Within her novel, Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte portrays the theme of pride brilliantly through several characters and significant situations. During the 19th century, the people who openly expressed their feelings of pride were those in the upper elite classes for they were not as concerned about what others thought about them as those in the lower classes. The affluent members of society were satisfied with their status among the community and were comfortable enough to feel pride around them. The three most dominant characters to clearly illustrate their feelings of pride within the novel were Jane Eyre, Edward Rochester, and St. John Rivers.
             Jane Eyre grew up as an orphan, living with her aunt and three cousins. Although her uncle Reed loved Jane dearly, her aunt, Sara Reed, deliberately disregards her presence after his death. One day, Jane overhears her aunt saying to her cousin John, "Don't talk to me about her John: I told you not to go near her; she is not worthy of notice; I do not choose that either you or your sisters should associate with her." (29) This absence of a nurturing touch and the guidance of a motherly figure within her life makes Jane extremely introverted and unable to openly defend herself against others. The fact that Mrs. Reed does not treat Jane as one of her own, isolates Jane from the warm bond of the wealthy English family. Jane does not feel as though she is of the same status as the wealthy individuals surrounding her, so she is unable to personify her emotions of pride freely.
             Although she is unable to express them in the beginning, Jane possesses the most important forms of pride; self-respect and an inner sense of peace and satisfaction. This type of pride that Jane denotes is a reactionary pride which is triggered when Jane is forced to defend herself due to human instinct. An example of Jane's tendency to use reactionary pride is shown within the altercation between Jan...