Jane's Inner Self

Passage:

"Anybody may blame me who likes, when I add further, that, now and then, when I took a walk by myself in the grounds; when I went down to the gates and looked through them along the road; or when, while Adele played with her nurse, and Mrs Fairfax made jellies in the storeroom, I climbed the three staircases, raised the trap-door of the attic, and having reach the leads, looked out afar over sequestered field and hill, and along dim sky-line: that then I longed for a power of vision which might overpass that limit; which might reach the busy world, towns, regions full of life I had heard of but never seen: that then I desired more practical experience than I possessed; more of intercourse with my kind, of acquaintance with variety of character, than was here within my reach. I valued what was good in Mrs Fairfax, and what was good in Adele; but I believed in the existence of other and more vivid kinds of goodness, and what I believed in I wished to behold." (Page 103-104)

Jane Eyre has always desired more than what she has in her life; she is a girl with goals and desires. However, each time she is given a new opportunity, she is hesitant to enjoy it or take full advantage of the opportunities it grants her. In this passage, she is working at Thornfield Hall with Adele, teaching her and playing with her, while Mrs Fairfax manages the house and other staff is also present. She is rather young here, a young adult who is trying to move on from school and work successfully. This passage tells a lot of Jane's character and personality through her feelings and thoughts that she shares. Jane expresses her longing for more adventure and the curiosity that pains her relating to the world outside the house walls that she has yet to see.
Right away, Jane acknowledges that many people around her don't always like or agree with her opinions and decisions by stating, "anybody may blame me who likes," showing that she is indifferent to the opinions that others may have of her but knows these negative reactions will come. This speaks to Jane's character in that she is independent and does not get affected by what others say about her. She is a young woman that had to grown up quickly and without any family support, which is not a simple task. In addition, it demonstrates that Jane does not need or desire the approval of others. Instead, Jane desires the approval of herself.
As the passage continues, Jane mentions the time she spends alone and how it affects her. She states that this alone time allows her to think of what may lie outside of the property lines and in the real world that she yearns so strongly to see and be a part of. Jane proclaims that she "longed for a power of vision which might overpass the limit," implying that she desired to achieve more and make a larger impact with her life than she was while staying with Adele. She continues the longing for power with dreaming of it, "reach[ing] the busy world, towns, regions full of life I had heard of but never seen," implying that all she wanted could be achieved outside of Thornfield Hall; the house was what was restricting her goals of life. Jane simply desired what she couldn't have or didn't believe she could have while working with Adele and being restricted to the house she shared with Mrs Fairfax, among others.
As Jane continues, she comes more realistic with her expectations and goals. She states that she "desired more practical experience than [she] possessed; more intercourse with [her] kind," implying that those she was surrounded by currently were not people she would typically make conversation with and befriend. Jane wanted simply possibilities in her life like speaking with people her age and making friends with similar interests, however, her job shielded her from making this desires possible. She continues by acknowledging that Mrs Fairfax was a good and kind women, as was young Adele. However, they were not the best the world had to offer Jane, she felt. Jane simply desired better people and opportunities and much more of them to be present around her.
This passage helps to develop Jane's character and further demonstrate her desires and goals for life. She is conveyed as a young woman who seeks out adventure and is always looking for new and better opportunities. She acknowledges what she has, however, she also acknowledges that she wants and needs to be better eventually in her life. While making her a strong and independent character, this passage also shows Jane as a young girl who hasn't been privileged enough to venture far outside of her restricted places and see the world for what it is. This passage is certainly beneficial in conveying Jane's inner wants and hopes and allows for them to be carried on throughout the novel.