The use of symbolism is apparent in the first few lines when it says “leafless shrubbery” this represents Jane's life and how she feels about –no joy or life of any sort.
Jane has been taken in by her aunt and her dreadful children, they take care not to include her but to make her feel inferior “she lay reclined on a sofa by the fire side, and with her darlings about her” this is again showing that her aunt has love only for her children and not Jane.
Jane responds to this by becoming somewhat of a recluse, she retreats regularly to her window seat, the fact that Bronte has mentioned that Jane sits in the window seat makes the reader feel the sense of longing in Jane and to be free and able to do as she wants in to.
As Jane sits by the window it says “having drawn the red moreen curtain nearly close, I was shrined in double retirement” shrined has two meanings; a shrine is the term sometimes used for a holy place of worship, meaning that the window seat was her sacred little place, it also means enveloped which shows that she feels a sense of security and a refuge from the upsetting scene in the house.
Jane begins to read a book –Bewicks history of British birds,
“The solitary rocks and promontories” again link back to how she feels in the house-by herself and alone. Bronte uses psychological landscapes when the word “bleak” is used, Jane fells that her prospects are grim.
“To the rock standing up alone, quite solitary churchyard” these two quotes again echo her sad and lonely existence, there are increased patterns to her life being solitary this is a way that Bronte creates empathy for Jane.
In the next paragraphs we are introduced to Jane’s cousin “master” John Reed, he portrayed as vile and unpleasant boy who despises Jane, he thinks he can govern over Jane, he is very patriarchal. He calls Jane various names the first one being “madam mope”. When he walks into the library and cannot find Jane he calls to her sisters and says “Joan is not here: tell mama she is run out into the rain-bad animal”. He does not even use her full name calling her Joan, he then goes further as to lie to his mother saying that she has been outside in the rain, he then uses a belittling remark saying bad animal it’s as though he thinks she's an animal in a zoo.
After Eliza revealed Jane’s hiding place, Jane came out straight away for she feared that John would hurt her, this shows how much john tormented her.
“Say what do you want, Master Reed….. I want you to come here” this shows how john feels and thinks that he is the king and that Jane is his servant.
It then goes on to describe the appearance of john; Jane describes him in a very graphic and realistic way not sparing the details .the wording she uses e.g. “dingy and unwholesome skin……flabby cheeks” this suggests that Jane really does not like john.
Yet again Bronte creates empathy for Jane when she says; “John had not much affection ……. And an antipathy to me. He bullied and punished me: not two or three times in the week, not once or twice in the day, but continually: every nerve I had feared him…..” Jane is extremely scared of the domineering figure that is john. This relates back to the social attitudes of early nineteen century society towards women. Women were treated not as equals but as inferiors. They did not have the same rights as men. It was male oppression.
John continues to hurl abuse at Jane and he then hits her, this is not right but Jane just takes it .he then calls Jane a rat this is a bestial metonym.
When Jane finally does speak up “wicked and cruel boy….your like a murderer ….” He hits her again silencing her .this can also relate to society at that time and the male oppression, women were not aloud to speak up and if they did they would be penalised.
Overall I do think this novel has a very feminist view everything that happens to Jane can be related back to the sexist society in early nineteen century Britain. Bronte creates empathy very well; she makes the reader feel extremely saddened by the unfair treatment that Jane is subjected to.
