Who Is John A Foil In Jane Eyre

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Jane Eyre, a diary written by Charlotte Bronte, is told by the perspective of a young, fiery woman by the name of Jane, who comes into contact with two men. Two men who ultimately guide her towards two life paths, forcing her to choose one, leaving the other behind. In the novel, Jane is faced with the choice between two potential husbands, Rochester, the fiery man for whom she loves truly or St. John, a more icey, practical choice for Jane, creating an significant difficult choice. In the end, Jane chooses Rochester leaving behind St. John, which shows how Jane is better suited for Rochester because of their similar moralities, life goals, and indestructible bond.

In the novel, St. John distinctly serves as a foil to Rochester, for he proves to the reader that their moralities are weaved into the final decision Jane is ultimately faced with. While Rochester plays the role as the passionate, fiery man, St. John conveys the complete opposite, a cold and hard-hearted man. When St. John demands that marriage is the only ticket Jane has to India to serve the greater good, Jane is taken aback from the cruel demeanor he conveys. Jane then begins to confide in the reader, “Reader, do …show more content…

John. Even though she becomes a second away from accepting St. John’s proposal, hearing ‘Jane! Jane! Jane!’ (Bronte XXXV) from “the voice of a human being—a known, loved, well-remembered voice—that of Edward Fairfax Rochester,” was more than enough for jane to choose Rochester. She reconciled and knew that passion ruled over duty because that’s what she strived to have the most. Jane being a fiery, passionate person herself, realizes that she is entitled to choose what she wants, rather than what God or other’s want her to choose. Jane’s decision was quite easy, picking passion and true love over service and