Jane Eyre :: English Literature

Jane Eyre What do you learn from Jane's arrival at Thornfield and her first meeting with Mr Rochester? When Jane first arrives at Thornfield she is greeted by Mrs Fairfax, she receives a warm welcome and an inquiry into whether she is cold and a subsequent offer to warm by the fire. This something Jane is not used to, in the past at the Reed's house, Gateshead, and certainly at Lowood her reception had been quite cold and harsh. At Gateshead Jane was treated badly and received no love. Bessie the servant was the only person who even showed some sort of interest in her. In my opinion Bessie cared for Jane as her own, reading to her many times out of the books by the window seat. Of course the 'Reed' children were treated much more fairly and there was biases towards them, but this was down to Mrs Reed's dislike for Jane, which is stated later in the story just before she dies. In chapter three Jane has been in the red room as a punishment and when she comes out she has suffered greatly and needs to see a doctor. However Mrs Reed only sends for a apothecary, if one of her own children had been ill a proper doctor would have been called, which again shows Mrs Reeds poor treatment of Jane. When finally Jane is sent to what Mr Lloyd thinks will be a better place for her, Lowood School, she is faced with more distant relationships and hard conditions. However Miss Temple and Helen Burns are of great contrast to the main theme at Lowood and provide at last someone Jane can trust and relate to. Miss Temple has a kind character and concerns herself with Jane's well being when she arrives at the school. She later becomes the closest Jane gets to a role model in life. Helen is Jane's first friend and has a profound effect on her in many ways as well as being a counterbalance to Jane's character and teaching her to be self-controlled and well disciplined and studious to get on in life. As I put earlier when Jane first comes to Thornfield she is meet by Mrs Fairfax. As always Jane is quick to form impressions in her mind which as readers we learn and can appreciate. She describes her as "the neatest imaginable little elderly lady." Which you see as quite a likeable and welcoming character. She then goes on to say "A more reassuring introduction for a new governess could scarcely be conceived." This shows the perfect setting for Jane at last, which is