Rough Draft
The Significance of Helen Burns
In many novels, such as Jane Eyre, authors provide characters that deeply influence and affect the way main characters think and act, but then leave the equation somehow. In Jane Eyre Helen Burns and Jane were introduced to one another at Lowood School for girls, and Helen taught Jane about religion, moral values, a focusing on making life a positive experience. Helen Burns, soon after Jane has become attached, dies from a mysterious disease. When Jane has her first encounter with Helen Burns the reader can immediately notice a change in her character due to the simple fact that she spoke with a stranger and stepped outside of her comfort zone. She then begins to formulate a relationship with Helen through books and other child like ideas. Author of Shameful Significance: Narrative and Feeling Jane Eyre Ashly Bennett agrees with the idea as she says “…and an intense bond between Jane and Helen develops that is especially forged through shameful reading.” Through conversations between Helen and Jane the reader can infer that Helen enjoys making her own decisions in life and about people. It’s important to remember because Jane learns that not all people are the same, and she also learns she can evolve into someone completely opposite from others just by the choices she makes. The most important aspect of Helen Burns was her philosophy on life, religion, and decisions. She felt as though everything happens for a reason and that God put obstacles in your life as test. She also felt as though you control your reactions to the positive and or negative things that happen in your life, so you have to figure out a way to ignore and accept those things. Ashley Bennett also agrees with the fact that Helen teaches Jane to be more accepting as she says “…Jane is frustrated in an easy application of a sympathetic hermeneutics to Helen’s compelling spectacle…as Helen “neither wept not blushed,” and appears “composed, though grave.” Instead,
In many novels, such as Jane Eyre, authors provide characters that deeply influence and affect the way main characters think and act, but then leave the equation somehow. In Jane Eyre Helen Burns and Jane were introduced to one another at Lowood School for girls, and Helen taught Jane about religion, moral values, a focusing on making life a positive experience. Helen Burns, soon after Jane has become attached, dies from a mysterious disease. When Jane has her first encounter with Helen Burns the reader can immediately notice a change in her character due to the simple fact that she spoke with a stranger and stepped outside of her comfort zone. She then begins to formulate a relationship with Helen through books and other child like ideas. Author of Shameful Significance: Narrative and Feeling Jane Eyre Ashly Bennett agrees with the idea as she says “…and an intense bond between Jane and Helen develops that is especially forged through shameful reading.” Through conversations between Helen and Jane the reader can infer that Helen enjoys making her own decisions in life and about people. It’s important to remember because Jane learns that not all people are the same, and she also learns she can evolve into someone completely opposite from others just by the choices she makes. The most important aspect of Helen Burns was her philosophy on life, religion, and decisions. She felt as though everything happens for a reason and that God put obstacles in your life as test. She also felt as though you control your reactions to the positive and or negative things that happen in your life, so you have to figure out a way to ignore and accept those things. Ashley Bennett also agrees with the fact that Helen teaches Jane to be more accepting as she says “…Jane is frustrated in an easy application of a sympathetic hermeneutics to Helen’s compelling spectacle…as Helen “neither wept not blushed,” and appears “composed, though grave.” Instead,