After years of emotional and physical abuse, I cannot imagine how liberating this scene was for Jane. Even as the reader, it was extremely satisfying hearing Jane stand up against her aunt in such a strong, and independent manner. By severing her ties with the Reed family, Jane can now leave her past life behind and focus on the future; though the emotional trauma from her childhood will remain in her memories, this speech allowed Jane to let out years of anger and resentment that was pent up inside her for so long. Thus far in the novel, it is clear that Jane wants nothing to do with her aunt, and for good reason. 

However, I am curious to see whether her feelings towards her aunt will change in the future. A particular scene I remember was when Helen was unfairly scolded by Miss Scratcherd. Without hesitance, Helen accepts her punishment and forgoes the situation with forgiveness. Jane is outraged by Miss Scratcherd’s actions, and even more so shocked by Helen’s calm behavior. After meeting Helen, who lives by the idea of “forgiveness”, readers can see Jane becoming a more level-headed individual; and though Helen has passed away, the advice/wisdom she gave to Jane will continue to remain with her. As I continue reading this novel, it will be interesting to see if Jane ever goes back to Gateshead Hall, and if she speaks to her aunt ever again. 

It is apparent that Mr. Rochester holds many secrets, one of them being Grace Poole’s mysterious demonic screams. Why does he want Jane to not speak of what happened, and what does he mean by calling Grace Poole “singular”? These are among the many questions I have regarding Thornehill and its peculiar nature. I am curious to see how Mr. Rochester is connected to the supernatural occurrences and if he is the cause of it. 

Though Mr. Rochester is clearly in love with Jane, as of now, he has not revealed the truth and continues to keep secrets from her. I wonder what is holding him back from telling the truth. Perhaps he is scared what Jane will think, or maybe he has to hide things as a safety precaution. Whatever it may be, it is obvious that Jane’s curiosity will only continue to grow and it will be interesting to see how she deals with an influx of emotions; maybe she will produce more artwork. 

In Chapter 16 Jane draws two portraits, one of herself and one of Blanche. She depicts herself as a “homely” figure and then draws a romantic image of Blanche. In terms of wealth and class, the difference in style reflects her inferiority to Blanche as Mr. Rochester’s potential lover. Feeling sorrowful and down, Jane chooses to draw her inner thoughts as a way to express her deepest emotions. There are probably a lot more “hidden meanings” to dissect in Jane’s paintings, but as of now, I see her work as a direct reflection of her inner thoughts. Perhaps I will see a connection between the future events and the paintings that were mentioned thus far in the novel.

The image shown below is close to what I imagine Jane's ocean painting looks like. 

Years have passed and Mrs. Reed still treats Jane horribly. Despite her cruel words, Jane assumes a forgiving role and even apologies for what happened in the past. Though Mrs. Reed is clearly at fault for the events that occurred, Jane still tries to heal their difficult relationship. The difference between current Jane and her past self is her ability to forgive and suppress her true emotions. If I were Jane, I am not sure whether I could be so forgiving to a person that caused me so much pain and suffering. It is in this case that I can see Helen’s influence on Jane as an adult. Their friendship truly had a profound impact on Jane’s character. Seeing how forgiving Jane is towards her evil aunt, I wonder if she will apply this same attitude towards Mr. Rochester. There are clear parallels between the Mr. Rochester and Mrs. Reed. Similar to how he hides away Bertha from Jane, Mrs. Reed conceals the fact that Jane’s uncle had requested custody of her. Both of these characters lied in order to fulfill their selfish desires. 

Jane’s sense of self worth and dignity has remained as a common thread throughout the novel. However, I feel that in this particular scene, the audience can clearly see the strength of Jane’s character. Though she considers staying with Rochester, the dream she has of her mother reinforces her resolve to leave. I believe that her dream could either be an expression by the supernatural, or an insight into Jane’s subconscious mind. Whatever it may be, Jane’s dream solidifies the idea that leaving Thornfield would best fit her path to self-respect and independence. Jane knows her self-worth and how much value she holds as an individual. Therefore, she resists her own temptation and prioritizes virtue over her love for Mr. Rochester. Though living as Rochester's mistress would mean that she could stay with whom she loves, at the same time, she would lose her independence. Jane therefore cannot choose to glue herself down to someone that would have more control over her life.

Though the characters Jane and St. John both value religion, their approach to Christianity and life differs greatly. St. John, a solitary and serious character, believes that he must sacrifice what truly makes him happy in order to fulfill his mission for God. Even when his lover was married, he limited himself from feeling any negative emotions. His sole purpose of proposing to Jane was to accompany him as a traditional religious wife. Though he does not love her, he is willing to set aside his own feelings in order to feel virtuous. Jane on the other hand, values the freedom to experience passion and love. She does not find the need to sacrifice herself in order to become virtuous; therefore Jane rejects St. John's idea of love and acts on her personal feelings as an individual who is deserving of happiness.