...February 17, 2013 Jane Eyre Social Commentary Words: 553 In Jane Eyre, a book written by Charlotte Bronte, the idea of social class is analyzed and interpreted as wrong and unjust; especially for middle class women. Gender roles are also portrayed in this novel through the occupation the characters in the book have. Many critics believe that the overall theme of this novel has to be associated with roles in society and how unbalanced they truly are. Roles of middle-class women are seen in this novel through Jane. She was a governess throughout all adulthood. “Like Rochester, English society proved a "buoyant but unquiet sea" for Jane. Even though the Industrial Revolution created new opportunities for lower-class women, offering them new jobs such as in the factory, in place of household work, it did not do much good for the middle class. A single woman at this economic level still had only one option for respectable employment: working as a governess.” (thevictorianweb.com). Although a woman could maintain a decent living with this job, she could also anticipate "no security of employment, minimal wages, and an ambiguous status, somewhere between servant and family member that isolated her within the household" (Norton Anthology of English Literature, 2: 903). This is what was shown through Jane Eyre. If Jane did not marry and had no relatives to care for her, she would have to remain a governess all her life, which would mean that she would have to move from house...
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...Stephanie Huang Ms. Kwan English 4U1 14 October 2011 “Jane Eyre” – Essay (Rough) Individualism is the process of finding one’s own identity. Jane Eyre is a well renowned novel written by Charlotte Bront ё about a plain young woman who goes through life in a very interesting way. Taking place in England during the Victorian Era, Bront ё touches upon the life of one who refuses to fill in the social norms set for women. Being very headstrong and intelligent, the heroine faces love trials, especially with one, Mr. Rochester, who becomes her employer. Throughout the novel, Jane struggles to develop her own identity, but is always being repressed by some force. The theme of identity development is demonstrated in Jane Eyre in many ways. The novel demonstrates three people who help shape the identity Jane longs for and enhances her as a person, or represses her ideologies. Jane’s search for her identity is mainly influenced by the characters Mrs. Reed, Helen Burns, and Mr. Rochester. All the aforementioned characters show a large impact on Jane’s views of the world and of love, helping shape who she is and how she thinks. Firstly, Jane Eyre’s identity search is heavily influenced by her aunt, Mrs. Reed. Jane was adopted by her Uncle Reed when her parents passed away when she was very little, but after his death, she was left to his wife. Mrs. Reed always mistreats Jane. Jane would be falsely accused or punished harshly. For example...
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...Individualism is the process of finding one’s own identity. Jane Eyre is a well renowned novel written by Charlotte Brontё about a plain young woman who goes through life in a very interesting way. Taking place in England during the Victorian Era, Brontё touches upon the life of one who refuses to fill in the social norms set for women. Being very headstrong and intelligent, the heroine faces love trials, especially with one, Mr. Rochester, who becomes her employer. Throughout the novel, Jane struggles to develop her own identity, but is always being repressed by some force. The theme of identity development is demonstrated in Jane Eyre in many ways. The novel demonstrates three people who help shape the identity Jane longs for and enhances her as a person, or represses her ideologies. Jane’s search for her identity is mainly influenced by the characters Mrs. Reed, Helen Burns, and Mr. Rochester. All the aforementioned characters show a large impact on Jane’s views of the world and of love, helping shape who she is and how she thinks. Firstly, Jane Eyre’s identity search is heavily influenced by her aunt, Mrs. Reed. Jane was adopted by her Uncle Reed when her parents passed away when she was very little, but after his death, she was left to his wife. Mrs. Reed always mistreats Jane. Jane would be falsely accused or punished harshly. For example, Mrs. Reed told the maids Bessie and Abbot to “Take her away to the red-room, and lock her in there.” (Brontё 6) all because she stood...
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...first published novel, Jane Eyre, although fictional, contains many autobiographical elements. There are many parallels between Charlotte and Jane and after researching it is evident that Charlotte Bronte drew on aspects of her own life to create Jane, in addition to the characters and the plot of the novel. These include connections between their childhood, adolescence, and love life and give a greater insight in to Charlotte’s thoughts and opinions. Charlotte Bronte, born on April 21st 1816, is the third of six children born to Patrick Bronte and Maria Branwell Bronte. Much like Bronte’s father, Charlotte’s father was also a “poor clergyman” (Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte). At the mere age of five, Charlotte lost her mother to cancer and the six Bronte children were to be in the care of their aunt, Elizabeth Branwell. This theme of death parallels Jane’s early childhood, and having lost both of her parents, Jane is also put into the care of her aunt, the abusive Mrs Reed. Aunt Branwell, according to Bronte’s biography, “knew where her duty lay, but she appears to have derived neither pleasure nor contentment from the doing of it” (David Cody, Hartwick College, Charlotte Bronte: A brief biography). It is thought that Bronte drew heavily and exaggerated aspects of her Aunt Branwell to create Mrs Reed and there is a sense of hatred towards both women, with Jane having remarked that “[she] hates to live [with her aunt]” (Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre) Jane Eyre’s education and adolescent...
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...Secrets Have Consequences In Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, the main characters Jane Eyre, Edward Rochester, and Jane’s aunt, Mrs. Reed, learn that one lie or secret can accumulate into many lies or secrets and affects everyone around them as time progresses. In the beginning of the story Jane’s aunt, Mrs. Reed, hides things from Jane as a child, which affects her as a young adult, and Jane learns the secret of Thornfield which not only changes her life, but many others as well. In other words, characters’ lives, personalities, and so much more can change due to lies and secrets, just how Mrs. Reed keeps secrets and lies to Jane as a child that affect her as a young adult. Initially, Mrs. Reed kept secrets and lied to Jane as a young child to not allow Jane to have a good life as a child, and an adult due to her jealousy. For an example, as a child, Jane was punished for actions she did not do, but her cousin John did and got away with because of Mrs. Reed’s jealously. As her punishment, she was sent to the red-room which frightened Jane because her uncle, Mr. Reed, passed away in it. In the red-room there was a secret drawer in the closet. Inside of the secret drawer there were papers, clothes, a jewel-casket, a portrait of Mr. Reed, “and in those last words lies the secret of the red-room—the spell which kept it so lonely in spite of its grandeur” (8). While Jane was in the red-room she began to wonder why she deserved such awful treatment and what has she done to her aunt...
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...Essay Luong A7-02 English Literature Division - HUFS Nguyen Hien Luong A7-02 Teacher: Nguyen Tuan Ky On the inspiring development of Jane Eyre’s character in the Charlotte Bronte’s novel of the same name Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre is a master work of 19th century English literature and a powerful symbol of the triumph of self will over circumstances. Jane Eyre overcame very trying — or should we say impossible — circumstances to obtain her personal freedom and self-determination at the end of the story. Her success is a powerful inspiration to millions of readers around the world. However, in my opinion, the most inspiring about the novel is not Jane’s success itself, but her character development, which served as the catalyst for this success. This essay aims to illustrate the uniqueness of Jane’s character development, and attempts to explain why this unique development took place. What makes Jane’s character development special and unique is the fact that this type of development is not at all typical for people who were physically or mentally abused (as Jane certainly was during much of her ten-year stay at her uncle’s house). As a matter of fact, these people often grow up carrying with them emotional wounds that can never be healed. As a result, they are more likely to develop difficult personalities and turn into rebellious and violent individuals who see life and other human beings with much hatred. A research (Cathy Spatz Widom, "The Cycle...
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...JANE EYRE: HER PERSONAL AND MORAL VICTORIES All people live by their own codes of conduct. Everyone, be they male or female, young or old, has their own sets of values, which they adhere to and which are unchanging even in the face of personal or societal pressures and conflicts to give them up. In Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Jane is tempted many times to acquiesce to others' wishes and, thereby, give up her own moral standards and beliefs. Yet Jane remains steadfast in adhering to her personal code of conduct, namely to maintain feelings of high self-esteem, not to let herself be used and abused by others, and never to give up her religious convictions. Through many disappointments that she is faced with and with her constant struggle to gain independence and love, Jane never loses her self of self, nor does she give up her moral and spiritual values. Jane Eyre, from the very beginning of the novel, shows courage and self-confidence when she stands up to Mrs. Reed for wrongly accusing her to Mr. Brocklehurst of being a liar. Jane, a quiet, pensive girl, who until now took her aunt and cousins' torment without saying a word, suddenly could no longer hold her tongue. She suddenly felt a need to tell her aunt that as much as she appreciated having her put a roof over her head and providing food for her, her existence in Gateshead was nothing less than abominable. She says that servants are treated better than she is, and that Mrs. Reed was not keeping her promise to her...
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...Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë An Electronic Classics Series Publication Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë is a publication of the Pennsylvania State University. This Portable Document file is furnished free and without any charge of any kind. Any person using this document file, for any purpose, and in any way does so at his or her own risk. Neither the Pennsylvania State University nor Jim Manis, Faculty Editor, nor anyone associated with the Pennsylvania State University assumes any responsibility for the material contained within the document or for the file as an electronic transmission, in any way. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, the Pennsylvania State University, Electronic Classics Series, Jim Manis, Faculty Editor, Hazleton, PA 18202-1291 is a Portable Document File produced as part of an ongoing student publication project to bring classical works of literature, in English, to free and easy access of those wishing to make use of them. Cover Design: Jim Manis Copyright © 2003 - 2012 The Pennsylvania State University is an equal opportunity university. Charlotte Brontë Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë PREFA PREFACE A PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION of Jane Eyre being unnecessary, I gave none: this second edition demands a few words both of acknowledgment and miscellaneous remark. My thanks are due in three quarters. To the Public, for the indulgent ear it has inclined to a plain tale with few pretensions. To the Press, for the fair field its honest suffrage...
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...charlotte Bronte create sympathy for Jane Eyre in the opening of the novel? The novel portrays a story of a young orphan by the name of Jane who has to live with her cruel aunt Mrs Reed and cousins at Gateshead Manor, where Jane is continually abused until she moves away to Lowood school and eventually finds happiness there. Bronte uses various techniques to create sympathy for Jane including: pathetic phallacy, symbolism, animal imagery, characterisation and language and structure. Charlotte Bronte uses pathetic phallacy as one of her main techniques that she uses to create sympathy for Jane. She uses the created setting to suggest that the weather could reflect Jane's state of mind. The type of weather really indicates and also allows us access to Jane's thoughts and feelings 'The cold winter wind had bought with it clouds so sombre and a rain so penetrating'. The winter wind is described as 'cold' bringing visuals of a bleak setting to the readers mind. Jane describes the clouds as 'sombre 'which is a human emotion which then suggests that maybe Jane could be personifying the clouds. However the personification of the 'sombre clouds' could be a mirror reflection of Jane herself and how she feels. One choice that the author decides to make is the narrative perspective option. Narrative perspective is the technique by which the author chooses to relate the story to the reader, and in this case, the narrator is the protagonist (Jane Eyre) producing first person narrative. “I...
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...Charlotte Bronte uses the character Jane Eyre to represent children who were seen but not heard “ ” A women in a patriarchy society and the treatment of the proletarian by the bourgeoisie. Bronte creates a microcosm were each character represents an aspect of society and through their interaction and treatment of Jane the reader is able to get a true understanding of the multiple themes, the Victorian society and Bronte’s own social and political believes . Therefore this novel is too complex to be simply associated with the theme of social class. Throughout the novel Jane finds herself in a state of isolation .At the start of the novel through the interaction between John reed and Jane Eyre Bronte is able to portray a patriarchy society and show how it starts from a young age “ for they are mine” the use of personal pronouns further indicates his power over Jane . Even the servants recognise his position in the house hold “your master” as if he owns Jane. A Mere child. The use of the word “master” implies that she is his property and that she is below him in statues. . In a society where religion was everything and God was seen as the creator of all things men were seen as the closest thing to God in terms of the amount of power they held clearly demonstrating how insignificant women where compared to men in the Victorian society. The reader is able to understand Brontes feeling on this subject through the description of john by Jane “heavy limbs and large extremities...
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...creates suspense and strong curiosity. This novel consists of many emotional aspects. In both ‘Jane Eyre’ and ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ a number of characters undergo various acts of violence. This violence is presented in a number of different ways, these being mental, physical and social violence. Throughout the first four chapters Jane is both emotionally and physically tormented by Ms Reed, John Reed and Bessie. ‘you are a dependent’ Jane is mad to feel belittled and an outcast, she does not only take emotional abuse from John Reed but John is known to take frequent blows at Jane without a moment’s thought and takes somewhat pleasure in doing so. For Jane’s response to John she was punished ‘four hands were immediately laid upon me’ showing the harsh brutality Jane undergoes under the command of Ms Reed as she is places in the ‘red room’. ‘Penetrating rain’ symbolises Ms Reed and how piecing of a character she is. The neglect Jane faces is very similar to that Antoinette faces with her own mother. Emotionally her mother is absent she is merely there physically ‘flung me from her’ her mother was not at all emotionally attached to her but was very much so to her brother, Pire. Violence towards Antoinette is provoked by the emancipation act, she is on the receiving end of angered yet joyful, freed slaves. A young black girl throws a stone at Antoinette as she calls her ‘cockroach’ just as Jane feels when John Reed strikes her, this is an act that affects her both emotionally and physically...
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...revived, great and strong! He made me love him without looking at me.” (Bronte, Location 3229 Kindle Edition) Charlotte Bronte’s novel, Jane Eyre displays a struggle with society and individualism as well as a journey of a character who longs to belong somewhere, to someone. Bronte unravels a young character who is cast from a home where she was isolated from love and sends her out into the world for her discover society and herself. Her life as a child was filled with resentment from her aunt and on the views of Christianity. As a young adult, she faces conflicts of wanting to fill the void in her heart and the need to be loved with the fear of losing her volition. Through the character Jane, Bronte shows us how the morality of this time period weighs on the decisions of the heroine. The novel opens with our heroine living with the Reeds at Gates head. Bronte shows the transition of the character Jane, going from a passive and genderless childhood to a more turbulent stage of puberty (Showalter, 118). Living at Gates head, she was repelled from everyone in the house. Her aunt would not accept her even though she promised to care for the child. Jane was left as an outsider from John and the other children since she was told she was an unworthy individual. During this stage in life, the need for love and acceptance is enormous. Jane says she will never be able to leave the Reeds until she is a woman during a moment when she speaking with Mr. Lloyd and believes that she...
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...In the novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, Brontë repeatedly uses the imagery of Earthly elements, fire and ice, to present an opposition between two points identified as extremes in the natural world. In the novel, icy and watery imagery illustrate oppressive forces that symbolize emotional desolation for Jane, while on the other hand; fiery imagery represents romantic passion and spirit within Jane, as well as Mr. Rochester. With progression of the novel, imagery of the elements begin to symbolize varying relationships, which reflect upon the characters of Jane, Mr. Rochester, St. John Rivers, and Bertha Mason. Knowing that both elements cannot naturally exist simultaneously on Earth, this metaphorical opposition highlights a need for Jane to gain equilibrium between the two. Similarly, as a naturally occurring fire can rage unexpectedly and call the need for extinguishing, fiery romantic desire also requires the need for control and composure. By using fire and ice both as symbols of physically destructive forces and mentally renewing agents, Brontë constructively illustrates how Jane has learned to balance her desire for passion and need for restraint in order to ultimately achieve personal selfhood and contentedness. Jane embodies a passionate and spirited young girl and will not allow inequality to occur in her presence. These characteristics of Jane’s personality are first seen through her onset of behaviors at Gateshead Hall, for example, in her fight with Mrs...
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...Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë has been around for more than 150 years with schools around the nation still studying this work of art. It is a novel that has ““...less to do with the conflict of great forces that typifies great works of literature, and more to do with the subtle irritation of a delayed resolution to its most important episode.” (Thornton). With the opportunity to stand the test of time, the novel by Brontë is now on the goodreads list of popular merit books. However, not all books can withstand the test of time. Jodi Picoult’s novel My Sister’s Keeper may not be as fortunate as Jane Eyre in terms of literary merit because it lacks the certain aspects such as maturity in themes and writing style, deeper analytic meanings, and...
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...ESSAY ON JANE EYRE Question: “Jane’s passionate nature and unconventional behaviour is rewarded by Bronte in the novel’s happy ending.” I agree with this statement and set out my reasons below. ‘Jane Eyre’ written by Charlotte Bronte is the story of the life of an orphan set in 19th century Victorian England. In the first chapter Jane is introduced as a ten year old living in the home of her Aunt Reed and three cousins, John, Eliza and Georgiana. She is living with her Aunt Reed only because her husband (Jane’s mother’s brother) made her promise on his deathbed to look after Jane. Jane is treated cruelly and is never loved by her aunt and cousins. From the early chapters of the novel we see Jane’s passionate nature and unconventional behaviour emerging through her confrontations with John and Mrs Reed. In chapter 4 page 37 after Mrs Reed’s meeting with Mr Brocklehurst and it is decided that she is going to Lowood, Jane declares determinedly “I am glad you are no relation of mine. I will never call you aunt again as long as I live. I will never come to visit you when I am grown up; and if anyone asks me how I liked you, and how you treated me, I will say the very thought of you makes me sick, and that you treated me with miserable cruelty.” In chapters 5 to 10, Jane attends Lowood where she lives for nine years, seven as a student and then two years as a teacher. During this time Jane suffers under harsh conditions, cruel teachers and the strict rules of Mr...
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