Question3

Charlotte Bronte's classic novel Jane Eyre is just another love story at a glance, but when given a closer look on can see that it was formulated around one central conflict within its main character. Throughout hte course of the story Bronte develops the character of the plain Jane Eyre and her life as it turns and twist through the many conflicts she is faced with, each building upon each other to create the "plaguing thing" which Jane is forced to choose between. Would she retain her independence as a woman of labor or become the perfect wife/mistress which her employer wished her to be, privided with innumerable frills. In the end this decision is finally settled upon as Jane makes up her mind as to weather or not to follow her heart or maintain her social stature.
Jane Eyre is first intorduced as an unloved, unwanted orphan sent away to a strict school under cruwl supervisors but for one teacher. When her only friend leaves to be married, Jane is left to fend for herself in a world in which she had no experience. Knowing she was nothing much to look at as she was continually reminded of at the school where she was given a teaching position, Jane decided to attempt to provide for herself in a world of opportunities. She began by putting an advertisement in the paper at the nearby town as a governess. Within a week or two she was given a single job offer from the housekeeper at Thornfield Hall for a little girl. Longing to be away form the torment of hte school and independent, Jane accepts the offer and takes her leave.
In her new home Jane found herself governess to a young and wild French girl, Adele, and the employee to an extremely wealthy man who rarely visited Thornfield, one of his many houses. As she settled in Jane became very pleased with her new life and began her job with Adele and friendships wiht the house servents. Things continued this way until the master, Edward Fairfax Rochester appeared for a suprise visit.
When the two first met, out in the road when Jane spooked Rochester's horse walking to town, there was a certain bond between them. At Thornfield Rochester was quite fascinated with the uoung, independent, and outspoken governess which provided his ward with an education. They would spend man evening hours debating different issues as they found each other itellectual equals. In the day, Rochester would pursue hte wealthy and beautiful Miss Blanche Ingram, to whom he soon became engaged. Due to her employers attraction to his social equal, Jane put all thoughts of a romance out of her mind and focused on her job, though she did enjoy their regular dicussions.
Things continued this way for some time until Rochester mysteriously broke off his engagement to Miss Ingram and began bersuing Jane with romantic intent. Although she found it hard to give up her independence she finally was convinced to yield to the love she felt and agree to the wealthy Rochester's proposal and they became engaged. Filled with love, Rochester showered Jane with many expensive gifts and his own affection, though she really wanted to remain plain and out of the sight to the higher social class, to whom she felt quite inferior. Unfortunately this fairy tale like story could not go on forever for as Cinderella was locked in her room by her wicked stepmother from the prince, Jane was locked outside from hte truth of Rochester's past.
At their wedding Rochester's brother-in-law appeared and all went back to Thornfield without a marriage. There Rochester revealed his lunatic wife whom he was hiding in the attic. He explained all of this to Jane, how his father had arranged the marriage in order to gain property and how he wed this women without even really meeting her and therefore was unable to detect the lunacy she was hiding. With that explained he asked Jane to stay with him and be his mistress opening hte painful decision around which the story revolves. Was Jane to give up the independence she had earned and deny the morals that had been drilled into her or stay with the love of her life, hte prince, who could provide everything for her, never having to work again.
Knowing she would forever be tormented by a feeling of guilt, Jane fled form Thornfield, choosing the life she felt she was destined, that of a teacher. Upon leaving she spent all her money on transportation away from Rochester, therefore leaving none for food or shelter, and almost resulting in her death until a minister and his two sisters took her in. Jane resided there for some time, finding they were related for thier mother was her aunt. To provide for herself financially, Jane began a school for the poor town they lived in. Finally feeling she was in a position complementary to that of her stature Jane was ready to settle down with her new found family. When a lawyer arrived from our-of-town Jane found she had inherited a vast fortune her unknown uncle had left solely to her, though she split it among her cousins, becoming a woman of means. Her world was shaken again though her cousin the minister asked her to marry him and go to India to be a missionary. Eventually she accepted but before thier marriage felt phychically inclined to return one last time to Thornfield.
When she got to Thornfield Hall Jane was filled with horror when she found it burnt to the ground. Had she made the wrong decision when she left Rochester? Jane asked the local innkeeper what had happened, only to find that Rochester had tried to rescue his crazy wife form a fire she had started in the house when a beam fell on him and was hurt badly, loosing his left hand and almost all his sight. She also learned that he was still very much alive but remained alone on an isolated property. Rushing to where Rochester was residing Jane found him depressed, broken, and despirited, believing he would be alone forever, a mere cripple.
Reunited, Jane assured Rochester she felt no repulsion towards his appearence and the two were married, morally. With this union the conflict within Jane finally was resolved as everything was as it should be. This time she was no longer pressured nor shown off to the socially elite that Rochester once belonged to, but was a part of it herself. The entire story led up to this point, when the two would join at the choice of Jane which was drawn out to the very end as she had to choose between the crippled, yet true love Rochester, and the additional adventurour and religous cousin, or to remain single and pursue her trade as a teacher. As it had been concluded Jane Eyre decided her own ending by waited until everything was in place, around whose opinion and choice everything else revolved.