Question

Which statement describes Helen’s basic philosophy in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë?(I know it's NOT b)

Answer 1

Answer:

a. Endure injustice with patience.

d. The abuse of power is wrong.

Explanation:

Charlotte Bronte's gothic romantic novel "Jane Eyre" tells the story of the title character Jane who was orphaned and had to endure hardships. But in the end, through everything, she also got true love and has a happy ending.

1. Helen Burns is the friend of Jane during their days in school at Lowood. Helen personifies the image of patience and anything that represents humility. Helen never complains nor resist any form of injustice. Rather she silently endured whatever was meted to her, and she gladly accepts all. Her basic philosophy seems to be to endure injustice with patience.

2. Charlotte Bronte, through Jane, seems to reflect the philosophical assumption that the abusive power of those "superior" is wrong. this can be seen in the cases of when John tried to 'force' marry Jane. Also, the schoolmaster Mr. Brocklehurst, her aunt Mrs. Reed all show this 'power' over her and the people they deemed to be unfit for the society and 'lower' than them.

Answer 2

a. Endure injustice with patience This is the correct option.

Helen is a staunch Christian. She thinks that one should turn the other cheek to hardship. Helen strongly believes in her faith, which makes her be patient and tolerant.

d. The abuse of power is wrong. This is the correct option.

Charlotte Brontë is against the nineteenth-century Evangelical movement. She reflects this through the religious characters. Mr. Brocklehurst is  a hypocrite since his family lives  at the expense of the students from Lowood  and he is also abusive with the students. He punishes students at school severly. Then, St. John Rivers does not respect Jane's real feelings. He obliges her to marry him just to fulfill his personal religious ambitions. These characters exercise power over the other characters.

These options are not right:

b. Fight injustice with truth. ( Helen has a religious not a rational idea of truth).

c. Answer injustice with violence ( Helen bears violence herself)

d. Eliminate injustice with reform. ( Helen dies and has not started any reform).

a. The passage of time heals all wounds.(  Through Jane, who wants to strike a balance between religious thoughts and earthly pleasures, Brontë believes that  wounds are part of real  life).

b. The tenderness of youth is forgotten in later years. ( Brontë's focus is on criticising the Evangelical movement. She is not interested in the loss of youth's tenderness).

c. The importance of friendship cannot be underestimated. ( There is an idea that goes beyond friendship: what religion does to a person's way of life).