In chapter 17, what is the impact of Jane describing her
love for Rochester as "germs of love"? How can you relate the love to
"germs"?
Do you feel like she REALLY tries not to have feelings for him? She keeps forcing herself not to feel for him - but does she truly believe that's the best route to take?
I think that by Jane describing her love for Rochester as "germs", the reader can see the love/hate relationship of her feelings for him. Although people may fall ill from harmful germs, some germs are essential for our survival. Even if we disinfect everything around us, it is impossible to get rid of all germs. This compares to her love for Rochester as something that she cannot run from. I think that she doesn't want to love Rochester, but it is inevitable to stop loving someone. She tries to avoid him and place distance between the two after she believes that Mr. Rochester will marry Ingram. These attempts obviously failed because she is not able to control her feelings. She probably does not believe that being without Rochester is the best route, which leads her to confess her love for him in the end.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteChristian LoftonFebruary 25, 2015 at 7:25 PM
I believe that Jane describes her love for Rochester as "germs" with the intention of saying that she is "contaminated" with his love and she needs to be "healed." After seeing the way in which he interacts with Miss. Ingram, his soon to be wife, and the differences between them, Jane feels as if she does not have a chance with Rochester and that she must force herself to stop loving him. However, it is apparent that Jane can't stop loving Rochester as she continues to fawn over him. This is how her love for him can be seen as "germs," it's almost as if she is infected by it and cannot heal. Jane also finds herself trying to un-love Rochester a countless amount of times throughout these chapters, such as leaving dinner early or trying to keep her distance from Rochester and his guests. By doing so, Jane is trying to get rid of her feelings for him, though she cannot seem to do it. In such cases, I do believe Jane is trying not to have feelings for him, but it never works. Even when she convinces herself that he will never love someone below his caste, or tries to leave Thornfield to forget about Rochester, she knows that being without Rochester is not the best route to take. At the end of chapter twenty-three she realizes that she can no longer hide her feelings and that she must be with Rochester in order to be happy.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think that Jane relates to "germs of love" because germs can infect you as can love. Germs can be put on you and spread all over you without realizing it. Love is the same way. Jane is not expecting to love Rochester but his love slowly urges upon Jane and infects her like a germ. Jane does try not to have feelings for Rochester but as I said she slowly starts to fall for him uncontrollably. Jane does not think that trying to not fall in love with Rochester is the best route because even though she does not want to love him at first she knows deep down inside her that she does love him and wants him. She knows she will end up with him so she kind of makes it as an excuse to try to not love him but she knows she really does and that its not a good route to try not to love him.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Jane refers to as "germs of love" is that love can easily affect you as germs. These "germs of love" referenced my Jane is something that she couldn't avoid from Rochester. Rochester has affected Jane with his "germs of love" and slowly it is infecting her and getting her "sick". Sick meaning that Jane is slowly falling in love with Rochester and she can't avoid it. She knows what he is doing is trying to get her to fall in love with him and slowly it is working like a sickness. Her excuses are like her body's immune system and is trying to fight off the infection of love and eventually she gives in to his love.
ReplyDelete