#14

Again in the story, religion is represented in a negative light, this time by St John. All of a sudden out of nowhere they find out that they are cousins and Jane is excited to have a new brother figure. He however takes their relationship in a wrong sense and decides that she would be a good missionary’s wife and would prove herself very useful to his vocation. Jane wants to go to India with him but not as his wife, however because of his strict beliefs, St John will only live with a woman if he is married to her and therefore decides that if she does come to India they must first be wed. He tries everything to convince her, but Jane turns down his offer. Religion in this book is always represented in an extremist sort of way. The characters love for religion and wanting to do the right thing often leads them to make wrong choices which do not benefit anyone. Grace Pool, However is the perfect example of someone who is the extreme opposite to a vastly religious person; she is the kind of person who will do anything for money, drinks, and doesn’t seem to have a sense of values. She does not hurt anyone however, although she seems scary and intimidating, she does nothing to hurt those around her. Brocklehurst, on the other hand, is a devout catholic but seems to cause pain to all of those he tries to correct. I feel happy that Jane has found some family, but am disappointed in St Johns, this twist of siblings or cousins even, wanting to marry each other is a bit obscene, it symbolizes some sort of wrong and affects her relationship with him greatly, Mary and her sister however, remain loving to Jane.