Jane Eyre: Rebel or Good Girl?

1/8/2012

Behold, my favorite Jane Eyre: French actress Charlotte Gainsbourg, from the '96 movie version. Doesn't she just look the part perfectly? (cultural tangent: Gainsbourg's father is French icon/musician Serge Gainsbourg. Feel free to enhance your potential hipster quotient by watching this classic Serge/Brigitte Bardot video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB112Vbl8-A. You'll thank me when you're the coolest kid in college).

Inaugural Blog Assignment

Please read the following extremely brief article:

1. The Position of Victorian Middle Class Women
http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/bronte/cbronte/73cbwomen.html

Respond:

In the blog comments, please write a post that answers the following question (s):

1. How does social class affect Jane in your assigned pages (155-207), specifically her interactions with and reactions to Blanche Ingram and her cohort? Analyze the struggle that arises between Jane's sense of individuality and independence, and the obligation she feels to "be good" and follow the rules of social class set out by Victorian society.

2. Length: 2-3 paragraphs. Must include at least one direct quote, properly cited.

3. Please also reply to at least one of your classmate's comments.

DUE: Tuesday 1/10, by midnight

I look forward to reading your thoughts!

25 Comments

Jenny Jeffrey

1/10/2012 04:06:45 am

I hope the tone of these posts can get moderately casual by the end, because I have Opinions with a capital letter! I also hope to God that paragraphs work and that it doesn't get cut off! I apologize in advance for the excess of colons/semi-colons, never-ending sentences, and parentheses that come from reading Bronte, because I am the literary equivalent of symptom-suggestible.

There’s an interesting dichotomy to Jane’s character that she can’t seem to reconcile with her own personality and desires. She is strong-willed but not self-ruling, principled yet necessarily subservient, and these characteristics (which have managed to coexist thus far) finally come to a head with the arrival of the upper-class guests. Jane has kept the streak of willfulness that plagued her childhood, and this is the cause of most of the despair of her internal monologues: it leaves her able to pass detached judgment on Thornfield’s visitors, and it’s probably the reason she feels personally attacked by the rapport between Blanche and Mr. Rochester. Before Jane knew of any competition for him, she thought he was an intriguing character, but she hadn’t nearly approached the levels of preoccupation with him that she does after the arrival of Blanche. She might not be so inclined towards attraction for him if she didn’t feel that he were suddenly out of her reach. She certainly wouldn’t be so judgmental of “Blanche and her cohort” (I’m hoping I don’t have to cite you on the same page!) if not for her sense of individuality, which is really before her time. Because she is so independent, Jane is able to look beyond her “caste” and see that, in all honesty, what most sets these people apart /is/ their rank (Bronte 165).

“Miss Ingram was a mark beneath jealousy: she was too inferior to excite the feeling. Pardon the seeming paradox: I mean what I say. She was very showy, but she was not genuine: she had a fine person, many brilliant attainments; but her mind was poor, her heart barren by nature: nothing bloomed spontaneously on that soil; no unforced natural fruit delighted by its freshness. She was not good; she was not original. . . .” (187)

Jane cannot set aside her passionate character and is not swayed by social class. (She even seems to hate the way that Blanche and her mother address one another, because she puts “angel girl” in what I can only assume is the 1800s equivalent of sarcastic quotation marks! [194-5].) This makes it difficult for her to do what she really wishes for herself: accept her station, “be good,” and overstep no (more) boundaries (than usual).

Because she does want to “be good,” Jane struggles with ideas of her inherent inferiority—or, more accurately, Blanche’s supposed superiority.* She goes to great lengths in an attempt to convince herself of her own station, since she’s not at all inclined to accept it. She censors her thoughts and actions when among company, but she can’t fully bring herself to obedience; she doesn’t give up her goal. Jane demonstrates an understanding that, while she may not agree with the system, the system cannot be ignored (which she does with her paintings and her long arguments with herself); if she doesn’t remember her own position, others will be quick to remind her (and they are—Blanche and co. spend some time insulting governesses, and Blanche freely insults Jane’s pupil, as well). Of course, she’s Jane, so this knowledge doesn’t leave a large impression on her: it only changes the course of her thoughts, not their intent. If society will not permit her to have a relationship with someone of another class, Jane will see to it that she doesn’t. She will do so by convincing herself that, actually, she and Mr. Rochester aren’t so far apart. “He is not of their kind. I believe he is of mine;—I am sure he is,—I feel akin to him,” she tells herself (177). Jane wants to be good, so she decides that she can be good and still get what she wants. Now, she merely needs permission—which, at the end of the section, Mr. Rochester seems to have given! Let the undoubtedly drawn-out passages of romance commence!

——————--

*Look at that use of literary devices to highlight the social imbalance between Jane and Blanche. Look at it and marvel!

This totally doesn’t count as part of the post! Nope! It does not!

I’m going to take this opportunity for some personal comments, because I swear to God that was only, like, 700 words and two paragraphs, and it barely accounted for everything I had to say. Also, I’ve never actually used a long quote before—deliberately, because I absolutely hate the way there’s no period after the page number. What I did is the correct method, apparently, although

Jenny Jeffrey

1/10/2012 04:07:32 am

It did get cut off! Here we go:

...What I did is the correct method, apparently, although I added quotation marks for the sake of clarity (since I can’t indent on this site). Eurgh.

I can’t be the only person who hates everyone’s preoccupation with appearance, right? If a character’s not rambling about how ugly someone is, they’re rambling about their beauty. I wouldn’t even mind (because we’re the same way today) except that they treat it like part of one’s personality! This goes all the way back to the conversation Jane overheard as a child, the one I can’t seem to find anywhere now that I want it, in which the speakers decided her behavior would be more bearable if she weren’t so plain. She was ten! Seriously?

I’m getting a little sick of Adele’s French conversations with Jane. We get it; she’s French and therefore very vain. At least she’s not as bad as Blanche; those little terms of endearment were killing me. “Lady-mother” and “lily-flower” (180)? Ew, ew, ew; I hate you; ew.

I would like to end with some quotes out of context.

“With this booty I made a hasty retreat” (169).

“Well said, forehead; your declaration shall be respected” (203).

Jenny Jeffrey

1/10/2012 04:08:37 am

Oh, also, if everyone will indulge me for a moment...unless there are comments I can't see...FIRST!

Laura Pulito

1/10/2012 08:41:30 am

Jenny I agree with you 100% on pretty much everything you said about Jane and her character and the social parameters that influence her character (or, more specifically, that influence what is shown of her character than the mind that hides behind her watchful eyes and unspoken words). I especially like the quote you chose to include about Jane's impression of Blanche; I remember this very well from the reading because it stood out so much. Miss Ingram is very shallow, and Jane can easily see this. And, instead of just accusing her of basically being shallow and not good enough for Mr. Rochester, Jane is able to provide reason for her accusation. I thought this particular quote showed her great breath of intelligence and perception.

msdraper

1/10/2012 09:26:21 am

Yes, good point about the emphasis on appearances. I think that Bronte is self-consciously writing against the typical heroine of the day, and one of the main ways she does this is by emphasizing that Jane is plain/unattractive. It does seem excessive and intrusive to the modern reader, since our cultural conversation is a bit different (though I would argue still pretty oriented toward appearances, whether explicitly acknowledged or not). There may also be a Christian or religious aspect to this emphasis on Jane's plainness--"the meek shall inherit the earth" comes to mind. Jane's resistance to the charms of the goodlooking, from Blanche to Mr. Mason, mark her as a moral and upright character. In essence, her plainness is upheld as a moral virtue in contrast to those who are vain and corrupted by their good looks.

Laura Pulito

1/10/2012 09:08:52 am

Andd..

It seems that as a young lady, Jane would feel even more inferior, self-conscious, and degraded than other other in her corresponding social class. Her entire life has been a result of her hopeless social status. Mrs. Reed believed she had the right to treat Jane as a burdening and useless child because she had no money to her name as an orphan and because she wasn't pretty (which, by the way, is awful). Her eight years at Lowood also seemed pretty bleak. However, Jane's character seems to sustain an inner strength that allows her to endure the misfortune that continues to be thrust upon her. For example, she found the courage to leave Lowood and seek new opportunity. At Thornfield, she has yet to face another misfortune: Mr. Fairfax Rochester. As if it isn't risky enough that he is her boss and her elder, her position as a poor governess would seemingly make it difficult for them to interact. However, she is unafraid to speak to him in a way that seems almost man-to-man (or at least casual) at times, which is quite brave and possibly unheard of at the time. Thus, Jane follows her passions without nearly as much fear as would be expected for a woman of her social status.

Jane also understands that she is worth more (to herself, if no one else) than another might think. This surprised me because Mrs. Reed set her up for having awfully low self-esteem. However, she sees herself as any other human being, not just a poor, orphaned governess. She even goes to lengths to compare herself with two extremes--Grace Poole and (as Jenny mentioned) Miss Ingram.

"I hastened to drive from my mind the hateful notion that I had been conceiving respecting Grace Poole: it disgusted me. I compared myself with her, and found we were different. Bessie Leaven had said I was quite a lady; and she spoke truth: I was a lady. And now I looked much better than I did when Bessie saw me: I had more colour and more flesh; more life, more vivacity; because I had brighter hopes and keener enjoyments" (Bronte, 159).

Are these "enjoyments" results of her adoration of Mr. Rochester? Probably. If so, she believes she has hope to be worthy of him. This shows that Jane is unafraid to elevate herself--inwardly. She obviously conforms to the expectations of her social position while the company--Miss Ingram and the other rich people--are around. She keeps her thoughts to herself, but she does certainly think a lot, and she dislikes them. But, she is obliged to be "good" because she is smart and knows enough to do so.

Nate McCann

1/10/2012 11:02:42 am

Laura I really like the quote you chose to use in your response it's one I overlooked but it's definitely an important quote as it shows how independent Jane is. I also to agree with you on how it's surprising that Jane was able to overcome such hardships and become the woman she is today. Overall this is a very good response, it revealed information that could be easily overlooked.

Nate McCann

1/10/2012 09:41:41 am

Its obvious Jane is conflicted to maintain her current status in the Rochester household against her much desired ambition to punch Blanche Ingram. While her current position as a governess is much appreciated by those in the household (especially Adèle) in the eyes of society, being that of Blanche Ingram, she barely surpasses the title of servant. She spends much of her time sitting in a window seat while the rest of the group engages in games and social interaction. At the same time she must endure the constant string of comments by Blanche on her past experiences with governesses. “My dearest, don’t mention governesses; the word makes me nervous. I have suffered martyrdom from their incompetency and caprice; I thank Heaven I have now done with them!” (Brontë 179) As much as Jane wishes to speak her mind about Mr. Rochester’s party, she knows that doing so would send her right back to square one as well as the treat of banishment from the Rochester’s household. She knows that these people are of a higher status of society but based on her observations from her window seat, she doubts if they deserve such a place. Jane’s attitude towards Blanche and the others is harsh to say the least, but had she been raised by the Victorian era standards, she would have developed a much simpler mindset instead of the strong independent woman she is now.
That independence however clashes hard with her need to remain in good light with Mr. Rochester and the others. While Mr. Rochester commented her independence is rather quite fond it, her status as a governess makes it seem impossible for her to marry him. It has also made her realize that while people such as Blanche are of a higher status, that does not mean she is inferior to them in anyway. Jane has even gone so far as to say that Blanche is in fact a shallow, naïve woman and while she believes it would be possible to be jealous of Blanche, she sees no challenge in it. But I was not jealous: or very rarely; - the nature of the pain I suffered could not be explained by that word. Miss Ingram was a mark beneath jealously: she was too inferior to excite the feeling” (Brontë 187). Jane would very much like to speak out against Blanche and try to begin a relationship with Mr. Rochester. She knows of her status and knows she has to maintain a calm demeanor, but in the long run it could have grand results.

Nate McCann

1/10/2012 09:43:07 am

This is supposed to be two paragraphs, but it didn't format correctly sorry! The next paragraph begins with "That independence however..."

Destiny Desroche

1/10/2012 09:59:49 am

I feel like you guys wrote so much and covered so many points that there isn’t much I can say without being redundant. Alas, I feel like we’ll be graded on this assignment, so be prepared. I won’t provide as much of a commentary (Jenny), so this should be short and sweet.

I agree with both Jenny and Laura, but I feel like Laura contradicted herself a little bit by saying that Jane was both self-conscious and proud of herself. I wouldn’t necessarily agree that Jane feels as though she is “inferior, self-conscious, and degraded” due to her class. I think Jenny was more correct in saying that Jane understands that her position in society is inferior in comparison to someone like Blache who is socially superior. She might feel degraded after hearing Lady Ingram and Blache complain about governesses.

“My dearest, don’t mention governesses; the word makes me nervous. I have suffered a martyrdom from their incompetency and caprice; I thank Heaven I have now done with them!” (Bronte, 177). It’s obvious that Lady Ingram views herself (and most likely her family) to be above a lowly governess, but in terms of education, her offspring couldn’t appear uneducated in public, so she had to go somewhere. It’s a logical choice. Maybe they went to a school at some point in their lives, but if sending the children away wasn’t appealing, it would make sense for a wealthy family to invest in a governess for the education of their children. Nonetheless, she views the role of governess as unappealing and just barely above the status of a servant. Now, Blanche was a horrible little monster when she was younger, and she adopted her mother’s opinions concerning governesses: “I have just one word to say of the whole tribe; they are a nuisance. Not that I ever suffered much from them; I took care to turn the tables. What tricks Theodore and I used to play on our Miss Wilsons, and Mrs. Greys, and Madame Jouberts!” (177).

So Jane might not be responding to the expectations of her class right off the bat, but the reactions of those of a higher class. She recognizes that she is limited in her options. Before she arrived at Thornfield, she realized that the only practical option for an unmarried, fairly educated woman would be to apply for the role of a governess. She took one of very few jobs available to her, but she wasn’t bitter. Like Jenny said, she’s struggling to remain both independent and necessarily subservient. She is very respectful in public and in front of the gentry whilst they are around, but in her mind we see that she views Blanche as a shallow woman who only cares about appearances and wealth, not intelligence or imagination. Mr. Rochester allows Jane to be somewhat rude and outspoken because he appreciates her witty answers. He definitely puts her in her place a few times, but at the same time, he wants her to respond to his goading. He surprisingly devious and adventurous for a man of his stature, and he doesn’t mind being rude, but like many people in his class, he keeps it hidden. Class was crucial. Gender, race and religion played just as important a role as wealth, but Jane ignores all of those rules (within the confines of her mind). You can tell that she wants to put a few people down (Blanche and Lady Ingram), but she is careful to not overstep her boundaries.

That's all. Thanks.

Jenny Jeffrey

1/10/2012 10:33:05 am

I'm just going to go ahead and quote lots of your post in my post (like an adult).

"I wouldn’t necessarily agree that Jane feels as though she is 'inferior, self-conscious, and degraded' due to her class. I think Jenny was more correct in saying that Jane understands that her position in society is inferior in comparison to someone like Blache who is socially superior."

Well...I think she knows that, technically, Jane knows that she is supposed to be of some lesser rank or status, but I don't think she /likes/ that knowledge at all. If she felt that she could get away with it, I'm sure she'd snark and fight with Blanche and the others regardless of social class--but Jane's aware that she can't do this /and/ be able to keep her position as governess. I don't think she quite agrees with the class system as it's set up, but Jane understands that she can't act outside of it, since everyone else will enforce its rules and find some sort of punishment for her (or at least make her presently miserable). So, while she might not actually believe that she is an inferior person, Jane can certainly feel degraded or self-conscious because of her inability to raise an objection to her treatment.

"Now, Blanche was a horrible little monster when she was younger, and she adopted her mother’s opinions concerning governesses: 'I have just one word to say of the whole tribe; they are a nuisance. Not that I ever suffered much from them; I took care to turn the tables. What tricks Theodore and I used to play on our Miss Wilsons, and Mrs. Greys, and Madame Jouberts!' (177)."

Oh, yes, this whole paragraph (Destiny's, I mean) got me thinking. I hadn't really considered how affected Jane would be by the attack on governesses, and putting it so near Blanche's mistreatment of /her/ governess, it's no wonder that Jane should hate her. If Jane's idol is Helen, the quietly suffering, then Blanche the "horrible little monster" is Helen's perfect opposite: the sort of person who is /none/ of the things Jane admires. Not only is she not smart (according to Jane, whose judgment I'll trust), but she doesn't stand for any sort of pain or personal discomfort; instead, she's nasty to the people who try to make her a better person. I suppose she's meant to be Helen's foil, at least from Jane's point of view. Right; it's even easier to hate her when she's the inverse of a character who is completely virtuous.

Jenny Jeffrey

1/10/2012 10:34:56 am

*I think she knows that, technically, she is supposed...

Lost track of that sentence for a bit! Then I repeated it with different words. Ouch. So sorry.

Ms.Draper

1/10/2012 10:41:24 am

I think the contradiction does exist for Jane--on one hand she enforces the Victorian social code against herself (as when she compares herself unfavorably to Blanche, in terms of looks and social rank) but on the other hand, she is a passionate and wilful individual who believes in her own right to happiness. This contradiction will appear throughout the novel, and I think it reflects Bronte's own anxieties, and the anxieties of the era re: women and their place in the world.

David Fulton Yo

1/10/2012 12:09:39 pm

Jane is defined by isolation. We don't often learn about her from dialogue, but from internal monologues. She is very much an observer, largely because of her social status as governess. While the other servants all bond together due to their common work, she is isolated by the very nature of her duty; hence Jane's realization that "there was a mystery at Thornfield; and that from participation in that mystery I was purposely excluded" (172).

Nor can Jane find any company amongst the upperclass - Destiny's analysis of their attitude toward Jane was correct. It is, by and large, the nastiest of them who are the most dismissive of Jane, but even the kindest are aware that she is much further down the social ladder than they are.

I think it is important to note, however, that Jane does not constrain herself to the social constructs of her society out of some sort of respect for those constructs. She is simply extremely practical and self-controlled, and believes that disobeying society's conventions would be unnecessarily risky and asking for disaster. While she may desire to do the "right" thing, more of her actions are determined by her desire to do the smart thing.

PS. This blog makes me happy.

Destiny Desroche

1/10/2012 12:28:46 pm

I totally agree with you David. To be honest, I kind of lost my train of thought about half way through, so I never mentioned Mrs. Reed or the fact that "even the kindest are aware that she is much further down the social ladder than they are."

This blog is wonderful. Unfortunately, I sense that there will soon be terrible jokes and a general misuse of this wonderful opportunity. Alas, poor Ms. Draper...

Megan MacGillivray

1/10/2012 01:24:56 pm

Well said David.
I agree, Jane is "defined by isoltion," she observes these conversations, and we learn her inner thoughts and feeling through the internal monologues. And this also shows why she is so self-controlled, because she can observe and except her status, even if she isn't happy with it.

Casey Rosenberg

1/10/2012 08:58:21 pm

Dang it, David, you beat me to the punch. ;)
I think it was good that you mentioned the reason behind Jane following the social order--out of practicality and doing the "smart thing" as you say, rather than out of "respect."

Megan MacGillivray

1/10/2012 01:17:15 pm

(Alright, so I agree with what everyone has been saying so far, so I apologize in advance for repetition, as well as my failure to make sense...I'm a bit tired!)

Jane is very conflicted. Jane is an independent woman, however because of her social status she tries to “be good.” Growing up in the Reed’s house Jane was constantly torn down and punished. And because of this it has made Jane a more out-spoken child and person. In my mind Jane already was self-aware, but didn’t care to hide her feelings very much until meeting Mr. Rochester and even more so during the arrival of Blanche. She realizes that she is only a governess but because of her strong opinions she isn’t afraid to be independent, she just controls herself. Blanche disrupts the order of things and Jane’s low social status is made obvious. She understands that she is of lower rank, but doesn’t completely want to accept this.

“Mary and I had, I should think, a dozen at least in our day; half of them detestable, and the rest ridiculous, and all incubi”(Bronte 178).

Blanche and “her cohort” are constantly tearing Jane apart, emphasizing the great difference in social level. This is when Jane seems to become even more self-controlled. She still doesn’t agree with social status, but she is controlled enough to just isolate herself. She is independent so she often tries to get away from everyone else avoiding the conversations of status she doesn’t agree with.

Oh and Blanche does make the already awkward relationship between Mr. Rochester and Jane that much more awkward.

Puni

1/10/2012 09:02:55 pm

I agree with what you said Megan, and I really liked the quote you picked. They were talking about governesses and how annoying they were right in front of Jane's face. It just shows how they do not respect her because she is of a lower class. This was also the first time we see that the situation somehow affected her enough she had to leave the room, when usually she would tolerate and sit through the whole shebang.

Yes, Mr. Rochester using Ms. Ingram to make Jane jealous make things that much more awkward. Very low, Mr. Rochester, very low. And what's up with that "Good night my---" and biting his lip deal? Wow, so original he better copyright that move down.

Devin Ludwig

1/10/2012 07:29:22 pm

Jane obviously feels unsure about her standing among all of the people of Thornfield. She feels isolated from the servants while simultaneously isolated from Mr. Rochester and his similarly ranked companions. This sense of isolation makes it difficult for Jane to be comfortable in any of her interactions as she has conflicting ideas on how she's intended to behave.

Jane's own insecurity is intensified by the fact that other members of the household seem to have different expectations for her behavior. Rochester expects Jane to mingle with himself and his aristocratic company, while Blanche Ingram seemingly goes out of her way to show Jane that her presence is unwanted among the wealthy guests.

As a child, Adele is in a similarly ambiguous position as Jane when it comes to how to behave around the visitors. However she is much more ignorant to her ambiguous position as a child than Jane is to her own ambiguous position as a governess. As a result, Adele is able to comfortably mix with the aristocrats, a notion that Jane finds ludicrous.

Puni Limpanoooodles

1/10/2012 08:53:51 pm

Only the brave or the poor would enter the workforce during the start of the Industrial Revolution being a woman. However, Jane Eyre had nothing much to lose by leaving Lowood and pursuing her independence, she was treated unkind during her school years and yet she still bore it. Being a young woman, has stood with her own two feet from a very young age, this can be seen by her courageous act of rebellion against John Reed, of whom is higher than her both by class and by gender. As she grew, we see that not much of her principals have changed. Brought up in a girl's school, she has built a stronger foundation of values with girls and women (Mr. Brocklehurst wasn’t the ideal male figure either). She was practically brought up surrounded by women but the only men in her life was Brocklehurst and Reed, which was somewhat played a dominant over all the women and girls she had been with.
She grew up to be, though very apt and intelligent, very judgmental towards the people that she meets, which is understandable because she grew up in a rather hostile environment, she constantly has to be cautious about how she acts.
“’No’ I heard her say: ‘she looks too stupid for any game of the sort.’” (184)
Upon meeting Mr. Rochester’s guests, they look down on her and talk about governesses like she’s not there. She is a middle class woman with no family background and that makes her less than Blanche Ingram and her mother. Like always, Jane tolerates that and handles the criticism and disdain from them with her reserved disposition. Being with Mr. Rochester, however, she is not afraid of being upfront to him about her opinions yet she restrains herself from accepting the fact that she is strangely attracted to him. I feel like it’s because Mr. Rochester is the one of the few prominent male figure male figure in her life and the only one that hasn’t been harsh or cruel to her.

Ms. Draper

1/10/2012 11:14:00 pm

Puni, very good point about Jane's judgemental nature--I keep meaning to bring this up during class discussion. She is far from a liberal character, despite her feminist-seeming rant in Chapter 12. She looks down on Adele's carefree nature as silly and/or vain, for example, and readily indulges in the stereotyping of those who are different from the English "ideal"--this will come into even clearer focus as the novel progresses. On the other hand, as you point out, her judgmental nature proves to be her saving grace in many ways, allowing her to verbally spar with Rochester, and deduce his true intentions (or at least make a hearty attempt to do so).

Ms. Draper

1/10/2012 11:16:48 pm

Speaking of judgment, don't judge me for using two different spellings. Both are correct. But usually "judgement" is the British usage, and at any rate, it's quite rare in the U.S. I guess I was just channeling my Bronte...

Casey Rosenberg

1/10/2012 09:29:58 pm

Oh Dear. You all wrote novels. It also appears I arrived a little late to the party (no pun intended?). What to say...hmmm...

It is surely a given that Jane feels isolated and mistreated by Blanche and Lady Ingram, who look down on her as lowerclass and a scheming, "detestible incubus" like all governnesses.
I agree with Devin--Jane shares that feeling of isolation with Adele as they both have rather ambiguous positions in this social hierarchy. Adele is literally a child, and Jane is a governess. Both positions are looked down upon by the upperclass. Although Jane lives in this marvelous house and is in charge of the education of an upperclass man's "daughter" (c'mon let's just say it) and is rather well-educated herself, she is still treated like an unwelcome guest.

But also important is what David mentioned. Jane, in her internal monologues, expresses the importance of being "smart," which seems to be something these upperclass people lack in her eyes.

In describing Blanche: "She was very showy, but she was not genuine: she had a fine person, many brilliant attainments; but her mind was poor...she was not original...she never offered , nor had, an opinion of her own" (Bronte 187).
I believe this passage shows two things especially: For one, as isolated as Jane is, in this case socially, she at least takes pride in her own intelligence when compared to these upperclass women. Jane's mind and opinions are her own, she doesn't "sound phrases from books" like a gaudy parrot (187).
Something that I do not believe has been mentioned, but I believe is vastly important, is the sort of...competition between Blanche and Jane as characters.
Jane is so passionate, intelligent, and outspoken (to a degree--certainly outspoken for her time). She sees Blanche as a petty person who is not worth her jealousy, and Blanche sees Jane with similar sentiment, but based entirely off her social standing and stereotypes for her character as a governness. Whereas Jane has had to work and suffer to gain what little social position she has, Blanche has had her upperclass status since birth--has had things handed to her all her life. This makes her appear false and uninteresting, which is why she could not "charm" Rochester while Jane could.

Can we all say foil character?

Ms. Draper

1/10/2012 11:08:43 pm

Good points about the competition between Blanche and Jane, and yes, Blanche is a classic foil character. Jane seems hesitant to claim her as an outright rival, probably because she can't conceive of rising above her own station to such a degree. But she definitely suffers some pangs of genuine envy, especially when it comes to the prospect of losing out on Rochester's affections to a foolish, vain woman--who is nonetheless indisputably beautiful.

Jane Eyre: Rebel or Good Girl?

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