Why do people travel to different environments? In the Victorian novel Jane Eyre, Jane moved from place to place in search of perspective, love, and purpose. Throughout the course of Jane’s life she visits several places that give her a new sense of home and influence her next move to identify that purpose.
Gateshead Hall represents the beginning and mostly ending of Jane’s childhood. “Gate” is used to symbolize the gateway that allows her to leave her dreaded old life and enter a new and better life. “Head” means the fore front of Jane’s problems because after leaving Gateshead she must endure years of rough, almost unbearable schooling. The moment when she triumphs over the red room she enters the gate of independence and freedom. Jane’s being is altered after passing through the gate, and she is prepared to handle the obstacles that life has in store for her. She confronts her most formidable problem in love; love is new and unfamiliar to her because she never experienced the emotion at her first home. She never truly felt love, but later in her life she would be tackling it head on while living with Mr. Rochester.
Jane’s transition from Gateshead to Lowood was not an easy one. The institution revealed to her that even though her life was terrible at Gateshead she had the luxuries that Lowood could never offer, but at the same time Lowood offered her non-materialistic values that she could never get in her previous lifestyle. Jane meets her best friend Helen and she finds a woman that she is able to dedicate her life to in Miss Temple. Lowood translate to an institution being built in a low valley near wood. A more meaningful example of symbolism is that it represents a low time in her life. Jane is getting accustomed to the life of poverty and must endure freezing weather and most of all her best friend’s death. Jane matures at Lowood and becomes very talented at all the skills they offer but her purpose for living vanishes when Miss Temple leaves to get married; Lowood gave Jane the tools to be able to experience life elsewhere being a governess, and that forces her to find her own purpose. It is ironic that Lowood opened up the world to Jane because in today’s society her school life would be nothing but a cruel example of child abuse.
Thornfield is the first place that Jane can truly call home. She encounters mystery and love and is determined to press forward and find her purpose in life. She meets Mr. Rochester and is subjected to oodles of mystery and confusing love. Thornfield is a positive place in Jane’s life, but at as the name suggests she will walk through a field of thorns. Her relationship with Mr. Rochester is a thorny one because she must endure stress like social discrimination and the fear of his past. She wishes to love him but knows nothing about his past. Jane enters a deep internal battle at Thornfield because she must choose between leaving Mr. Rochester and being emotionally exiled or marrying him and being intellectually and socially imprisoned. Thornfield treated Jane well and her home life there was pleasant, but it also gave her the insight and certainty she needed to realize that her principals are what’s most important to her.
The Moor house plays the role of a recovery station for Jane. She is showed hospitality and kindness. Jane meets family there and is also met with the strong spirituality of St. John. The elegance and beauty of the people she surrounds herself with allow her to find her purpose in life once again. St. Johns character forces Jane to reflect on the thoughts that Jane had at Thornfield because he believes in self-sacrifice and holding back emotions and passion. She observes the life John lives and does not want to follow the same path; she realizes she wants happiness and she decides to follow her heart and return to Mr. Rochester.
Ferndean is the final Place Jane can call a home. Everything she has endured in her life was to reach "ferny brae", or paradise. Jane is happy being with Mr. Rochester, but more importantly she is the most comfortable she has ever been in her entire life. Ferndean serves as a finish line to a long daunting marathon because it is a place where the internal struggle between Jane’s principals and emotions reach equilibrium.
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