By Dara Olutimehin, Vanessa Le, Jason Luong, Jared Lyons, Marianne Pino, and Reuben Thomas

1. What is the literal meaning of Group 3’s prompt? 2. List some of the minor characters who played a significant part Jane’s life. 3. As one of Jane’s positive role models, what did Miss Temple encourage her to do? 4. How did Helen’s friendship with Jane define Jane’s moral values as a person? 5. How is the moment when Jane inherits her uncle’s money significant?

“In some works of literature, a character who appears briefly, or doesn’t appear at all, is a significant presence. Choose a novel or a play of literary merit and write an essay in which you show how such a character function's in the work. You may wish to discuss how the character affects action, theme, or the development of other characters.”

This literally means, we are to define a character that is mentioned very little in the novel and explain why their presence, or lack there of, is crucial to the novel Jane Eyre as a whole.

Throughout the novel Jane Eyre, minor characters such as Ms. Reed, Miss Temple, and Bertha Mason, each play a role in the development of Jane’s character by influencing her life both negatively and positively. These minor characters help lead up to major events that occur in Jane’s life.

“ ‘Love me, then, or hate me as you will,’ I said at last, ‘ you have my full and free forgiveness: ask now for God’s and be at peace.’”

Mrs. Reed was Jane’s aunt-by-marriage and childhood antagonist. On Mrs. Reed’s death bed, Jane forgives her for the horrible treatment Jane was given. This moment was noteworthy because it represents Jane’s emotional growth in the novel, an aspect crucial for a bildungsroman.

“Miss Temple had always something of serenity in her air, of state in her mien, of refined propriety in her language, which precluded deviation into the ardent, the excited, the eager: something which chastened the pleasure of those who looked on her and listened to her, by a controlling sense of awe; and such was my feeling now”

Miss Temple was the one of Jane’s first positive roles models in the novel. As Miss Temple was the only one that took the effort to determine whether Jane was really a liar or not, she becomes crucial to Jane’s development, encouraging her to search for the truth and to have a good education. These qualities would be important later for Jane when she becomes a governess and learns about Rochester's wife.

“What it was, whether beast or human being, one could not, at first sight, tell: it groveled, seemingly, on all fours; it snatched and growled like some strange wild animal: but it was covered with clothing, and a quantity of dark, grizzled hair, wild as a mane, hid its head and face.”

Bertha Mason is Rochester’s Creole wife that is insane and locked in the attic. She is the fanatical, exotic foil to Jane’s plain goodness. However, her brief meeting with Jane was significant in Jane’s development, because Bertha was the wild, emotional side to Jane, and with her existence, Jane realizes that she would lose all dignity and respect if she married Rochester at that moment in the novel.

In Lowood, Jane’s meeting and befriending of Helen was significant in the fact that it was in these scenes that Jane defines her moral values: fairness and equality. These principles that Jane establishes for herself remain a constant in her otherwise changing world, and throughout the novel she demonstrates this by adhering to these principles when faced with conflict.

In Thornfield, the revelation of Mr. Rochester’s wife, Bertha Mason, whom he “married fifteen years ago”, is considered a significant moment in the novel because her existence stops Jane and Edward’s wedding from taking place (Bronte 314). Ultimately this moment displays Jane as a strong woman because she doesn’t submit to becoming one of Mr. Rochester’s mistresses. Instead, out of “care” and “respect” for herself, Jane chooses her dignity over the love of her life and leaves Mr. Rochester (Bronte 342).

In Moorshead, Jane inherits her fortune and realizes that St. John, Diana, and Mary are actually her cousins. This is significant because it is here that Jane finally realizes that she is not alone in the world and she has blood relations. She also has enough money to be independent and strong, without having to depend on anyone.

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