Jane Eyre a Quest for Maturity free essay sample

In the novel Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Bronte, Jane gradually matures until she is an independent woman. To achieve this state of autonomy, she must first make some life-changing decisions which mark major turning points in the story. Her first step to establishing herself as a self-sufficient woman occurs when she decides to leave Lowood, as she states, â€Å"I desired liberty; for liberty I gasped; for liberty I uttered a prayer†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (page 72). Jane indicates in this plea that she undoubtedly desires freedom, since she had been living at the Lowood School for eight years. She therefore decides to find a job, which would liberate her from the school, satisfying her yearning for freedom. Jane’s actions of applying for a job by herself illustrate a significant amount of maturity, as she performs the task on her own, not needing any assistance, or even receiving a suggestion to do so. She additionally shows a brilliant amount of awareness of her financial and social situations, knowing that in order to fulfill her pursuit for freedom she must also have financial support through a job. We will write a custom essay sample on Jane Eyre: a Quest for Maturity or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Jane will soon after experience a great number of events after becoming a governess, eventually leaving Thornfield, the mansion in which she found her job. Soon after starting a new one, St. John, a local minister who had allowed her to live in his home for a while, visits Jane to tell her of the death of her uncle John Eyre. He explains about the vast fortune that she has inherited from him, along with her kinship with him and his sisters. Jane is appalled, yet without even much recollection, is determined to divide her inheritance with her cousins. In doing so, she undeniably establishes a large amount of maturity and selflessness in herself, showing how she is able to use her kindness even in situations with a magnitude of importance such as this. If she had not shared the money, it is possible that Jane could be considered to be taking a step back in her maturing process, as doing so would be selfish and heartless. In addition, Jane’s whole approach to her life changes a good deal, as she now knows that she has relations who will not reject her, but rather offer support. However, her love for Mr. Rochester will soon compel her to leave them. She travels back to Thornfield Hall, where she discovers that the old mansion had been burnt down by his insane wife. Jane learns of his gallant actions of saving others from the fire, which led to a crippled hand and blindness. She visits him at Ferndean Manor, and her love for Mr. Rochester is evoked right away. She learns that he has finally realized himself because of all the physical and mental pain he experienced. He explains to Jane, â€Å"I began to see and acknowledge the hand of God in my doom. I began to experience remorse, repentance; the wish for reconcilement to my Maker. (page 380) Jane’s decision to return to Mr. Rochester thus becomes very significant in her life, since his evident rebirth signifies that her pursuit of love is finally over, and she is his equal. By recognizing herself as his counterpart, Jane knows that she has become fully matured, and that she may remain independent, as Mr. Rochester could easily be considered inferior to her due to his phy sical state. Therefore, Jane fulfills her quest for maturity through making wise decisions throughout the novel, starting with just finding a job, to sharing a fortune, and finally by returning to Mr. Rochester.