Kept in the Dark

One of the constant motifs in Jane Eyre is the idea of hiding in the shadows, or remaining in the darkness. During her employment at Thornfield Hall, Jane is always placing herself in dark corners or hiding under the cover of shadows. Even in a room full of people, she purposefully "[sits] in shade" and "the window-curtain half hides [her]" from any attention (251). Jane's willingness to literally be "kept in the dark" and unnoticed is indicative of not only her reserved, docile upbringing at Lowood, but a greater theme of the strength and purity of inexperience that is present throughout the entire novel.

These moments of making herself physically scarce or undetected often occur at moments where she is lacking in experience or information. For example, when she watches the game of charades (or more accurately, Rochester and Miss Ingram as they watch the game of charades) Jane observes that these wealthy people act "in conformity to ideas and principles instilled into them, doubtless, from their childhood" (266). Jane remarks that she "could not fathom" why they would participate in this way, and attributes this lack of knowledge to her lower class status (266). While this game goes on, Jane herself is tucked into her seat in the window, silent and almost non-existent.

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Another stronger moment of her ignorance is when she must take care of Mr. Mason while Rochester gets a doctor. Jane is physically left in the darkness of the room, and she is also unaware of what secret hides up there with her. "What crime was this, that lived incarnate in this sequestered mansion, and could neither be expelled nor subdued by the owner? - What mystery, that broke out, now in fire and now in blood, at the deadest hours of night?" she wonders (292). Even though she is in a frightening and confusing situation, Jane's uninformed but willing commitment to something she does not understand makes her a strong ally to Rochester.

The fact that Jane does not understand the reasons behind certain on-goings around her gives her a kind of moral power that the other characters at Thornfield do not possess. This aspect of her character is something that Rochester is quick to point out, but instead of a flaw, it becomes something that gives Jane integrity and strength. She does not act in the same ways as Miss Ingram or any other woman in finer society, and this makes her all the more attractive to Rochester. Indeed, when comparing the activities of the other guests compared to Jane's quiet nature, it seems that they are much more frivolous and lack depth. Jane also is able to hide her nighttime experiences from the other servants of the house due to her romantic love (itself an emotion that she has little experience with) and respect for Rochester. And while she voluntarily puts herself into places where she cannot be noticed, her innocence allows her to be a woman who makes her own choices with dignity.