A parson with two sisters at Moor House, and Jane's cousin. Much like Jane, St. John is a restless character, searching for a place and purpose in life. Like Mr. Rochester, St. John has a commanding personality, but the two men contrast in their range of feelings. St. John relinquishes worldly happiness for a commitment to his religious principles. His stern religious faith makes him self-denying and cold.
St. John Rivers Quotes in Jane Eyre
The Jane Eyre quotes below are all either spoken by St. John Rivers or refer to St. John Rivers. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 32
Quotes
St. John, no doubt, would have given the world to follow, recall, retain her, when she thus left him; but he would not give one chance of heaven, nor relinquish, for the elysium of her love, one hope of the true, eternal Paradise.
Related Characters:
Jane Eyre (speaker), St. John Rivers, Rosamond Oliver
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Again the surprised expression crossed his face. He had not imagined that a woman would dare to speak so to a man. For me, I felt at home in this sort of discourse. I could never rest in communication with strong, discreet, and refined minds, whether male or female, till I had passed the outworks of conventional reserve, and crossed the threshold of confidence, and won a place by their heart's very hearthstone.
Related Characters:
Jane Eyre (speaker), St. John Rivers
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 33
Quotes
I looked at the blank wall: it seemed a sky thick with ascending stars,—every one lit me to a purpose or delight. Those who had saved my life, whom, till this hour, I had loved barrenly, I could now benefit. They were under a yoke,—I could free them: they were scattered,—I could reunite them: the independence, the affluence which was mine, might be theirs too.
Related Characters:
Jane Eyre (speaker), St. John Rivers, Diana and Mary Rivers
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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St. John Rivers Character Timeline in Jane Eyre
The timeline below shows where the character St. John Rivers appears in Jane Eyre. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 28
...death is imminent and vowing to wait for God's will. Just then, the women's brother, St. John (pronounced "Sinjin") arrives home. He brings Jane into the house, where the River sisters give...
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Chapter 29
...ago. Mary and Diana are still in school and afterwards will look for governess jobs. St. John is a poor parson.
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...and no connections in England, and asks for help looking for work of any kind. St. John is firm but charitable, and promises to help. Mary and Diana, much warmer personalities than...
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Chapter 30
...jobs as governesses in wealthy households. The Rivers sisters tell Jane that they suspect that St. John will also leave, maybe forever, to become a missionary.
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St. John , unlike his sisters, remains pensive and distant at home. Jane visits his church and...
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St. John offers Jane a position running a small school for the poor children of his parish...
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Soon after, a letter arrives informing St. John , Mary, and Diana that their wealthy uncle John has just died and left them...
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Chapter 31
In conversation, St. John reassures Jane that he also had doubts about choosing his career in the parish church,...
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...benefactors is the rich and classically beautiful Rosamond Oliver. Jane can see that Rosamond and St. John are in love.
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Chapter 32
Rosamond makes frequent visits to the school, conveniently arriving when St. John is also there. Jane notices that St. John is visibly affected by Rosamond's presence. At...
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Chapter 33
The following night, St. John fights through the snow to visit Jane. He tells her a story which, to Jane's...
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Notices and letters were posted everywhere to find Jane. One reached St. John because John Eyre is in fact his uncle, too. St. John reveals to Jane his...
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Chapter 34
...and spends a happy Christmas with Mary and Diana, who have returned from their jobs. St. John , on the other hand, is increasingly distant and cold. Asked about Rosamond Oliver, St....
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One day, St. John finds Jane studying German and suggests that she learn "Hindostanee" instead—the language he's studying for...
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Time passes. That summer, St. John takes Jane on a walk in the hills. St. John tells Jane she has admirable...
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Chapter 35
St. John continues to try to convince Jane to marry him. Jane knows that working in India...
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One evening after dinner, St. John reads prayers aloud with such fervor and command that Jane feels compelled to accept his...
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Chapter 36
As Jane prepares to leave to go to Thornfield, St. John slips a note under her door urging her to resist temptation. Though unsure herself, Jane...
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Chapter 37
Jane updates Rochester about her new wealth and leads him on about St. John , jokingly using jealousy to distract him from misery. Rochester mentions all of his infirmities,...
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Chapter 38
...reader that Diana and Mary both have married respectable and caring husbands and visit regularly. St. John went to India alone. She says that in his last letter, St. John said that...
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