Notes on Chapter 30 of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Setting and Characters

• Location: Moor House, a sequestered and charming place surrounded by moors and a hollow vale.
• Characters:
  • Jane Eyre: Narrator and protagonist, recovering her health and forming bonds with Diana and Mary.
  • Diana and Mary Rivers: Sisters, well-read and cultured, form a strong friendship with Jane.
  • St. John (Sinjin) Rivers: Their brother, a clergyman with a reserved nature, often away on pastoral duties.

Jane’s Integration and Connection

• Jane forms a strong bond with Diana and Mary, finding pleasure in their company and shared interests.
• They share a love for reading, nature, and the tranquility of their home.
• Jane learns from Diana, who teaches her German, and shares her drawing talent with the sisters.
• Indoors, they spend time discussing books, sharing knowledge, and forming mutual affection.

St. John Rivers

• St. John is less engaged with the sisters due to his frequent absences.
• He is dedicated to visiting the sick and poor in his parish.
• Demonstrates a reserved and brooding nature, unlike his sisters.
• He preaches with intensity but lacks inner peace, reflecting a deeper dissatisfaction with life.

Jane’s Future and St. John's Offer

• St. John offers Jane a job as a village school mistress, which she accepts, valuing independence and escape from servitude.
• The school is for poor girls, with a modest salary and simple accommodations.
• Despite the humbleness of the position, Jane appreciates its shelter and independence.

St. John's Ambitions and Inner Conflict

• St. John is ambitious, feeling constrained by his current role, and yearns for a greater mission.
• He plans to leave after a year to pursue a calling he views as more significant.
• He perceives Jane as someone also driven by deeper passions and ambitions.

The Rivers’ Family Situation

• Diana and Mary are preparing to leave Moor House to return to their jobs as governesses.
• They share a familial bond with Jane but face the reality of leaving their brother and home.
• Their uncle, John, has died, leaving his fortune to another relative, highlighting their precarious financial situation.

Conclusion of Chapter

• Jane moves to Morton to begin her new role as a schoolmistress.
• Diana and Mary leave for the city, and St. John moves to the parsonage, leaving Moor House empty.