1.Rochester tells Jane, "if you are cast in a different mould to the majority, it is no merit of yours; Nature did it.” Are we intended to agree or disagree with this statement?
The most plausible explanation for Jane's character is that it was born within her. From the time that she is a young child, Jane's true personality is stifled by her Aunt Reed and her cousins. She reacts by lashing out when most young girls in the time period would have remained submissive. When she is sent to Lowood, the expectation is that she will conform and become a genteel, ideal girl. Although on the outside, Jane appears to be changed, she retains her inborn spirit and character. It shows through when she addresses her male counterparts as her equals, answering them directly with a bluntness that most would consider rude. Therefore, as Jane has been faced with situations throughout her life that weaker-willed women would have submitted to, it follows that her perserverence and retention of character can be attributed to an innately different personality.
Jane has upheld her personality since childhood. A harsh aunt and strict school didn't have the ability to truly change her. These experiences may have made Jane more obedient and polite at times, however, nothing has the ability to truly change Jane as a person because her personality is something that she was born with. Even if Jane wanted to fully change herself, she'd never be able to succeed because she'd always be pretending to be somebody else, while on the inside, she would be thinking the same thoughs and wishing for the same things. Jane's character isn't something that many people can learn, it's something that people just grow up with. She has a very strong character, one that differs from the typical woman of this time period, which makes her so unique. Jane is willing to speak her mind and her instinctual reaction in dealing with people who believe themselves to be superior to her is to be honest and not sugar-coat anything. Jane simply is the way she is, and the people that truly care about her are the ones that can fully accept her for who she is.
Rochester by no means intends this statement as a compliment and I believe that it is Bronte's intention that we as readers disagree with it. Jane is aware of herself and her society and acts out deliberately in an effort to protest that which she sees as unjust (gender inequality). Rochester undoubtedly feels threatened by this unconventional woman and this quotation is an effort to quell her avant-garde tendencies. It insinuates that Jane's personality is not special, nor does it speak from any sort of conscious (and therefore intelligent) decision that she has made -- it is simply an anomaly, and while interesting, ultimately as trivial as two headed frog. If one is to read Jane Eyre from a feminist perspective this can simply not be accepted. Jane is a strong female character and as such she intends what she implies.
The suggestion that Jane has been born different from other women in the time period is the highest compliment. It implies that she is breaking the mold because of a the character born within her, and that she is unlike the typical stereotype of a subordinate woman. Jane's actions are fueled by her innate strength. Rochester is anything but threatened by Jane. Rather he is entranced and pleased by her unconventional tendencies. Her uncommon boldness and lack of deference to males fosters in him the highest level of respect.
I think that when the statement was made by Rochester, it was not seen as a compliment, but in the context of the book and Bronte's intentions, it is an honor to be of a different mold than society. It is to Jane's merit because she has made decisions to stand out from society. This definetly doesn't threaten Rochester, but rather seems only to entice him more. He says how he is somewhat bewildered by her and from the beginning was drawn to the fact she was different.
Mr. Rochester’s quote with my interpretation that he implies we are who we are because of our situation at birth, leads me to believe we are not to agree with this statement. Jane’s character seems to defy all ideas that who we are is defined by our birth status, but rather encompasses that we are who we are in spite of our birth situation and defined by the choices we make. She was born a poor orphan and a woman, but becomes a strong, confidant woman equal to the men around her, and deviates from common societal ideas. Rochester’s quote implies that this is a pure act of nature, but Jane’s past experiences show that it was a direct result of her actions. She was mistreated by her aunt and those around her, but she never let this define who she was. Perhaps she was born with a bold personality, but it was her choice to stand up for herself to her aunt, to Rochester, and to St. John that made her different from everyone around her and defined who she was. It was her sheer will power and determination to make the most of what she had at Lowood that made her deviate from society, not some natural phenomenon, these were all choices
Jane may have easily been born with her bold personality; it is true that she could not control that fact, only nature could. She could control other circumstances, though. She could have chosen to give in to the standards of society and become an upstanding young girl. I believe that her environment growing up had a fairly great impact on her, which would also have been controlled by nature. The way that her Aunt treated her even before she was able to think on her own helped shape Jane into the woman she became. She was never trusted by her Aunt, her Aunt had not wanted her in the first place. She was always blamed for the things she didn’t do, which enraged her and made her fight back. So yes, it is true that whatever circumstances nature gives us, we can change them, but it, without a doubt, has a great impact on how we will behave and who we will become.
When Rochester stated that, he didn't mean it to be a compliment, and as a reader I would have to disagree with his statement. Jane was clearly born with the traits of a strong willed individual. Throughout the novel societal expectations are constantly being thrust upon her for her to follow. She fights them though. She never tries to act like someone she knows she isn't or doesn't want to be.
Jane Eyre has always been different from those around her. When she was younger, Jane was regarded as an untamable child by her Aunt Reed and her cousins. Jane had to endure harsh treatment such as John Reed physically beating up on her and Mrs. Reed throwing her in the red room. As she grew older, she experienced the repressive society of Lowood that molded many of her fellow students into refined young women. Even though Jane Eyre may have also been changed by Lowood, her fiery spirit and personality remained the same. Therefore, I think that we are intended to disagree with this statement because no matter what trials and experiences that Jane faces, she remains true to herself.
To Victoria: It is true that Jane Eyre is someone who always remains true to herself. If Jane wasn’t such a strong-willed individual who wasn’t confident in her intellect, she would have most likely been molded by her past experiences. This is very important to the novel as a whole because if Jane did follow societal expectations, this feminist novel wouldn’t have drawn as much attention for having such an assertive, confident woman, which was unusual during this time period.
Rochester's statement to Jane is implying that Jane's behavior compared to most of the women in this time period is not because of her own free will it is because of nature, which is an odd statement to me because Jane is clearly a Christian woman. So this comment must have troubled her because Rochester did not mention that it was God's decision, but it was natures. But in my opinion I do not agree with Rochester's statement that nature determines our merit, but it is our own self and the fact that we have free will to make decisions and put in the effort to discover our merit. To Jane her life is composed of her intelligence, religion and her past.
In response to Brooke's comment: I would agree that despite pressure from others Jane managed to remain true to herself. She was able to take instruction and criticism in order to benefit herself but she never let anyone else's idea of how a woman should act change her true personality. Jane knows how to improve things about herself but she doesn't lose her inner character. Her strong, distinctive personality is able to withstand whatever she must go through in life.
I think what Rochester was trying to give Jane somewhat of a compliment. All her life she has grown up speaking her own mind and never really conforming to how girls she act and speak in that time period. She is her own person. As she grows up, I believe she stays the same person inside and is able to see the equality she has between her and Rochester. Jane is breaking the mold for women because of how she acts and speaks her mind freely and isn't defining who she is due to gender or social class. She should have been born in a different time because her mind set is so modern.
I don't believe that the audience's opinion is relevant, as I believe it is a portrayl of Mr. Rochester and his highly logical mind, blunt responses, and bitter disposition. It proves to be not only an objective statement, but also accurate, as Jane does not appear to be a product of her environment, but rather, innately truthful and frank, strikingly similar to Rochester in this capacity. It almost seems to frighten him, compelling him to confess his perplexity in Jane, this intimidating enigma that has refused to succumb to society's insistence on her silence.
As a reader I believe that Mr. Rochester's comment was a compliment. Jane's personality didn't conform even when she attended Lowood or when she was with her Aunt. Jane breaks the mold of normal society with her intellect and it is obvious that Rochester admires her strong personality and her boldness.
I must disagree with you in your belief that Rochester's comment "insinuates that Jane's personality is not special." I am convinced that no motivation exists behind Rochester's assertion. He is simply observing what is so apparent in her character: her intrinsic stubbornness and will to speak her mind. These are highly uncommon traits in a woman of this time period. I believe that he is only expressing his awe of the individual she has become in such an oppressive environment as hers. The comment does hold true, for her personality is really no merit of hers. Her strength can be attributed to nature and heredity. He states that she is, essentially, "one-of-a-kind."
I feel that the reader is intended to agree with the statement made my Mr. Rochester. To me it feels that he is placing himself on a social level equal to that of Jane. He is stating that although he was born into a wealthy family, it does not necessarily mean that it puts him at an advantage. His wealth and high social class is based solely on the success of his predecessors. In Jane's case, it is not her fault that she is in a lower social class than that obtained by Mr. Rochester, and does all that she can to be a successful individual, even if that means going againts the social formalities of that time period.
In my opinion, when Rochester makes this comment to Jane he means it with no respect. However, Jane is born with a strong personality and upheld it despite being held back by her aunt, cousins, school, and others in her life who have resented a woman having so much confidence and ability to speak their minds. I believe that although the comment was not made to be a compliment, Bronte specifically has Rochester say this to Jane in her own way of complimenting Jane’s rare personality of the time period. Jane has clearly always possessed the traits that make her who she is, and she refuses to conform to what society in the time period believes she should be.
I don't think Rochester intended for this to be a compliment. Rochester is trying to take away any pride Jane may have in her personality. So, I think we as the readers are supposed to disagree with him. However Rochester's comment does have some truth in it. Jane does seem to have been born with this extraordinary personality despite being poor, plain, and a woman. Her ability to speak her mind and stand up for herself has been with her since childhood. Though in my opinion Jane's ability to hold on to those abilities despite social pressures in something of her own doing.
I believe we're intended to disagree with Rochester's statement. Jane attempts to put herself on more equal ground with Rochester by responding on a truly intellectual level. Yet Rochester responds with the exact societal expectations in mind that Jane is trying to deflect. He does compliment her on her responses to his inquiries, mentioning that "not three in three thousand raw school-girl-governesses would have answered me as you have just done" but he also then says the above statement, implying that it just happened that she is intelligent, thus discrediting the fact that she may have chosen or worked to be so at any point. It's an almost ironic exchange, even foreshadowing, I believe, to the fact that they don't work out.
I have to side with Austin on this one. Kenzie, I see what you mean about how he's simply stating a fact. But to assume that she is a product of only heredity and nature is to say that she never conciously chose any direction or personal conduct in her life, which I simply cannot accept. She chose to tell Mrs. Reed her mind, and she chose to become a good student at Lowood. Yes, I do think that she could have been born with some of her traits, such as her sense of right and wrong and her strong will. But based on everything that happened in her childhood, I do believe that she must be given some credit for her choices and for who she has become at 18. Mr. Rochester tries to say that nature did it, but is nature really entirely responsible for her character?
Tia Keene Jane is definitely an odd character. She stands up for wat is right and what she believes in rather than going along with the way woman are usually treated. She not only makes herself clear by speaking her mind, but also lashing out at times. Jane is not like a regular woman of this time and I believe that we are intended to agree with the statement Rochester says. People believe it is so much easier to blame things on nature and God whether it be good or bad. Personally, i disagree with this because your person has something to do with what goes on in your life and what kind of things happen to you. You can't control everything, but you can change things for the better. There is no way you can blame everything that happens to you on nature. Jane is not afraid to make her beliefs clear and understood. She is a strong character and she knows what is good for her.
I think that this could be seen both ways, however seeing Rochester’s pride in his wealth, it doesn’t seem like it was intended to be a compliment. Although it may be somewhat true; that we really don’t have a choice as to where we are put in society, it is often determined by the situation we are born in to, it doesn’t mean that that should be the case. Rochester says this so matter-of-factly, as if there is nothing to do to change it, whereas Jane has gone against the odds and stands up for herself while working to become as equal a possible to those of a higher status or of the opposite gender. Although she may have been born into a challenging life, she was given a strong personality that has helped her through the difficult situations that she has been faced with.
Heather Almvig-- I agree with you. A lot of what shaped Jane into the strong woman that she is was because of the challenging circumstances that she was put in during her life. Without these experiences, she wouldn't have quite the same desire to achieve equality. When a person is put into a situation where they can actually experience what it is like to live without something, they realize how much more important this thing is, in Jane's case, how important equality is. Good post!
My interpretation of this quote is that Rochester is referring to how society holds certain individuals in high respect due to different factors out of their control. Society as a whole is more inclined to disagree with this statement. We are fascinated by fame, fortune, status - even when these things may merely be results of the situation you were born into. (The recent excitement over the royal wedding is an example).
In response to Hayley: I agree wholeheartedly. Rochester is displaying just the sort of behavior that Jane and Charlotte are speaking out against -- only solidifying their positions more. I think that Rochester knows and understands this however and is using his statement to elicit strong opinions and emotions, I doubt that he necessarily agrees with what he is saying. He likes Jane and he likes the intellectual and moral challenge she poses to him and this is a way to bring that force to bare.
The most plausible explanation for Jane's character is that it was born within her. From the time that she is a young child, Jane's true personality is stifled by her Aunt Reed and her cousins. She reacts by lashing out when most young girls in the time period would have remained submissive. When she is sent to Lowood, the expectation is that she will conform and become a genteel, ideal girl. Although on the outside, Jane appears to be changed, she retains her inborn spirit and character. It shows through when she addresses her male counterparts as her equals, answering them directly with a bluntness that most would consider rude. Therefore, as Jane has been faced with situations throughout her life that weaker-willed women would have submitted to, it follows that her perserverence and retention of character can be attributed to an innately different personality.
ReplyDeleteJane has upheld her personality since childhood. A harsh aunt and strict school didn't have the ability to truly change her. These experiences may have made Jane more obedient and polite at times, however, nothing has the ability to truly change Jane as a person because her personality is something that she was born with. Even if Jane wanted to fully change herself, she'd never be able to succeed because she'd always be pretending to be somebody else, while on the inside, she would be thinking the same thoughs and wishing for the same things. Jane's character isn't something that many people can learn, it's something that people just grow up with. She has a very strong character, one that differs from the typical woman of this time period, which makes her so unique. Jane is willing to speak her mind and her instinctual reaction in dealing with people who believe themselves to be superior to her is to be honest and not sugar-coat anything. Jane simply is the way she is, and the people that truly care about her are the ones that can fully accept her for who she is.
ReplyDeleteRochester by no means intends this statement as a compliment and I believe that it is Bronte's intention that we as readers disagree with it. Jane is aware of herself and her society and acts out deliberately in an effort to protest that which she sees as unjust (gender inequality). Rochester undoubtedly feels threatened by this unconventional woman and this quotation is an effort to quell her avant-garde tendencies. It insinuates that Jane's personality is not special, nor does it speak from any sort of conscious (and therefore intelligent) decision that she has made -- it is simply an anomaly, and while interesting, ultimately as trivial as two headed frog. If one is to read Jane Eyre from a feminist perspective this can simply not be accepted. Jane is a strong female character and as such she intends what she implies.
ReplyDeleteThe suggestion that Jane has been born different from other women in the time period is the highest compliment. It implies that she is breaking the mold because of a the character born within her, and that she is unlike the typical stereotype of a subordinate woman. Jane's actions are fueled by her innate strength. Rochester is anything but threatened by Jane. Rather he is entranced and pleased by her unconventional tendencies. Her uncommon boldness and lack of deference to males fosters in him the highest level of respect.
ReplyDeleteI think that when the statement was made by Rochester, it was not seen as a compliment, but in the context of the book and Bronte's intentions, it is an honor to be of a different mold than society. It is to Jane's merit because she has made decisions to stand out from society. This definetly doesn't threaten Rochester, but rather seems only to entice him more. He says how he is somewhat bewildered by her and from the beginning was drawn to the fact she was different.
ReplyDeleteMr. Rochester’s quote with my interpretation that he implies we are who we are because of our situation at birth, leads me to believe we are not to agree with this statement. Jane’s character seems to defy all ideas that who we are is defined by our birth status, but rather encompasses that we are who we are in spite of our birth situation and defined by the choices we make. She was born a poor orphan and a woman, but becomes a strong, confidant woman equal to the men around her, and deviates from common societal ideas. Rochester’s quote implies that this is a pure act of nature, but Jane’s past experiences show that it was a direct result of her actions. She was mistreated by her aunt and those around her, but she never let this define who she was. Perhaps she was born with a bold personality, but it was her choice to stand up for herself to her aunt, to Rochester, and to St. John that made her different from everyone around her and defined who she was. It was her sheer will power and determination to make the most of what she had at Lowood that made her deviate from society, not some natural phenomenon, these were all choices
ReplyDeleteJane may have easily been born with her bold personality; it is true that she could not control that fact, only nature could. She could control other circumstances, though. She could have chosen to give in to the standards of society and become an upstanding young girl. I believe that her environment growing up had a fairly great impact on her, which would also have been controlled by nature. The way that her Aunt treated her even before she was able to think on her own helped shape Jane into the woman she became. She was never trusted by her Aunt, her Aunt had not wanted her in the first place. She was always blamed for the things she didn’t do, which enraged her and made her fight back. So yes, it is true that whatever circumstances nature gives us, we can change them, but it, without a doubt, has a great impact on how we will behave and who we will become.
ReplyDelete~Heather Almvig
When Rochester stated that, he didn't mean it to be a compliment, and as a reader I would have to disagree with his statement. Jane was clearly born with the traits of a strong willed individual. Throughout the novel societal expectations are constantly being thrust upon her for her to follow. She fights them though. She never tries to act like someone she knows she isn't or doesn't want to be.
ReplyDeleteJane Eyre has always been different from those around her. When she was younger, Jane was regarded as an untamable child by her Aunt Reed and her cousins. Jane had to endure harsh treatment such as John Reed physically beating up on her and Mrs. Reed throwing her in the red room. As she grew older, she experienced the repressive society of Lowood that molded many of her fellow students into refined young women. Even though Jane Eyre may have also been changed by Lowood, her fiery spirit and personality remained the same. Therefore, I think that we are intended to disagree with this statement because no matter what trials and experiences that Jane faces, she remains true to herself.
ReplyDelete-Brooke Hess
To Victoria: It is true that Jane Eyre is someone who always remains true to herself. If Jane wasn’t such a strong-willed individual who wasn’t confident in her intellect, she would have most likely been molded by her past experiences. This is very important to the novel as a whole because if Jane did follow societal expectations, this feminist novel wouldn’t have drawn as much attention for having such an assertive, confident woman, which was unusual during this time period.
ReplyDelete-Brooke Hess
Rochester's statement to Jane is implying that Jane's behavior compared to most of the women in this time period is not because of her own free will it is because of nature, which is an odd statement to me because Jane is clearly a Christian woman. So this comment must have troubled her because Rochester did not mention that it was God's decision, but it was natures. But in my opinion I do not agree with Rochester's statement that nature determines our merit, but it is our own self and the fact that we have free will to make decisions and put in the effort to discover our merit. To Jane her life is composed of her intelligence, religion and her past.
ReplyDelete-Heather Lopes
In response to Brooke's comment:
ReplyDeleteI would agree that despite pressure from others Jane managed to remain true to herself. She was able to take instruction and criticism in order to benefit herself but she never let anyone else's idea of how a woman should act change her true personality. Jane knows how to improve things about herself but she doesn't lose her inner character. Her strong, distinctive personality is able to withstand whatever she must go through in life.
Kelli said...
ReplyDeleteI think what Rochester was trying to give Jane somewhat of a compliment. All her life she has grown up speaking her own mind and never really conforming to how girls she act and speak in that time period. She is her own person. As she grows up, I believe she stays the same person inside and is able to see the equality she has between her and Rochester. Jane is breaking the mold for women because of how she acts and speaks her mind freely and isn't defining who she is due to gender or social class. She should have been born in a different time because her mind set is so modern.
Kelli Smith
I don't believe that the audience's opinion is relevant, as I believe it is a portrayl of Mr. Rochester and his highly logical mind, blunt responses, and bitter disposition. It proves to be not only an objective statement, but also accurate, as Jane does not appear to be a product of her environment, but rather, innately truthful and frank, strikingly similar to Rochester in this capacity. It almost seems to frighten him, compelling him to confess his perplexity in Jane, this intimidating enigma that has refused to succumb to society's insistence on her silence.
ReplyDeleteMcKenzie Templeton
As a reader I believe that Mr. Rochester's comment was a compliment. Jane's personality didn't conform even when she attended Lowood or when she was with her Aunt. Jane breaks the mold of normal society with her intellect and it is obvious that Rochester admires her strong personality and her boldness.
ReplyDelete-Sierra Peterson
In response to Austin:
ReplyDeleteI must disagree with you in your belief that Rochester's comment "insinuates that Jane's personality is not special." I am convinced that no motivation exists behind Rochester's assertion. He is simply observing what is so apparent in her character: her intrinsic stubbornness and will to speak her mind. These are highly uncommon traits in a woman of this time period. I believe that he is only expressing his awe of the individual she has become in such an oppressive environment as hers. The comment does hold true, for her personality is really no merit of hers. Her strength can be attributed to nature and heredity. He states that she is, essentially, "one-of-a-kind."
McKenzie Templeton
I feel that the reader is intended to agree with the statement made my Mr. Rochester. To me it feels that he is placing himself on a social level equal to that of Jane. He is stating that although he was born into a wealthy family, it does not necessarily mean that it puts him at an advantage. His wealth and high social class is based solely on the success of his predecessors. In Jane's case, it is not her fault that she is in a lower social class than that obtained by Mr. Rochester, and does all that she can to be a successful individual, even if that means going againts the social formalities of that time period.
ReplyDelete-Annette Summers
In my opinion, when Rochester makes this comment to Jane he means it with no respect. However, Jane is born with a strong personality and upheld it despite being held back by her aunt, cousins, school, and others in her life who have resented a woman having so much confidence and ability to speak their minds. I believe that although the comment was not made to be a compliment, Bronte specifically has Rochester say this to Jane in her own way of complimenting Jane’s rare personality of the time period. Jane has clearly always possessed the traits that make her who she is, and she refuses to conform to what society in the time period believes she should be.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Rochester intended for this to be a compliment. Rochester is trying to take away any pride Jane may have in her personality. So, I think we as the readers are supposed to disagree with him. However Rochester's comment does have some truth in it. Jane does seem to have been born with this extraordinary personality despite being poor, plain, and a woman. Her ability to speak her mind and stand up for herself has been with her since childhood. Though in my opinion Jane's ability to hold on to those abilities despite social pressures in something of her own doing.
ReplyDelete-Cydney M
I believe we're intended to disagree with Rochester's statement. Jane attempts to put herself on more equal ground with Rochester by responding on a truly intellectual level. Yet Rochester responds with the exact societal expectations in mind that Jane is trying to deflect. He does compliment her on her responses to his inquiries, mentioning that "not three in three thousand raw school-girl-governesses would have answered me as you have just done" but he also then says the above statement, implying that it just happened that she is intelligent, thus discrediting the fact that she may have chosen or worked to be so at any point. It's an almost ironic exchange, even foreshadowing, I believe, to the fact that they don't work out.
ReplyDeleteRE: Austin RE: Kenzie
ReplyDeleteI have to side with Austin on this one. Kenzie, I see what you mean about how he's simply stating a fact. But to assume that she is a product of only heredity and nature is to say that she never conciously chose any direction or personal conduct in her life, which I simply cannot accept. She chose to tell Mrs. Reed her mind, and she chose to become a good student at Lowood. Yes, I do think that she could have been born with some of her traits, such as her sense of right and wrong and her strong will. But based on everything that happened in her childhood, I do believe that she must be given some credit for her choices and for who she has become at 18. Mr. Rochester tries to say that nature did it, but is nature really entirely responsible for her character?
Tia Keene
ReplyDeleteJane is definitely an odd character. She stands up for wat is right and what she believes in rather than going along with the way woman are usually treated. She not only makes herself clear by speaking her mind, but also lashing out at times. Jane is not like a regular woman of this time and I believe that we are intended to agree with the statement Rochester says. People believe it is so much easier to blame things on nature and God whether it be good or bad. Personally, i disagree with this because your person has something to do with what goes on in your life and what kind of things happen to you. You can't control everything, but you can change things for the better. There is no way you can blame everything that happens to you on nature. Jane is not afraid to make her beliefs clear and understood. She is a strong character and she knows what is good for her.
I think that this could be seen both ways, however seeing Rochester’s pride in his wealth, it doesn’t seem like it was intended to be a compliment. Although it may be somewhat true; that we really don’t have a choice as to where we are put in society, it is often determined by the situation we are born in to, it doesn’t mean that that should be the case. Rochester says this so matter-of-factly, as if there is nothing to do to change it, whereas Jane has gone against the odds and stands up for herself while working to become as equal a possible to those of a higher status or of the opposite gender. Although she may have been born into a challenging life, she was given a strong personality that has helped her through the difficult situations that she has been faced with.
ReplyDeleteHeather Almvig--
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. A lot of what shaped Jane into the strong woman that she is was because of the challenging circumstances that she was put in during her life. Without these experiences, she wouldn't have quite the same desire to achieve equality. When a person is put into a situation where they can actually experience what it is like to live without something, they realize how much more important this thing is, in Jane's case, how important equality is. Good post!
My interpretation of this quote is that Rochester is referring to how society holds certain individuals in high respect due to different factors out of their control. Society as a whole is more inclined to disagree with this statement. We are fascinated by fame, fortune, status - even when these things may merely be results of the situation you were born into. (The recent excitement over the royal wedding is an example).
ReplyDelete-Kelsey Young
In response to Hayley:
ReplyDeleteI agree wholeheartedly. Rochester is displaying just the sort of behavior that Jane and Charlotte are speaking out against -- only solidifying their positions more. I think that Rochester knows and understands this however and is using his statement to elicit strong opinions and emotions, I doubt that he necessarily agrees with what he is saying. He likes Jane and he likes the intellectual and moral challenge she poses to him and this is a way to bring that force to bare.