Independence In Jane Eyre

Dr. Seuss once wisely said, “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” Characters throughout literature have been known to possess the ability to be oneself. Jane, the protagonist of Charlotte Brontё’s Jane Eyre, is an independent, strong woman, which is especially notable given the Victorian era in which the novel takes place. Throughout her journey in both adolescence and young adulthood, Jane remains true to herself and her own ideals. She is not afraid to stand up to others, even her own family. Jane is not afraid to stand out amongst her peers in her personal beliefs, and she is not afraid to take charge of her own life. Jane establishes her independence throughout the novel at her childhood home, school, and work, standing up for herself and her own beliefs on numerous occasions in both her personal and professional life. Brontё’s novel starts off with Jane living at Gateshead, the house of her aunt and cousins, the Reeds. Jane does not have a very strong relationship with any of them, but this is especially apparent with her cousin John, and her

In a conversation with Helen, Jane voices the opinion that you should not be kind to those who do not deserve kindness. Helen informs Jane that she will eventually change her mind, to which Jane says, “[b]ut I feel this, Helen: I must dislike those who, whatever I do to please them, persist in disliking me; I must resist those who punish me unjustly. It is as natural as that I should love those who show me affection, or submit to punishment when I feel it is deserved’” (Brontë, 61). At the point in time in which this conversation takes place, Jane is still very new to Lowood. She doesn’t have any friends. Instead of changing her opinion to agree with Helen’s she stays firm in her belief. Here, she displays that she is independent by not being afraid to stand out amongst her