MovieChat Forums > Jane Eyre (2007) Discussion > Jane's "amnesia"

Jane's "amnesia"

posted 8 years ago by Tanyaa
15 replies | jump to latest

Hello! English is not my first language. I'm sorry if there will be mistakes!

I've been browsing through this board and came across a few posts that were not happy with Jane's amnesia. But I thought it was pretty obvious that she's faking it?

When St. John finds her, Jane has these flashes of Helen, of herself running after the failed wedding, of Rochester running after her and calling her by her name. She dreams of these things. And when she says that she's never been outside England, St. John actually catches her on that asking, "How can you be sure if you can't remember anything?" I think Sandy Welch deliberately put that line in to show the viewers that Jane does remember.

When she's still weak and sits by the fire and says, "I love the fire. I think I must have been very cold at one time in my life." I don't believe that she was so on point just by accident.
The maid (I'm sorry, I don't know her name) then says, "You have book learning, I suppose? So you could earn your own living, if you chose." And Jane replies, "I have done... and I will. Just as soon as I can advertise." How would she know that if she doesn't remember anything? The maid is surprised by advertising comment, but we know that that's how Jane was always looking for the job.

Something about the way Ruth plays it makes it quite clear that Jane remembers everything. She looks unhappy, but not confused. And when she remembers a dragonfly that Rochester was showing her, she doesn't look shocked like "OMG, I remember who I am now!" When Mary asks her if she had an unpleasant memory, Jane is very calm and answers her without any pause. She doesn't look like someone who just remembered who she is.

I'm sorry for such a long post!

[–] supergran 8 years ago

My daughter is convinced that Jane is faking amnesia, too! I'm not so sure. 

If there aren't any skeletons in a man's closet, there's probably a Bertha in his attic.

[–] merej 8 years ago

I also think that she's faking it, but as far as I know with amnesia you may be able to remember bits and pieces, or feel sure that something applies to you, without being able to put things into context. So it's not entirely impossible that she would remember some parts of her prior life but not her name or profession or the circumstances which led to her current situation.

After all is said and done, a lot more will have been said than done.

[–] laura1-07 8 years ago

I thought she was faking it as well.

[–] Tanyaa 8 years ago

Amnesia seems a little soap oper-ish. I don't think they would do that after they already changed the gypsy scene and Rochester's injuries. I mean it looks fine in the book, but if you actually try to dress a man in woman's clothes, it actually wouldn't work. It will be immediately obvious that that is a man, especially to Jane who knows Rochester very well. And if someone has an injury as severe as Rochester's, it will be unlikely that the person will regain his sight. It makes much more sense that Rochester stays blind. They wanted it to look more realistic and amnesia-for-real doesn't fit into that.

[–] laura1-07 8 years ago

I mean it looks fine in the book, but if you actually try to dress a man in woman's clothes, it actually wouldn't work.

They did do it in the 1983 BBC adaptation.

[–] supergran 8 years ago

Hi Laura! 

They did do it in the 1983 BBC adaptation.

Yes, they did. But did you think it worked? Kudos, however, for them trying. 

If there aren't any skeletons in a man's closet, there's probably a Bertha in his attic.

[–] laura1-07 8 years ago

But did you think it worked?

Sorry for taking soo long time to reply Supergran.

It's been a while since I saw it. I can't remember if we saw his face. But you're right. It does work better in the book.

[–] supergran 7 years ago

It's been a while since I saw it. I can't remember if we saw his face. But you're right. It does work better in the book.



If there aren't any skeletons in a man's closet, there's probably a Bertha in his attic.

[–] birds_14 7 years ago

Just curious...

Did they actually include the charades in JE83?--And Rochester singing and playing the piano?

[–] supergran 7 years ago

Just curious...

Did they actually include the charades in JE83?--And Rochester singing and playing the piano?

I don't remember him singing, but he certainly played Charades.

If there aren't any skeletons in a man's closet, there's probably a Bertha in his attic.

[–] birds_14 7 years ago

I don't remember him singing, but he certainly played Charades.

Found it (on YouTube)! Episode 5, about half-way in; and the gypsy scene starts only 5-6 minutes later. Didn't see any singing, either...

[–] supergran 8 years ago

Amnesia seems a little soap opera-ish. I don't think they would do that after they already changed the gypsy scene and Rochester's injuries. I mean it looks fine in the book, but if you actually try to dress a man in woman's clothes, it actually wouldn't work. It will be immediately obvious that that is a man, especially to Jane who knows Rochester very well. And if someone has an injury as severe as Rochester's, it will be unlikely that the person will regain his sight. It makes much more sense that Rochester stays blind. They wanted it to look more realistic and amnesia-for-real doesn't fit into that.

Totally agree about the gypsy scene. It works so well in the book; there is a dreamlike quality about the scene. But when I've seen it dramatized, it just looks silly. 1973 had Jane guessing from the start, which was more realistic but not really what the book intended. I think 2006 was a good compromise. We see Rochester's extreme attempts at getting to Jane's thoughts, and discover this rather eccentric and playful side to him, but Toby Stephens is allowed to keep his dignity. Lol.

As for the blindness, I don't think we're meant to conclude from the book that he regains perfect vision in the one eye. He still sees indistinctly with that eye. And 2006 is silent about his sight recovery. It could be that he can see partially, but we're not told. (He can see Jane when very close even at their reunion in the series).

I don't think that amnesia is too far-fetched (although, I agree, it wasn't in the book). Jane had been through a traumatic experience, and, to quote a certain Mr Eshton "the brain is a vast and wonderful landscape. We've not begun to navigate it's mysteries and we do not know why it malfunctions." 

If there aren't any skeletons in a man's closet, there's probably a Bertha in his attic.

[–] birds_14 8 years ago

I think it could be a combination of both.

In the beginning, when Jane was just coming out of her fever, she might actually have suffered from amnesia--or partial amnesia, at least. But I agree about your observation that the way RW played it makes believe that her memories returned pretty soon, but that she found it prudent to keep her incognito. After all, she had been involved in a rather big scandal, and if she ever wished to work as a teacher again she couldn't afford to have her reputation tainted in any way.

Being known for having been involved with her employer would be far worse than being without credentials.

[–] supergran 7 years ago

Good post, birds, and good reasoning. 

If there aren't any skeletons in a man's closet, there's probably a Bertha in his attic.

[–] birds_14 7 years ago

What I particularly like about Jane is that she's a survivor; and I can see her adopt an attitude of 'discretion is the better part of valour' in her situation with the Rivers family. She may not much like it, but I believe she's a realist, knowing that she has nobody but herself to depend on for her future upkeep and, judging by appearances, she wants to survive once she's overcome her breakdown after leaving Thornfield Hall.

Even though she'd probably think that she only truly lived during her time with Mr Rochester.

Btw, in the book Jane actively decided to take on an assumed name:

I felt I could speak, and I answered, "My name is Jane Elliott." Anxious as ever to avoid discovery I had before resolved to assume an alias.