A first impression of Rochester that he is crazy, and he has some issues. It is interesting to see him stroll in a door acting one way, then come out acting completely different. Bronte hints to us, using Mrs. Fairfax and Rochester's rambling, that his issues are deeply embedded in his past. Maybe we will find out about these later or they might just drift out of the central plot.
During of Rochester's and Jane's conversations, many life themes are discussed. One that got me thinking was when they were talking about Adele. Rochester was discussing his past and that led into Adele's. How there were questions about who was they father, and how the mom just left her. At the end of Rochester's description he says, "you will perhaps think differently of your post and protogee". This is an important question about how different people think differently. Should you not get a job because you have a criminal record, or even because your parents had a criminal record. Should you not be allowed to reproduce because you have genetical disease history? These are controversial issues today. Jane responds well saying that Adele's past doesn't affect the way she feels about her. jane does not judge or dwell on the past, she focouses on the future instead, which is a very important trait many need to improve upon. Live in the now.
1 comment:
Very astute observations! (Nice post). I like your bit about Rochester changing in the time it takes him to cross the threshold of a door (neat, subtle reference to transitional states, there). Is he crazy? By nature or by circumstance? Does his willingness to take in Adele (whom it seems clear that he hasn't fathered) speak ill or well of him? This issue of how we judge characters in general (and Rochester in particular) will become even more pressing in chapters to come.
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