Home Description: Jane describes her new home, a modest cottage consisting of a small room with basic furniture and a small wardrobe. Her friends have helped her acquire some necessities.
Village School: Jane has started teaching at the village school. She has 20 pupils, most of whom cannot read or write, though some show an eagerness to learn. Jane notes the broad local accent and the mixed manners of her students.
Emotional Reflection
Initial Feelings: Jane admits feeling desolate and degraded initially due to the poverty and ignorance around her.
Determination and Principle: Despite the initial despair, she resolves to find happiness in her role and overcomes negative feelings.
Moral Dilemma: Jane reflects on her past decisions, particularly regarding Mr. Rochester, recognizing the correctness of her decision to adhere to principles rather than succumb to temptation.
External Environment
Evening Scene: Jane describes the serene evening outside her cottage and finds herself unexpectedly weeping over her separation from Mr. Rochester.
Encounter with St. John Rivers
St. John's Visit: St. John visits Jane, bringing a parcel from his sisters, and they discuss Jane's first day at school.
Advice from St. John: St. John advises Jane to persist in her current path and resist the temptation to return to her past life.
St. John's Personal Struggles
Career Reflection: St. John reflects on his own struggles with his vocation, expressing past dissatisfaction with his ministry and his decision to become a missionary.
Determination: He expresses his determination to overcome weaknesses and fulfill his missionary calling, finding purpose and resolve.
Miss Rosamond Oliver
Introduction: Miss Rosamond Oliver, a beautiful and wealthy young lady, visits. Jane describes Rosamond’s beauty in detail.
Interaction with St. John: Rosamond tries to engage St. John in conversation and invites him to visit her father, but he declines politely yet firmly.
Emotional Undercurrents: St. John exhibits a strong emotional response to Rosamond’s presence but controls his feelings, focusing on his missionary aspirations.
Themes and Character Dynamics
Duty vs. Desire: The chapter explores themes of duty, personal sacrifice, and the struggle between inclination and obligation, as depicted in both Jane's and St. John's experiences.
Inner Strength: Jane and St. John both grapple with inner battles, emphasizing the novel's theme of moral integrity and resilience.