Q: “The Lowood constraint still clings to you somewhat; controlling your features, muffling your voice, and restricting your limbs; and your fear in the presence of a man and brother – or father, or master, or what you will – to smile too gaily, speak too freely, or move too quickly: but in time, I think you will learn to be natural with me, as I find it impossible to be conventional with you; and then your looks and your movements will have more vivacity and variety than they dare offer now.” (page 211 Shelly)
C: This conversation with Mr. Rochester, he notes about how when she was at the Lowood school how she was in a way broken as a person. He has seen her laugh hardily with the girls and knows she gets up to mishchif but because of the ridicule and humiliation she faced she learned to mask/hide her behavior in a way that is more “pleasing” or “acceptable” to men. Mr. Rochester wants her to unlearn some of this behavior, to become more lively with him since he likes that side of her. “The Lowood Constraint” it holds her down and causes her to be timid and not because she learned manners but through fear and abuse.
Q: How do you think generational trauma and some of the inherent traumas of growing up as someone who is female presenting is exemplified in this story.
This is a really interesting point you bring up of generational trauma in women and sacrificing a part of yourself for society. I think you can see this in the teachers of Lowood (except Miss Temple) who were girls like Jane once who had their personalities and uniquness beaten out of them. This cycle forces the older generation to repress the next generation because in their eyes they know how cruel the world is to women with minds and opinions. Jane’s stiff nature she learned at Lowood is asked to be tossed aside by Rochester, but it shows he has no idea what it is like for Jane or other women that are expected to be both (complex humans, but also the passive angel of the house).
I’m not quite sure if it can be considered as generational trauma, but there’s a lot of trauma surrounding not living with biological parents. For one reason or another, getting shoved off to relatives who have their own biological kids is bound to leave a lot of trauma on them. In Jane’s case, who was instantly placed as a scapegoat and victim of her cousins, as well as the lack of sympathy from her aunt, she lost a lot of confidence and became withdrawn. She also shows symptoms of depression enough for Mr. Rochester to call her out on it to her face. A lot of that can be attributed to the way she was raised and the way that treatment of her was compounded and left untreated by the Lowood school.