Quote: “Love me, then, or hate me, as you will,” I said at last, “you have my full and free foregiveness: ask now for God’s; and be at peace” Poor, suffering woman! it was too late for her to make now the effort to change her habitual frame of mind: living, she had ever hated me – dying, she must hate me still” (324)
Comment: We have discussed in class many times about what makes someone or something a monster. Last week my group and I discussed how someone can be considered a monster to one person but maybe adored by another. We talked about how Mrs.Reed must have considered Jane a monster but Bessie did not. Jane had many moments in which one may look at her actions and say that she was acting monstrously. Jane had originally stated that she will not like those who treat her poorly. She had said this to Helen who had a more Christian view of that opinion but Jane stuck with her first opinion. Seeing what she went threw, I could see why Jane felt this way.
She had left Mrs. Reed and her cousins for years but in this chapter, she returns due to Mrs.Reed’s health. To my surprise, Jane actually forgives Mrs.Reed even after finding out more devastating actions that Mrs.Reed took to spit Jane. These would include withholding the letter from Jane’s uncle, telling Jane’s uncle that Jane was dead, and not apologizing for how she treated Jane. All of these awful actions would have been hard for me to forgive let alone seeing Jane forgive her. Even when Mrs.Reed dies Jane is still okay with the fact that she died still hating Jane.
Seeing this from Jane showed me that maybe what Helen said stuck with her more then she thought. Or, was it her new surroundings? Seeing that Jane is able to forgive those who wronged her, will she be able to do that again? Mr.Rochester has played her ever since she met him. She even was willing to marry him after finding out that he was lying about getting married to another and that he was actually currently married to someone who was the one tormenting Jane at Thornfield.
Question: Given what Jane previously stated about not accepting those who do wrong to her, but now seeing her forgive Mrs. Reed. Will Jane be able to forgive Mr.Rochecster for his MANY lies and, if so, does Mr. Rochester deserve to be forgiven? Also, who is the monster now in the book?
