In Chapter 14, Jane and Rochester had an indepth conversation. Rochester tells Jane that she is "not pretty any more than I am handsome." Then he calls her dumb. Jane just kind brushes it off like it's no big deal, even though it was kind of rude. Rochester then tells Jane that he is superior to her, and that his thoughts are "cankering as a rusty nail." Rochester envies Jane's "peace of mind", "clean conscience", and "unpolluted memory". Rochester is 20 years older than Jane and has indeed experienced more. This part of the story may explain why Rochester hasn't been the warmest guy.
My theory to why he is acting this way is because of Adele's mother. He tells Jane about Celine, who abandoned her daughter, Adele. Rochester doesn't want Adele to be an orphan so he takes her in, come to find out that there is possibility that Adele is his daughter. He is mean to Jane because he is jealous of her innocence. I feel like Rochester wishes he could just be young forever. Holden thought the same way.
Cool blog bridget! I like how you related a character from Jane Eyre to the Catcher in the Rye. I agree that Holden is like Mr Rochester in the jealousy of innocence, but he is very unlike Holden in the way that he talks. Holden would never tell anyone that they are ugly to their face, he would only think it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Alex on Holden not expressing his feeling torwards people in the way Mr. Rochester does. And Jane was also kind of an orphan to. But very nice post.
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