Positive influences on Jane’s maturity at Lowood School

Acknowledgements

This paper cannot be produced without the support and encouragement of following people, and I would like to express my gratitude to each of them.

I would first like to express my deepest appreciation to M.A. Chu Quang Binh, who is my supervisor in this research, whose enthusiasm has a lasting effect. He not only inspires my love spending for English literature but also encourages me to do research, provides me some sources but also cares for my paper.

Moreover, I take this opportunity to send my thankfulness to Ms. Nguyen Thanh Huyen – my English literature teacher, who encourages me to try my best, who lets me recognize my weakness to improve.

I particularly send a big thanks to my family, especially my mother and my sister, who create favorable conditions for me to complete this paper.

Finally, it is also my duty to record my thankfulness to my friends in class 10A12, especially Thao Linh, An Phương, and Ha Trang, who motivate me to study as well as undertake this paper.

Abstract
“Jane Eyre” written by Charlotte Bronte is one of the most successful works in English literature. “Jane Eyre” novel becomes the research topic of many people by its valuable lessons about love, society, religion, feminism … The purpose of this essay is to investigate positive influences of school years on Jane’s maturity. It points out Jane’s changes from an unconditional and rebellious girl to a polite intelligent lady. In the novel it is exemplified in how Jane learns from Helen and Miss Temple, how these relationships affect Jane by considering the relationships among Jane, Helen and Miss Temple. It also argues that Helen and Miss Temple have a big impact on Jane not only in Lowood Institute but also throughout her life. Through analyzing Jane Eyre novel, this essay explores the importance of Helen and Miss Temple in Jane’s changes, and more generally importance of friendship and teacher’s love in student’s development.

I. Introduction

Charlotte Bronte was born in 1816, the third of six children of Maria Branwell Bronte and Reverend Patrick Bronte. Along with children’s talent and literary gifts, Reverend inspired them to literature by his available small library. However, misfortune came to this family so early. Due to cancer, Maria died after a long illness. Children were motherless; their farther struggled  to bring up the family alone, and eventually had their aunt help. In 1824, they were sent to clergy daughters' school known as Cowan Bridge School. Since the condition of that school was harsh and unsanitary, her sisters - Maria and Elizabeth both died of tuberculosis. Charlotte and Emily were sent back home instantly. In 1831, Charlotte was again brought to Roe Head for education. In 1835, she became a teacher at Roe Head School and after the death of Aunt Elizabeth, she was a governess and tutored her sisters. “Jane Eyre” was her most famous novel, published in 1847 under the assumed name Currer Bell. Recognizing sisters’ talent, Charlotte convinced Emily and Anne to publish their own book (“Agnes Gray” by Anne and “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Bronte). Nevertheless, only Charlotte’s novel got success immediately. Unfavorably, her siblings – Emily, Anne, Branwell all died in 1849. Charlotte got married with Arthur Bell Nichols curate and continued to write till the end of her life. In 1855, she died of chill while walking on the moors at the age of thirty nine.

"Jane Eyre" is considered as a novel successfully reflecting Charlotte’s life and Jane is Charlotte’s embodiment for her wisdom as well as her aspiration in life. One of Charlotte Bronte’s saying about creation of Jane Eyre: “I will show you a heroine as plain and as small as myself…” (As cited in Gaskell, 1997, p.235). Charlotte experienced a harsh and miserable childhood. As a result, these experiences were so obsessive that she brought into her novel - Jane Eyre.  This novel is one of the greatest and everlastingly popular works in English fiction.

Being published, “Jane Eyre” is warmly welcomed in literacy society and makes the name Charlotte Bronte well known very soon after that. Given that there are many critics about “immorality”, “coarseness” (as cited in Winnifrith, 1988), Queen Victoria considers “Jane Eyre” as a “really wonderful book” (As cited in Minogue, 1999). Many magazines as well as newspapers all praise it: The People’s Journal claims that “the moral sentiments are pure and healthy”, the Douglas Jerrold’s Magazine declares “to create emotion in the reader is too much the aim”. (As cited in Winnifrith, 1988, p. 114). Moreover, The Dublin University magazine and Tait’s Edinburgh Magazine all make positive reviews that “the morality is throughout of unexceptionable and instructive nature” (As cited in Winnifrith, 1988, p. 115). The well-known critic of literature, G.H. Lewes in The Westminster Review also acclaims in 1847 that “From out the depths of a sorrowing experience, here is a voice speaking to the experience of thousand” (As cited in Minogue, 1999) and “decidedly the best novel of the season” (As cited in Xiaojie, 2010).

As declaration of Douglas Jerrold’s Magazine, Jane Eyre novel creates too much issues, aspects for many readers, authors to contemplate and do research. There are countless books, research talking about different aspects on Jane Eyre such as reality, religion, gothic novel… However, it seems that quite a few people neglect positive influences of period of time at Lowood – one of the most important periods in Jane’s growth. Hence, I decide to choose the research topic about positive influences on Jane at Lowood School, especially concentrate on influences of Helen and Miss Temple on Jane’s growth. The main sources in this paper are “Jane Eyre” novel by Charlotte Bronte, published by Wordsworth classic publisher, “The Brontes and their background” by Tom Winnifrich, as well as other related sources.

This paper aims to point out the influences of Helen and Miss Temple on Jane’s growth,  from a stubborn unconditional girl to a smart, tolerant lady. This essay explores the essential roles of Helen Burns and Miss Temple to Jane and how these relationships affect Jane’s growth. It also highlights the importance of school years in Lowood – the period of time Jane can gain knowledge and dignity as well as her character is taken shape.

II. Jane at Lowood School

1. Summary

Jane Eyre is a young orphan raised by Mrs. Reed – a cruel abusive aunt in Gateshead Hall, where she is emotionally and physically abused by her aunt and cousins. Mr. Lloyd – a kindly apothecary suggests Mrs. Reed send Jane to school. This is a big transition for Jane, she befriends Helen Burns and Miss Temple – her teacher at Lowood. With their help, Jane changes deeply from a stubborn girl to tolerant governess. After Helen’s death and Miss Temple’s marriage, Jane decides to leave Lowood, becomes governess at Thornfield. At Thornfield, she teaches Adele and falls in love with her employer – Mr. Rochester. After discovering Mr. Rochester’s insane wife, Jane leaves Thornfield. Penniless and hungry, Jane begs for food and taken in by Mary, Diana, and St. John at Moor House. Accidentally, Jane is their sibling and she receives a large fortune by her uncle – John Eyre. St. John decides to travel to India as a missionary and asks Jane to be his company and his wife. Jane agrees to go to India but refuses to be his wife because she does not love him. When she hears Rochester’s voice calling her name over the moors, she hurries back Thornfield instantly and finds out that Thornfield is burnt by Rochester’s mad wife. Jane travels to Ferndean to meet her lover; Mrs. Rochester has one eye blind and loses one of his hands. They rebuild their relationship, get married, and live happily together.

 The period of time at Lowood School is considered a turning – point in Jane’s life. This stage is portrayed from chapter V to chapter X in Jane Eyre novel. Life in Lowood is harsh and deficiency, but she attempts to adapt to Lowood condition. She befriends an older girl, Helen Burns and gets Miss Temple’s help. They are people who have a big impact on Jane’s changes at Lowood School.

2. Influences of Helen on Jane

2.1.      Role of Helen Burns

Being portrayed as a contrast character to Jane, Helen is a student with intellect, calm, and endurance; she is also an embodiment of Christian girl in Jane Eyre. According to Gaskell (2014) in “The Life of Charlotte Bronte”, Helen Burns is representation of Charlotte’s sister – Maria Bronte. She is also a fellow – pupil of Charlotte, who always gives Charlotte advice and shares experiences. Despite Helen’s short scene in the novel, we cannot deny importance of Helen on Jane’s life. She is Jane’s first, pious, best friend at Lowood Institute, the first person that Jane can spread her mind out freely, who is willing to help and instruct Jane in the strange environment. Helen is portrayed in the novel for her forgiveness and endurance injustice without complaining.

2.2. Positive influences of Helen on Jane

Being an orphan, Jane is at the lowest position in Victorian society and her need for being loved is not fulfilled in Gateshead. Therefore, friendship with Helen is very important to Jane, which allows her to “feel safe enough to attempt to learn new things” (Carlsson, 2010). The chord of friendship becomes “very strong and has a big impact on who they are and how they act for the rest of their life” (Carlsson, 2010). This friendship helps Jane learn Helen’s manner and her quality.

First, Jane is impressed by Helen’s manner when she endures injustice treatments from Miss Scatcherd. Helen silently receives a punishment for her nails and her neglect in history class. This impression is portrayed obviously when Jane claims that this punishment is a “highly degree ignominious” (p.43, chap 5), that she expects Helen to show signs of sorrow and embarrassment, but Helen does not.  Moreover, Jane claims to Helen that if she were Helen, she would combat against Miss Scatcherd and break her rod.

Jane is considered an unconventional and rebellious girl with her doctrine of resistance. In the beginning of chapter 2, when Jane is in Gateshead, she makes a declaration that: “I resisted all the way” (p.7, chapter 2). This is the moment that Jane sets a habit of her mind to resist all unjust punishments for her. Helen’s endurance contrasts entirely with Jane’s belief; hence, she is totally impressed by Helen’s reaction to injustice.

It can be affirmed that Helen influences Jane deeply by her explanation. Helen does not accuse Miss Scatcherd cruel like Jane’s thoughts, she even accepts her fault. It is easier for Helen to fortitude rather than torment others. Endurance is not weak; on the other hand, it is extremely strong power to endure what the fate requires to bear.

Through a short conversation, Charlotte paints a mental picture of Helen as an angle with kind – heart and strong girl with endurance in the worst situation. Although Jane is a rebellious and stubborn girl, Helen’s explanation for endurance seems to make Jane start to doubt her mind of resistance and suspect that Helen might be right and Jane wrong. With all regards to Helen’s endurance even when could not comprehend doctrine of forbearance, she still feels Helen considers things “by a light invisible” to her eye (p.47, chap 6).

Helen’s endurable tenet influences Jane positively. It is depicted when Mr. Brocklehurst publicly condemns her, and she can handle punishments better.

“There was I, then, mounted aloft; I, who had said I could not bear the shame of standing on my natural feet in the middle of the room, was now exposed to general view on a pedestal of infamy” (p.57, chap 7) .

By using inversion “there was I”, strong adjectives and commas to separate the subject “I”, Charlotte emphasizes Jane’s diffuse and indescribable feeling of standing in the middle of class as well as pointed out Jane’s changes. For the first time, Jane does not fight back when she is mistreated, she even accepts her punishment. Jane can handle this better; get success in the fight of controlling her own temper and resistance, change from an impatient resistant to an endurable calm girl because she learns lesson of endurance from Helen. Helen's character is essential in the process of Jane’s self - sacrificing harsh environment at Lowood.

Second, Helen’s tenet about forgiveness helps Jane overcome hatred and live happily. Helen advises Jane that brutality cannot prevail animosity, reprisal also cannot remedy injury, she should “love enemies”, “bless them”, “do good to them, try to forget the severity” (p.49, chap 7). This conversion has a life – long effect on Jane and guides her behavior as an adult.

Jane proves to have embraces some parts of Helen’s quality of forgiveness when she comes back to Gateshead to reunite her deathbed aunt. When Jane is a ten - year old girl, she vows that she never forgives for her aunt, never comes back Gateshead, and never calls Mrs. Reed as “aunt”. However, because of Helen’s advice and Jane’s maturity, she not only comes back Gateshead but also forgives for all Mrs. Reed’s fault, even though Mrs. Reed attitude is “unchanged an unchangeable”(p.203, chap 7). She also tells her aunt to ask for God’s forgives and be at peace. Besides, she also expresses her love to Mrs. Reed by her kisses, her calling Mrs. Reed “dear aunt” (p.202, chap 21). Jane implements Helen’s advice to forgive for Mrs. Reed’s crime, “love”, “bless” to her aunt, since she is no longer affected by Mrs. Reed hatred. It is of no coincidence that Charlotte let her aunt die; Mrs. Reed’s death creates an opportunity for Jane to show her maturity that she gains from friendship with Helen Burns.

3. Influence of Miss Temple

3.1.      Role of Miss Temple

Miss Temple is a kind and fair – minded superintendent of Lowood School; she also plays an important role in development of Jane Eyre. She is described by Helen as being a “good and very clever” above the rest, because she knows “far more than they do” (p.42, chap 5). During Victorian period, a governess was a job with few respectable position in society, however, Miss Temple can command respect from everyone around her. The image of Miss Temple with “her voice, look and air” at the first time makes a deep impression on Jane.

3.2. Positive influences of Miss Temple on Jane

Miss Temple is a teacher that Jane always respects and admires for her qualities: her goodness and her intellect. In Lowood School, Miss Temple always expresses her kindness and genuine compassion for students. Miss Temple’s care for students is portrayed clearly when she allows them to eat bread and cheese because of uneatable burnt porridge. She also feeds Jane’s soul and intellect (Macpherson, 1989) when inviting Jane and Helen to a “refreshing meal” and talking about books. The intellectual stimulation that Jane receives from Miss Temple helps her become an independent governess.

One of her qualities that Jane learns from Miss Temple is self – discipline, which is displayed when she succeeds in subverting Mrs. Brocklehurst. Charlotte describes Miss Temple that she endures Mrs. Brocklehurst criticism unyieldingly: “she gazed straight before her”, her face is naturally “pale as marble”, appeared to be assuming also the “coldness and fixity of that material” (p.53, chap 7). Miss Temple’s smile from his stunned requirement is also depicted by Jane’s note that “whatever he might do with the outside of the cup and platter, the inside was further beyond his interference than he imagined” (p.54, chap 7).

The lesson of self – discipline also helps Jane restrain her desire to stay with Rochester as his mistress. There is a severe fight between reason and feeling, between mind and heart, between endurance and desire to break free happening inside Jane. While her sentiments are so strong, insist on forgiving and staying with him, she still remembers her own experience, all the teaching that she is received in Lowood to against fragile of feelings. A drastic fight comes to an end and reason takes its own triumph. The principle that she learns from Miss Temple in Lowood about self – control helps her regulate her own feelings as well as run away from temptation. “Self – control is true victor”(As cited in Carlsson, 2010).

Furthermore, it can be seen that Miss Temple’s sense of natural justice influences Jane remarkably. It is portrayed obviously when Jane is imputed by Mrs. Brocklehurst. Before accepting Mrs. Brocklehurst accusation, she inquires Jane for her own version and writes for Mr. Lloyd to get his confirm. She also advises Jane to “continue to act as a good girl, and you will satisfy us” (p.60, chap 8). Miss Temple gives Jane hope when she has none, inspires Jane when she most needs it. After getting Mr. Lloyd’s confirm, Miss Temple publics for Jane’s innocence. Her action helps Jane become more confident and do her level best to be a good child and then, a governess. Jane contents with Lowood that she “would not now have exchanged Lowood with all its privations for Gateshead and its daily luxuries” (p.64, chap 8).

Miss Temple acts as a role model to Jane, and Jane admits “to her instruction I owed the best part of my acquirements,…, she has stood me in the stead of mother, governess, and latterly, companion”. Influences of Miss Temple on Jane are so huge that when she leaves Lowood, Jane finds no reason to stay.

Thanks to Miss Temple, Jane becomes a good governess who is loved by many students. To Adele, Jane tries to understand her and find out suitable methods to teach. Jane also shows her effort to comprehend with the poor students, to become their “companion” and her patient helps her students try their best. It can be said that Jane becomes the second Miss Temple because of valuable lessons that she adopts from her ideal teacher. These lessons from Miss Temple are precious to Jane; help Jane come over challenges and enticement in her life.

4. Importance of school years

Despite harsh condition in Lowood School, we cannot deny that period in Lowood School plays a key role in changing, educating Jane as well as other students.

Lowood School environment is place where Jane and other students have opportunities to gain significant knowledge. The knowledge received in Lowood School helps Jane become a governess, a tutor and receive affection as well as respect from others. With job and knowledge she gains, she can not only survive but also help the poor children. France makes her easier to teach Adele, drawing helps her express images in her mind as well as helps her relax in free time. It can be said that knowledge helps her in both physical and mental life. Especially, Lowood Institute is a place where Jane is equal to others students, has chance to meet Helen Burns and Miss Temple and her desire of being loved is fulfilled. Jane becomes more maturity by influences from her close friend and ideal teacher.  Helen and Jane share experience and help each other become better, whereas, Miss Temple, who is Jane’s inspiration, her mother as well as her companion, encourages her to attempt to become a good student. It is wrong to say that the world does not please her in almost any way; Jane gets precious treasures – knowledge, friendship of Helen and affection of Miss Temple in Lowood School.

III. Conclusion

Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Bronte  is a famous novel containing many valuable lessons about woman, society, freedom or religion, etc. The main character in this novel is Jane Eyre – an unconditional, stubborn girl, who has to endure the harsh condition of Gateshead and Lowood School. In Gateshead, she is treated cruelly by Mrs. Reed family whereas in Lowood School, she has to endure a deficiency and insanitary living condition. However, it is supposed that her first ten years - especially the period of time in Lowood School, has big impact to Jane. Lessons that she receives from Helen Burns and Miss Temple change Jane profoundly; she becomes a mature governess, a calm, tolerant lady and a happy women.

Through describing Jane’s life at Lowood School, Charlotte Bronte pointed out clearly the importance of school environment, especially of close friends and teachers in educating children.

In my own view, despite being written in 19th century, some lessons of “Jane Eyre” novel are still valuable on these days, especially the lesson about importance of school in educating children and making them better. School is place for students to get both knowledge and dignity. Knowledge that gained in school is precious, it partially helps students overcome difficulties and challenges in their life. Friends as well as people around students also have a huge impact on students’ development. They always share experiences, thoughts, that is the reason why they can easily change each other. An environment with good friends can urge them to attempt and become better. Besides, teachers’ treatments can also influence students deeply. With teachers’ belief and encouragement, students can get their own power, inspiration to make effort. Owing to long – lasting lessons and brilliant Charlotte’s phraseology, the “Jane Eyre” novel becomes one of the most favorable English novel, not only in the past but also in present and in the future