The scripture on the front of Lowood Institution, "an evangelical, charitable establishment" (96; ch. 7), reads: "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven" (81; ch. 5, Matt. 5:16). Lowood Institution certainly lets its Evangelical light shine, though only to perpetuate the previously held working-class views of the Church of England. The working class saw it as "materialistic, hypocritical and prone to criticize the 'sins' of the poor whilst ignoring those of the rich" (Parsons, "A Question" 81). This hypocrisy is displayed by Mr. Brocklehurst as he manages Lowood in Jane Eyre.

The girls at Lowood live very ascetic lives, to the point that they become unhealthy. They frequently eat burned, moldy, or otherwise ill-prepared food, and seldom eat enough (83-84; ch. 5; 86; ch. 6). The girls make their own plain clothing with coarse cloth and poor needles (94; ch. 7). They are frequently cold in the winter, both from the ill-heated building and lack of adequate clothing (85; ch. 6; 92; ch. 7). The girls at Lowood receive harsh punishments (84; ch. 5; 86; ch. 6). They are required to wear simple hairstyles without curls, not even natural ones (96; ch. 7). The ascetic conditions make typhus fever a rampant killer among the already weakened students (108; ch. 9).

In contrast to the extreme denial inflicted on Lowood's charity girls, Mr. Brocklehurst's own family wears very fine clothes (66; ch. 4; 97; ch. 7), even when visiting Lowood (66; ch. 4). They have luxuriously long, curly hair, seem well fed, and obviously do not make their own fancy clothing (97; ch. 7). Jane perceives Mr. Brocklehurst's attitude: that plain clothing, little food, and harsh punishments are good for charity girls, but not for him or his well-to-do family. Mr. Brocklehurst seems to recognize that the girls at Lowood can see the difference between their own clothes and those of his family, for he tells Mrs. Reed that the girls are so unused to luxury that they stare at his wife's and daughters' clothing (66; ch. 4). However, this recognition does not stop him from bringing his elaborately dressed family to Lowood (97; ch. 7).

Though Mr. Brocklehurst matches Englander's description of an Evangelical clergyman in appearance, his attitudes and private life are hypocritical:

The Evangelical clergyman was easily identified. Worldly ambition, crushed within him at the time of his conversion, made way for a grave and earnest demeanour. Those who would walk the paths of righteousness had to appear serious in manner as well as in conduct. Proper projection was important. . . . the black gown and sombre dark hues of everyday attire expressed their wearer's solemnity, dignity and seriousness of purpose. Private life was equally austere. (20)

Because he is a religious man, Mr. Brocklehurst probably despises hypocrisy, at least in others, so it does stand to reason that he has rationalized his own two-faced behavior. One possible rationale relates to a definition of luxury given by Sekora: "anything to which one has no right or title" (25). Mr. Brocklehurst, like the Reed family, could possibly justify his hypocrisy because he feels his family has a right or title to plentiful food, fancy clothing, and healthy housing conditions, while the charity girls have no such rights, being poor and of lower station.

Though Jane and many of the other students at Lowood dislike Mr. Brocklehurst and reject his views of asceticism and morality (101; ch. 8; 155; ch. 13), at least one student does accept and submit to his views. The enforced denial becomes true asceticism with Helen Burns, who accepts her physical, emotional, and social restrictions on the basis of religious piety. She does not revile the unjust criticisms or punishments she receives because the Bible teaches her to "return good for evil" (86, 88; ch. 6). Helen also accepts her punishments because she feels that she truly deserves them for her supposedly odious faults (88; ch. 6). Not only does she submit to punishment and ascetic conditions, she also suffers tuberculosis patiently. She does not complain about her pain (102-103; ch. 8, 113; ch. 9), but concerns herself with other-worldly preparations (91; ch. 6). In fact, her name reminds the reader of the fire-and-damnation sermons and the emphasis on "otherworldliness" in the Evangelical branch of the Anglican Church (Englander 30). However, in spite of her name, Helen Burns does not accept Mr. Brocklehurst's vivid descriptions of hell as a place where the wicked go-wicked meaning disliking Psalms or doing some other trifling "wrong" (91; ch. 6, 64-5; ch. 4). Instead she believes in a home-like heaven with a loving, rather than vengeful, God (91; ch. 6, 113; ch. 9).

Helen Burns, who forgives her enemies and encourages Jane to do the same, is a lasting influence on Jane in the realm of self-denial (90; ch. 6). Jane reports of Helen's memorable and eloquent discourse given in Miss Temple's quarters (105; ch. 8). She also mentions that Helen is the person she most cherished in her childhood. Helen seems to have affected her greatly, for Helen's beliefs are somewhat echoed by Jane in her feelings towards Mrs. Reed. When Jane leaves Thornfield Hall to visit Mrs. Reed on her deathbed, Jane finally calls her "Aunt Reed," though she had vowed earlier never to do so again (90; ch. 6, 68; ch. 4).

Lowood becomes synonymous with enforced asceticism and hypocrisy. Jane's experiences at Lowood help shape her view of luxury and asceticism. Jane obviously rejects the rigid ascetic life that she lives at Lowood. Jane also rejects the hypocrisy and extreme luxury displayed by the Brocklehursts. Instead, she starts to favor a more moderate position between the two.