Truth Narratives

When we analyzed Humsafar we discussed how Farida’s truth narrative was different from Khirad’s because she truly believed what she did was necessary in order to remove Khirad from her household given her lower-class background. Jane Eyre is different as well as similar to this.

John Reed’s behavior towards Jane is based on the premise that she, as “a dependent” with no money who “ought to beg”, does not deserve to be living in his house. He actually believed he held the right to punish her whenever he deemed appropriate because of his position as the patriarch/future heir, a fact he seems to be well aware of and take opportunity of.

Mrs. Reed, on the other hand, does not have a different truth narrative. She chooses to not believe Jane and has her sent to the red-room when John beats her. However, on some level even she believed her treatment of Jane was unfair, evidenced by the fact that her “usually cold composed grey eye became troubled with a look like fear” when Jane wonders what her uncle would have to say about her aunt’s actions. Her inability to respond (with words) to Jane’s allegations further strengthens the argument. It is unlikely that she were unaware of her son’s true conduct or thought of Jane as a “precocious actress” as she claims.

However, there is no doubt that Mrs. Reed does resent Jane quite a bit. So much so that she tells Mr. Brocklehurst that Jane has “not quite the character and disposition [she] could wish” and advising the teachers keep a strict eye on her. This seems to be her one last attempt at punishing Jane. It is possible that her conflicted opinion was a result of her belief that Jane, a burden to her, deserved punishment for something she was not herself responsible.