Summary
Jane soon loves Moor House, and finds that Mary and Diana are indeed kindred spirits. They get along perfectly. Mary and Diana are better read than Jane is, but Jane is the best at drawing. They all learn from each other and study together, and overall have a pleasant, beneficial relationship. Diana is the leader of the trio, and the Rivers sisters are more talkative than Jane is. St John is much more reserved than his sisters are. He is blameless in his life and habits, but does not seem content. He rigorously follows his religious duties, but takes no pleasure from them. Jane decides to ask him if he has found a job for her, since he does not bring it up for a month. He avoids telling her at first, instead talking about how it is not very grand, and Jane may be disappointed. The position is teaching poor village girls in nearby Morton. Jane accepts happily. St. John is pleased, but predicts that she will leave soon for want of adventure. She replies that she has no ambition. St. John freaks out at the word ‘ambitious,’ and nervously asks how she knew he was so, though Jane was talking about herself. Diana tells Jane that St. John is as “inexorable as death” (412). Later, a letter comes to St. John, saying that the Rivers siblings’ uncle John is dead. They do not mourn, since they never knew him. They are disappointed that he gave all his wealth to their other relative who is as close to him as they are, though giving them even a little money would allow them to do a lot of good. Over the next few weeks, Moor House empties. Mary and Diana leave to be governesses, Jane leaves for the schoolhouse to teach, and St. John and Hannah leave for the parsonage.
Reaction
This chapter was fairly short and simple, as Jane recuperates in Moor House, and then gets ready to start her new job as a teacher. However, it would have been a lot shorter if St. John wouldn’t talk so much. To think I assumed he is a laconic man! When Jane asks about her new job, he rambles for three pages before he finally spits it out.
St. John is kinda suspicious to me. Why does he make such depressing sermons? Why did it take so long for him to tell Jane about the job offer? Why did he freak out about the word "ambitious"? Hm... Maybe I'm just missing Rochester. ROCHESTER? WHERE ARE YOU? Maybe he'll make Adele go to Jane's school. (Yeah, right, maybe in my dreams.) (I just really miss Rochester, okay?)
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