Forgive and Forget

Now that I have read the classical novel, Jane Eyre, I feel that this book has made me look life from a different point of view. When I read what Jane went throughout her childhood, and how she didn’t let an issue affect her way of trying to be successful; it made me realize that I shouldn’t let a little thing affect my dreams and goals, and affect my life. Like Jane did, I should forgive and forget, because if I constantly think about what that person did to me, I won’t be able to proceed and be successful. This is why I think that it’s better to forgive the person and forget about the issue. For instance, Richard, tell us in his blog, “It can only hurt you if you let it”: “…we shouldn’t care about what others think of us. Every hurtful statement is only said to focus on your weaknesses and to make you submissive. Basically it's just said to belittle you. The statements cannot hurt you physically, but only mentally. We leave ourselves vulnerable to the insult and it somehow finds its way to hurt us mentally”. This statement proves how you really shouldn’t let anything bring you down. Keep your head up high at all times, just like Jane did. Jane, was able to forget and forgive Mr. Rochester and her aunt, Mrs. Reed. She forgave Mr. Rochester’s lie; in which he didn’t tell Jane that he was previously married to some other woman, Bertha Mason. And she also forgave Mrs. Reed, for not loving and caring for Jane in her childhood, for treating her poorly, and also for not telling Jane that she had a family; and that she wasn’t alone in this world.

Throughout Jane’s life there has been many closed doors, but that isn’t an issue for Jane: she opens those closed doors until she finds what she wants. Jane, finds the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow: her happiness along with Edward Rochester. She forgives him for not telling her that he had previously been married to Bertha, but she doesn‘t marry him how they are supposed to in the first time. Eduardo explains it in one of his blogs: "In the end it seems that even though Mr. Rochester's actions are justified: love wasn't enough. Jane loves him: Jane can forgive him, but she will not stay with him. Love can cure many things but honesty unfortunately comes first...Honesty is number one”. Nevertheless, Jane has forgotten about how KAEH tells us in his blog “At the End of the Day Destiny Prevails”: “Society tried to stop these two character's love by threatening to judge her of only wanting to move up in social status by marrying Rochester”. Jane moved along with her love towards Mr. Rochester, and didn’t care what others would say. At the end of the day, she follows her heart, even though earlier in her life she has doubted herself for loving him; “You have nothing to do with the master of Thornfield, further than to receive the salary he gives you for teaching his protégée, and to be grateful for such respectful and kind treatment as, if you do your duty, you have the right to expect at his hands. Be sure that is the only tie he seriously acknowledges between you and him: so don't make the object of your fine feelings, your raptures, agonies, and so forth. He is not of your order: keep to your caste; and be too self-respecting to lavish the love of the whole heart, soul. And strength, where such a gift is not wanted and would be despised”. (165)

Jane shows us how her personality changes throughout the book. She used to be a little girl that couldn’t really express her feelings; because she was dependent on Mrs. Reed’s care. Mrs. Reed wouldn’t treat her like her niece, she would take out her wrath out in poor Jane. And when I say poor, I mean as in money wise, but also as defend less. Mrs. Reed had told Jane she had no family, no money, nothing! She was alone in this cruel world. And even though she has treated Jane poorly, Jane, never feels resentment for Mrs. Reed, and Jane shows us how kind she is, and respectful to Mrs. Reed when she was dying; “Yes, Aunt Reed. How are you, dear aunt?”. (234) Why would Jane say such thing? Mrs. Reed, in my opinion has no right to be respected by Jane. It should be the opposite; Jane should be the one respected by her “aunt”. In my opinion, Mrs. Reed should beg Jane for forgiveness, for treating her poorly. Furthermore, Jane proofs to the readers to be a forgiven individual; she doesn’t take no resentments for no one. But yet it makes me wonder, if Jane is being respectful either because her aunt is about to die or because she just decided to forget about it, now that she has found happiness?

“The most important thing that I have learned while reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë is to not let anyone or anything make you feel inferior by what people say. If people ever push you around, do everything you can to make the abuse stop. Don't listen to what they have to say if you know it is false. It doesn't matter what other people say as long as you know what is true about yourself and what is not”, from Eric’s blog “Don’t Listen to Them”. This is the same thing I was able to get from reading Jane Eyre, now I view life from a different angle. Jane went through a lot, and yet she is able to get back up again, and not look back. Jane, doesn’t care anymore about what people think about her. She’s able to forget about the bad times and forgive the people that did her wrong. Sometimes I wished I can just do what Jane did, forget about the past and don’t look back, but is hard to do so. I’m not as a strong woman as Jane is, but I do try my best. Nevertheless, I think forgiving Mr. Rochester was one of the best things Jane did throughout the book. Even though, earlier in the book I didn’t approve of this illicit relationship, now I have a different view of the book. Now, I can see that their love is bigger than the criticism of others, and I’m glad that Jane didn’t listened to them. If Jane, would’ve had stayed with St. John, the book would’ve turn out to have a different ending. Jane would of not being as happy as she is now. Maybe she would’ve still being independent, but without happiness. But at the end of the day she went back to Ferndean, and stayed by Mr. Rochester’s side. Now at this point of her life there is nothing that can prevent them to live happily ever after; Bertha is now dead, and she has been forgotten, Mrs. Reed is also dead, but she has been forgiven. At the end, we learn that is better to forgive and forget, and to not look back.

The risk in running away

Picture taken by: John-Morgan

"What have you heard? What do you see?" asked St. John. I saw nothing, but I heard a voice somewhere cry -

"Jane! Jane! Jane!"--nothing more.

"O God! what is it?" I gasped.

I might have said, "Where is it?" for it did not seem in the room-- nor in the house--nor in the garden; it did not come out of the air- -nor from under the earth--nor from overhead. I had heard it-- where, or whence, for ever impossible to know! And it was the voice of a human being--a known, loved, well-remembered voice--that of Edward Fairfax Rochester; and it spoke in pain and woe, wildly, eerily, urgently.

"I am coming!" I cried. "Wait for me! Oh, I will come!" I flew to the door and looked into the passage: it was dark. I ran out into the garden: it was void.

"Where are you?" I exclaimed.

The hills beyond Marsh Glen sent the answer faintly back--"Where are you?" I listened. The wind sighed low in the firs: all was moorland loneliness and midnight hush." (427)

I always knew that Jane Eyre a woman in love with Eward Fairfax Rochester was going to break down and lose it. I had a feeling that this moment would come. Jane has gone through homelessness and heart breaking situations;she has hidden her feelings for a long period of time. Jane tried to hide her feelings, and for to long she has pretended to be firm and strong when her distance from her loved one (Mr. Rochester) was killing her. Finally, she broke down and started to hear the voice of Mr. Rochester calling her name. I don't think Jane was going crazy; I think she just heard what she wanted to hear. When she asked for guidance: "Show me, show me the path!" I entreated of Heaven." the voice of human in need of help calling her name. It just so happens to be that the timing Jane heard the voice of Mr. Rochester was when she was reconsidering St. John's offer: to marry him and go to India. Luckily, Jane realized that she couldn't run away from her problems that she had left behind in Thornfield Hall.

Running away from your problems isn't a very good idea because when you run away you leave behind the possibility for change without your consent. What I mean by this is that, when you leave or run away you take yourself out of the possibility of changing outcomes. One I know for sure is that you will always cross the same path you used to get away from a problem. For example, what would have happened if she would have stayed and become Mr. Rochester's other women. Would she have met her cousins? Would have Mr. Rochester lost his eyesight and hand? Would she have become an independent woman? Also these question lead to a decision. Jane took the risk of running away. Yes, Mr. Rochester lost his eyesight and hand but that didn't matter to Jane. Jane had earned so much more in return.

Confidence

Mr. Rochester: "It is not its cure. Reformation may be its cure; and I could reform-- I have strength yet for that-- if-- but where is the use of thinking of it, hampered, burdened, cursed as I am? Besides, since happiness irrevocably denied me, I have a right to get pleasure out of life: and I will get it, cost what it may." (pg. 138-139)

This quote gave me a better sense of who Mr. Rochester really is. It kind of made me feel bad for him because it seems as if he can never find true happiness because something always goes wrong. Mr. Rochester isn't a bad person, so why shouldn't he be able to live a life full of happiness? All he wants is to be happy.
I like how this quote shows his attitude towards life. It shows that he is not a quitter. He is the type of person who is willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants and wherever he wants.
I like this about him because I myself don't really like to give up. I try my hardest not to be a quitter. I like to finish what I start. To me, quitting shows people your weak spots, and you should always show that you are strong.
This quote also makes Mr. Rochester look like a pretty confident person. In the last sentence, he makes it clear that he is going to get pleasure out of life, not just think about it and ignore it. He knows what he wants and he is willing to do whatever it takes to get it.