To understand the significance of the conversation that took place between Jane Eyre and Helen, when Helen was about to die, we must first understand the significance of Helen’s character in the story. The reader can definitely notice that Helen served as a foil to both Mr. Brocklehurst and Jane. However, in this particular case, we’re not really interested in the correlation between Mr. Brocklehurst and Helen, yet, it’s important to understand the role she played for Mr. Brocklehurst in order to build our arguments on the character of Helen and what she offered to the story. It’s undeniable that Helen had strength and intellectual maturity; yet, she always negated herself rather than assuring herself (“I make no effort; I follow as inclination guides me. There is no merit in such goodness” (page68)) thus highlighting on the other end Jane’s headstrong character. Helen saw no justice in this world and thus never put effort in finding justice on earth: “we are, and must be, one and all, burdened with faults in this world”; she was sure that God’s ultimate judgment was to give her justice (in heaven) (“if we were dying in pain and shame, if scorn smote us on all sides, and hatred crushed us, angels see our tortures, recognize our innocence, and God waits only the separation of spirit from flesh to crown us with a full reward”) (page83). She believed in the presence of God and heaven. Jane on the other hand was constantly in the pursuit of justice on earth; she didn’t have a blind faith such as Jane and was always searching for love and happiness among mankind. It’s important to note that despite the fact that Jane didn’t have a blind faith, she always counted on God for support and guidance in her pursuit of happiness in this world: “I was silent, Helen had calmed me” (page85) (Jane was convinced with Helen’s godly advice and thus, inductively, she approved it). Now, having understood the differences between Helen and Jane’s characters, we can comprehend the significance of what Helen had said as she was longing to die since she believed in God, and in him only did she see justice and everlasting happiness. Also, being Jane’s best friend, Helen’s words had to a certain extent an effect on Jane’s mentality. Helen having a mind on her own and never fearing to express her beliefs provided Jane’s character with a totally new different way of thinking although instantly it didn’t show.
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