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How Does Charlotte Bronte Use Imagery In Jane Eyre

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Charlotte Brontë’s use of imagery throughout Jane Eyre symbolizes clashing emotions of many different characters. Most of the imagery present in Jane Eyre symbolizes characters’ moral struggles against their conscience ("Jane Eyre." Novels for Students 12). Jane Eyre is full of diverse forms of imagery from nature (Gregor, 115). Different forms of imagery serve important roles in the novel by displaying the wild passion and also self control of the characters (Solomon, 2). In order to completely understand Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre, the reader must first start with the symbolic form of the novel (Solomon, 2). Two ubiquitous images that dominate Jane Eyre are fire and water. These two images symbolize the great heat of lust and also the …show more content…
John Rivers, he was struggling against a love for Rosamund Oliver. Jane describes St. John at this time, “I saw a glow rise to that master’s face. I saw his solemn eye melt with sudden fire, and flicker with resistless emotion. Flushed and kindled thus, he looked nearly as beautiful for a man as she for a woman. His chest heaved once, as if his large heart, weary of despotic constriction, had expanded, despite the will, and made a vigorous bound for the attainment of liberty.” (Brontë, 369). St. John Rivers suppresses his love and passionate attracting to Rosamund Oliver because he feels called to serve as a missionary. St. John feels that Rosamund would not serve as an acceptable missionary wife so he turns to Jane Eyre as a replacement (Gregor, 128). St. John Rivers symbolizes the icy religion that overcomes Jane. This form of religion is described using water: " the waters came into my soul; I sank in deep mire: I felt no standing; I came into deep waters; the floods overflowed me” (Brontë, 300). St. John's very nature is icy and cold. For example, Jane says the following statement about St. John, “… it is at all times difficult to break the ice of reserve glassing over such natures as his…” (Brontë, 357). He even tells Jane, “… I am—a cold hard man" (Brontë, 380). Jane’s reply is, "Whereas I am hot, and fire dissolves ice" (Brontë, 364). Jane protects her own flame of passion from the freezing heartlessness of St. John Rivers' "ice …show more content…
John Rivers and feels like he is freezing all of her emotions which is slowly killing her. Jane feels as if she has to obey St. John Rivers, and she succumbs to his every want and need. Jane breaks away from St. John's frigid grasp and returns to the burned Mr. Rochester where she can finally "kindle the lustre" of his lamp which has been quenched (Brontë, 445). Jane quickly rekindles their love for one another, and each of them begins to glow with fiery passion. Jane and Mr. Rochester's passionate natures join together in a bright flame that burns steadily for the rest of their lives (Solomon,

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