Jane Fairfax was adopted by the Campbell family and they treated her with love and warmth. “That nature had given it in feature could not be unseen by the young woman, nor could her higher powers of mind be unfelt by the parents.” (Austen 129) Here, Austen points out that they considered themselves Jane’s parents and did not differentiate between her and her daughter Miss Campbell. They enabled her to obtain an education like their own daughters and give her the freedom to leave when she wants. …show more content…
Other members of society are also kind to her and everyone is ready to help her when necessary. She is brought up with the idea of being respectable and worthy. Although she knows that she belongs to another class, she does not accept it in the same way her aunt Miss Bates and her grandmother do. Jane Fairfax does not face cruelty by the upper middle class and although she is sometimes made aware of her position, they do so gently and no one has the intention of hurting or pitying her in her presence. This is why she considers herself one of them. When Mrs Elton wants to find her a job as a governess, she tries to put herself in Jane’s position in order to empathise with her. Jane Fairfax actually considers herself equals with Frank Churchill as to class. This is why she does not want to work as a governess. However, another reason for her refusal to work as a governess is her upbringing. Since respectable women do not work for money and Jane Fairfax was brought up to be a respectable woman, working is not what she expects from life. Marriage and love, on the other hand, are exactly what Jane expects and marrying Frank Churchill is the best thing that can happen to her. However, she does not want to marry for money but for love and with the motivation of saving herself from having to work and endure …show more content…
In contrast to Jane Fairfax, Jane Eyre still wants to work as a governess when she marries Mr Rochester to show that her intention is not money but the love for Mr Rochester because she also wants freedom in marriage and cannot bear a life she cannot control. “I don’t think, sir, you have the right to command me, merely because you are older than I, or because you have seen more of the world than I have; your claim to superiority depends on the use you have made of your time and experience.” (Bronte 135) Jane Eyre does not bow to the rules of others and refuses to do things she does not agree with; instead she sets her own limits, and makes decisions without losing her