I want you to give up German and learn Hindostanee.
Chapter 34 · St John Rivers
Context
St. John interrupts Jane's study of German to demand she switch to learning Hindustani, the language he is studying for his planned missionary work in India.
Analysis
The blunt imperative ('I want you to give up') reveals how St. John frames requests as commands. The pairing of 'give up' and 'learn' treats Jane's existing project as disposable—her German study had its own purpose, but St. John assumes his needs override hers. The shift to Hindustani also foreshadows his larger plan: the language lesson is the first step toward recruiting her for India.
Essay Tip
Use this to argue that St. John's control over Jane begins with small concessions that establish a pattern of her subordinating her interests to his—the language demand is a test of her compliance.