Family Ties

Passage: (p. 360)



"'Your mother was my father's sister?'
'Yes.'
'My aunt, consequently?'
He bowed.
'My uncle John was your uncle John?  You, Diana, and Mary are his sister's children, as I am his brother's child?'
'Undeniably.'
'You three, then, are my cousins; half our blood on each side flows from the same source?'
'We are cousins, yes.'
I surveyed him.  It seemed I had found a brother: one I could be proud of,- one I could love; and two sisters, whose qualities were such, that, when I knew them but as mere strangers, they had inspired me with genuine affection and admiration.  The two girls, on whom, kneeling down on the wet ground, and looking through the low, latticed window of Moor House kitchen, I had gazed with so bitter a mixture of interest and despair, were my near kinswomen; and the young and stately gentleman who had found me almost dying at his threshold was my blood relation.  Glorious discovery to a lonely wretch!  This was wealth indeed!- wealth to the heart!-a mine of pure, genial affections.  This was a blessing, bright, vivid, and exhilarating;- not like the ponderous gift of gold: rich and welcome enough in its way, but sobering from its weight.  I now clapped my hands in sudden joy- my pulse bounded, my veins thrilled."


St. John is never one to jest, so Jane's repetition of the same type of question in similar fashions is quite redundant.  Asking again and again to be sure of their relationship- "'Your mother was my father's sister?'" (line 1), and "'My uncle John was your uncle John?'" (line 5), Jane goes over every way they may be connected.  Jane is one who tends to be completely thorough in everything she does, and inquiring after their true relationship is no exception.

It is no secret that Jane is also a passionate character.  She throws herself into all aspects of her life, whether in telling Mrs. Reed her mind, standing by Helen or teaching Adele.  This conversation is no exception.  Jane is deeply passionate about her newfound family and the life they will live in harmony from the point of realization on.  In her exclamation "glorious discovery to a lonely wretch!" (line 15) she conveys her surprise at having such good relations.  Jane makes having a family seem as if the mere news of their connection is enough to bring the messiah.

Jane can not quite believe that she has such good family when she first heard the news.  The three brethren are too good and too pure to be truly Jane's relations in her eyes.  She had "found a brother: one I could be proud of" (line 9), which is far more than she could say moments before.  The only brotherly figure she had in her life beforehand was John, who teased her incessantly and later lost his family's fortune in his gambling and alcohol addictions- not behavior to be proud of.  Then comes St. John, who is a devout Christian, well educated, and semi-agreeable.  The introduction of a new brotherly figure is a breath of fresh air for Jane.  Then add Diana and Mary as well, and sound the church bells, we have a family for Jane.  The two girls are Jane's equals in wit and knowledge, and are incredibly nice as well.  Without knowing of Jane's relation, "they had inspired me with genuine affection and admiration"(line 10), bestowing kindness upon an unfortunate stranger.  This showed the truly sincere and kind characters of Diana and Mary, just the sister figures Jane always wanted.  While St. John was often standoffish, Diana and Mary balanced out his nature with their vivacity.  All together, they created a family of Jane's dreams.