at the lowed school, jane's most beloved friend is helen burns, who with great dignity endures frequent punishment and humiliation by miss scatcherd. jane admires helen, but realizes that she cannot emulate her. why not?

When Helen dies, Jane absorbs the lesson that the meek shall not inherit the earth. Jane cannot emulate Helen's pious submission to abuse. While Jane initially rejects Helen's brand of religion, she does incorporate it in her life later on, especially when she relies on the spiritual kindness of strangers after leaving Thornfield.