Social rank was hugely important of this time period and diverting from your rank to associate with others outside of it was social suicide. Jane's case is a special one as she was born an orphan, one of the lowest classes, yet raised by a high ranking family, the Reeds. Jane knows she is smart, educated and accomplished, but everyone else sees her as just a lowly governess. While a governess is a step up from being an orphan it is still not on the same level as the rest of the society Jane is surrounded by. When Mrs. Fairfax is talking about Leah and the other servants, she is happy to have someone at Thornfield of the same rank as her to talk with. Because of social constraints they cannot speak colloquially to Mr. Rochester because he is above them, yet Mrs. Fairfax refuses to befriend the servants because they are below her. However, Jane does not follow these rules, she is constantly testing the social norms of her time by speaking her mind to Mr. Rochester, someone of higher standing than she.
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