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Monday, March 3, 2014

Jane's Journey

‘Do you know where the wicked go after death?’
‘They go to hell.’ Was my ready and orthodox answer…
‘And the Psalms? I hope you like them?’
‘No, sir.’
‘No? Oh shocking!...’
‘Psalms are not interesting,’ I remarked.

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‘Love your enemies; bless them that that curse you; do good to them that hate you and despitefully use you’
‘Then I should love Mrs. Reed, which I cannot do; I should bless her son John, which is impossible.’

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I had no need to make any change; I should not be called on to quit my sanctum of the schoolroom; for a sanctum it was now become to me- ‘a very pleasant refuge in time of trouble’ (Psalm 46.1)

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‘Love me, then, or hate me, as you will,’ I said at last; ‘you have my full and free forgiveness: ask now for God’s; and be at peace.’
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At the beginning of the novel, we become well acquainted with Jane’s constitution and spirit, she is impressionable, but a keen observer, and is liable to have fits of passion and vow not to forgive those who have hurt her. Moreover, we sense some confusion and resistance in the acceptance of religion, as can be seen by the defiant answer she gives to Mr. Brocklehurst’s inquiries in the first excerpt given here. Moreover, we see that the eventual resistance to understanding and accepting religion is because she cannot at this point endeavor to forgive, much less love and bless those that have wronged her (second excerpt), as is required by the tenants of Christianity: “Whoever hits you on one cheek, offer them the other also…” (Luke 6:29)


What I want to focus on here is the change that occurs in Jane through the course of the book, using the few excerpts given above. From being a person who thinks that the Psalms are not interesting and to ensure that she does not go to hell, she must make sure she keeps in health and does not die; Jane becomes a person whose sanctum becomes the Psalms in a sense. A more obvious change perhaps is from her deeming it impossible to ever love or bless Mrs. Reed and her son, this is exactly what she does when she visits Gateshead again after John Reed’s death, and not only forgives both of them, but blesses them as well. The change is thus profound, as it is thorough, and Jane seems to have made a long journey from being a person who first defied, and then could not bring herself to understand religion, as manifested by those around her; to a person who in the time of severe trial becomes one who will “keep the law given by God; sanctioned by man.”

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