Blog 4: Chapters 28-38

3. What does Jane’s reaction to Rochester’s voice tell us about her character? What are her major conflicts at this time?

I think that if you look at her basic reaction you will see longing. That when she thought she heard his voice she had a rush of excitement and love. It showed her that he was the man that she was meant to be with. We really saw into her true emotions, because it was his call that made her go back to Thornfield. On some level Jane knew Rochester needed her and was finally ready to have the relationship that she originally wanted.

She didn’t know what she wanted, and there was definitely confusion when she made her decision. She knew that she was meant to marry, because that was the social norm. But she also knew that it Rochester had lied to her and that she didn’t want that to happen again. I think at the point she knew that she had just fallen in love with Rochester because of who she thought he was, she understood that there was still plenty of secrets and she left because she needed that time to think. She was struggling with her feelings towards him: her love, her annoyance and hatred, and ultimately fear. I think she was scared to lose him, yet she didn’t want to have the part of him he could offer. She wanted to be more than a mistress to him.

2. How do you feel about the novel’s ending? Is it as expected or is this an example of situational irony?

I think it is a little bit of both. When she ran away there was a 50% chance that she would go back. However, when she heard Rochester’s voice we knew that they were going to marry. The un-expected part came in his physical state, neither the audience nor Jane was prepared for Rochester, who was made out to be a handsome man, be without a hand and eyesight. Although, like any happy ending, their love conquered all and they live together happily with an ideal family.

The strange part was that he said that he had no attachment to Bertha, however he sacrificed his well being to save her. This did prove that he was a decent human being, but it almost was expected that he was going to let her perish because she was made out to be such a hassle to him.

It became situational irony because he had offered to take her away. If they were to have gone away, Rochester would never have been evolved in the fire and would still be in one complete piece. If different decisions were to have been made, like if she would have agreed to run away with him or if they had married regardless, Rochester may have never been evolved in the fire.