advantage of education, artistic skill, and hard work, proving her independence in a society run by men.  

Why do you think Jane decides to marry Rochester? And is this the right choice?

J:  I think it is for love. Now, she has her own definition of love—ironically so did her own father—, and that is the love of equals. She enjoys his company. She believes he will treat her well and as an equal. Yes, it is the right choice, and I believe it is an actual choice, and not her only option.

M:  Jane finds her true love for Rochester when he is no longer her master, because in her situation as governess at Thornfield, she was put in a position where “loving” Rochester still had a connection to his power as head of the home. When Jane and Rochester were arranged to marry for the first time, she didn’t really have a choice in the matter, but upon her return, she gets to make the call. She decides to marry him because she loves him, they are equals, and also in part because she can take care of him and have a happy life with him. What they have together—that she does not have with St. John or others—is true love, which equates to a happier life than she would have if she were to marry for wealth or morals.

Do all of Jane Eyre’s “journeys” have a significance to her life? Would she arrive at the same mental destination without all of them?

J:  Brontë is very conscious of the structure of her novel. Each leg of Jane’s journey exposes her to a different set of physical and internal challenges. I think, for example, without her friendship with St. John and his sisters, she would not have been as ready to accept Rochester.

M:  Jane comes to the place in her life where the book ends because of all the struggles she has faced throughout her life. Without each step in her journey, she would not have been able to make the decisions she does. Through the story, Brontë emphasises the importance mistakes and bad experiences have on the value of one's life. Jane’s misfortunes shape her to be deeper than many of those around her, which eventually leads her to making decisions that set her up for a happy life. In contrast, many others in Victorian society lived solely based on religious morality and were arguably too concerned about power and beauty to recognize what truly matters: family, friends, and love.     

How come you decided to structure class in the fashion you did? What is the value or group conversation, in your mind?
 
J:  Mainly I care about developing a sense of collaboration and collective thinking in a class. Watching how individuals grow with a class and during the Mod I hope exposes people to different ideas and ways of thinking. Quiet students begin to engage and those who talk easily begin to listen. I think a back and forth about meaning helps everyone and encourages each of us to move more deeply with our reading.

Do you find that group conversations help you in your own understanding?

M:  Personally, group conversations are extremely helpful in broadening my understanding of a given text. Each person grabs different pieces from a reading, so in having group conversations, you can hear a diversity of thoughts and ideas, which has substantially enhanced my own understanding of the material.

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