The Eye of the Beholder
"I thought you would be revolted, Jane, when you saw my arm, and my cicatrized visage"
-Rochester to Jane, pg. 485
Jane Eyre
But she was not. She loved him more than ever. Jane was never told she was pretty growing up. Being told she was plain had an effect on our heroine: she has learned to look past appearances. While her education at Lowood might have been strict, it nonetheless taught her and the rest of the girls a vaulable lesson:beauty is not what matters in life. Since the girls were made to dress uniformly, they learned to appreciate innner beauty, learning to love the soul and appreciate personality. Jane never thought Rochester was aesthetically pleasing ("do you think me handsome.....no sir" pg. 149) His mind, his wit is what captivated Jane. The fire did not destroy that; it remained intact. "Beauty" can fade, but your mind stays with you your whole life.
-Rochester to Jane, pg. 485
Jane Eyre
But she was not. She loved him more than ever. Jane was never told she was pretty growing up. Being told she was plain had an effect on our heroine: she has learned to look past appearances. While her education at Lowood might have been strict, it nonetheless taught her and the rest of the girls a vaulable lesson:beauty is not what matters in life. Since the girls were made to dress uniformly, they learned to appreciate innner beauty, learning to love the soul and appreciate personality. Jane never thought Rochester was aesthetically pleasing ("do you think me handsome.....no sir" pg. 149) His mind, his wit is what captivated Jane. The fire did not destroy that; it remained intact. "Beauty" can fade, but your mind stays with you your whole life.
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Diana Geleskie on The Eye of the Beholder: I got something else from that
Jennifer Prex on The Eye of the Beholder: That is a good lesson to learn
Jennifer Prex on The Eye of the Beholder: That is a good lesson to learn
That is a good lesson to learn. And you're right, I think it had to be Lowood that taught her that lesson. Even in that time, it seemed as if the mainstream society placed too much worth in appearance. Lowood was separated from all of that and taught those values.
I got something else from that passage. No, Jane wasn't revolted by Mr. Rochester's maiming, but it did make her a cut above him appearance-wise. She didn't have that opportunity anywhere else, including Lowood. So I think she had the values to look above appearance, but that in reality if mattered to her still - because Mr. Rochester's maiming was one of the things that endeared him to her finally resulting in their marriage.