Deception can be used as a noble shield to protect someone from a hideous truth that can be to their undoing, or it can be a means of intentionally destroying someone; destroying their happiness, their trust, and their peace with the vile vice that is deception. How can the motive for the deception be determined? A straightforward answer is rarely available, and it must be something that the reader decides for him or herself. By examining specific evidence, a conclusion can be drawn about one’s character. Jane Eyre is the subject here. Her use of deception is the variable to be scrutinized. By examining the facts of her case, one can determine whether her deception was of a heroic or a devilish nature. Jane deceives softly. Especially at the beginning of the novel, it’s difficult to detect her kind of deception. Her subtle deception is first apparent when she’s a child under the care of her aunt, Mrs. Reed. Mrs. Reed frequently abuses her, claiming that Jane is a disagreeable girl. When in reality, Jane is not disagreeable in the slightest. Here is when she deceives: Jane doesn’t deny the false accusations against her when she’s blamed for something she didn’t do, but rather she accepts the words of disapproval and pretends that she fits the mold that she is thought to be a part of. …show more content…
What does this inheritance have to do with it? It’s not about the inheritance itself that releases Jane from this life of deceit, but it’s what the inheritance represents to Jane. The inheritance unlocks a floodgate of independence into the life of Jane. For the first time, Jane feels that she is in charge of herself. No longer is someone else in command of her life; Jane is free. She is free to accept herself and to live so outrageously independently that she doesn’t feel the need to deceive anymore. She isn’t afraid of anyone else, nor the person who she