A Change Of Heart Essays Examples

Throughout the novel Jane Eyre, the central character constantly grows in her understanding of misfortune and forgiveness. In the beginning, the young heroine suffers her fate but is unfalteringly vindictive towards those who are mean to her, like her aunt Reed, with little consideration of their fate. By the end, Jane offers forgiveness to her aunt in light of the patience exhibited by her childhood friend Helen Burns and her conversation with Rochester in the orchard.
In Helen Burns, Jane experiences her first encounter with unquestioning understanding. Despite all the antagonism from her teacher and Mr. Brocklehurst, Helen focused on improving herself. This relationship is similar to that of Jane and Mrs. Reed. By reacting in the way that she did, Helen proves that it is possible to remain understanding in a comparable situation. Helen’s death probably further reinforced this attitude of constant humility. When she died, she left with little antagonism, despite being killed by a disease which was not anyone’s fault. This grace and lack of antagonism is something that a person cannot experience without being changed.
Particularly more influential to the change in attitude was Jane’s conversation with Rochester just before she travels to Gateshead. In this conversation, Rochester asks if forgiveness is possible despite confessed indiscretions. While this element is not monumental on its own, the level of desperation evidenced in his request may have triggered a reaction in Jane. Through this scene, she acknowledged the psychological need of people to receive forgiveness. Seeing such a need in her love interest only made Jane more likely to fulfill that request towards other people. Ultimately, while this forgiveness was not acknowledged, the fact that Jane offered it helped her move beyond her childhood.
As a child, Jane Eyre faced a large amount of emotional neglect and detachment at the hands of the Reeds, denying her the understanding of these connections. As a result, she never knew necessity of forgiveness and acceptance when leaving Gateshead. However, her interactions since then opened her eyes to this necessity. As a result, she would become a better person for emotional maturity and acceptance.