Throughout chapters one to four Jane Eyre's background proves to play a very important part in her character.
Jane Eyre Jane Eyre's character chapters one to four Throughout chapters one to four Jane Eyre's background proves to play a very important part in her character. Jane is a ten-year-old orphan whose parents died when she was only one year old. She is physically inferior to most people and has a plain countenance; these characteristics influence her personality and her behaviour towards people very strongly. Jane is not a pretty girl, and believes that this is the reason she is unloved. Mrs Reed tells Jane that she is 'less than a servant', so she develops wittiness and a strong spirit to be noticed and praised. For nine years, she has lived with her unloving Aunt Reed, and her three terrible cousins: John, Eliza and Georgiana. John abuses her; he hits and bullies her continuously. Jane tolerates this for most of her life and then suddenly has an outburst at the age of ten, when she hits John, and finally sticks up for herself. She is punished for this action and locked up in the room where her uncle 'breathed his last'. Jane could be described as a lonely 'Cinderella' figure, primarily because she is excluded from the rest of the family. 'Me, she had dispensed from joining the group; saying, "She regretted to be under the necessity of keeping me at a distance".' This shows that Mrs Reed treats Jane as an outcast and does not comfort or love her, and is obviously not
How does Bronte show the reader Jane's resilience to events that occur in the novel? How successful is she as a heroine?
How does Bronte show the reader Jane's resilience to events that occur in the novel? How successful is she as a heroine? When describing someone as 'resolute', it is to say that the person has the ability to cope with pressures they are put under and still end up coming out of the situation as a stronger person. Jane's character is a perfect example of this. She has to cope in many difficult positions she faces, and ends up as the heroine of the novel. Jane's growing understanding of the world is shown frequently throughout the novel. As a child, she tends to believe she can say and do as she pleases, but as the novel progresses and Jane's character matures, her understanding of the world develops. Bronte wishes the reader to admire Jane for always being optimistic and the unique strength of character she displays. It is important to note how Jane is treated by her relatives as her temper plays a vital part in the way she copes during her childhood. In her early life, Jane regularly comes in contact with John Reed, a rude, nasty bully. Jane does not at all like John, and is not afraid of showing this. Jane proves this by standing up for herself after he'd struck her with a book saying, "Wicked and cruel boy!" She feels very intimidated by him, and retaliates on only one occasion when she was pushed to the limit. This is one of the first times that we can obviously see Jane's
Jane Eyre - compare the first two chapters
JANE EYRE COURSEWORK The novel 'Jane Eyre' is an emotional journey through the often turbulent and isolated life of Jane Eyre. The eponymous character Jane Eyre starts her life parentless, left in the care of her careless aunt and the company of her cruel cousins. She escapes to school (Lowood) where she flourishes and eventually goes to work as a governess. She subsequently falls in love with the owner of the estate where she is governess, Mr Rochester, before discovering that his mad wife lives in the attic. After turning down St.John Rivers' proposal of marriage she returns to Mr Rochester and, after finding out his wife has died in a fire, marries him. We first meet Jane Eyre in a window-seat of her aunt's house, attempting to escape her worries by reading. Her aunt has separated her from the rest of the family for reasons including not being, "attractive and sprightly" in manner Her situation at Gateshead Hall appears to consist of isolation and loneliness. Her aunt despises her, consequently so do her cousins. John Reed, her only male cousin, regularly beats her for no particular reason and Jane says of him; "I trembled at the idea of being dragged forth by the said Jack" and John had "an antipathy to me". Mrs Reed and the servants ignore his behaviour and act as if they are ignorant of it. Mrs Reed, John, Eliza and Georgiana Reed are Jane's only family. Her
Discuss Bront's presentation of the character
Discuss Brontë's presentation of the character "Miss Temple" "Jane Eyre" is set during the Victorian period, at a time where a women's role in society was restrictive and repressive and class differences distinct. A job as a governess was one of the only few respectable positions available to the educated but impoverished single women. Not only is "Jane Eyre" a novel about one-woman's journey through life, but Brontë also conveys to the reader the social injustices of the period, such as poverty, lack of universal education and sexual inequality. Jane's plight and her "dependant" status is particularly emphasised at the beginning of the novel. Miss Temple is the kind and fair-minded superintendent of Lowood School, who plays an important role in the emotional development of Jane Eyre. Miss Temple is described by Helen as being "good and very clever" and "above the rest, because she knows far more than they do". This description is more significant because Helen has said it, and she herself is extremely mature. One of Miss Temple's most outstanding qualities is her ability to command (perhaps unconsciously) respect from everyone around her, "considerable organ of veneration, for I yet retain the sense of admiring awe with which my eyes traced her steps". Even during their first encounter Jane is "impressed"... "by her voice, look and air". Jane arrives at Lowood as a
Jane Eyre GCSE Literature
Coursework Choose a chapter in Jane Eyre and analyse 18/10/09 how and why Bronte uses the gothic conventions Jane Eyre does not fall under any one genre of writing; it is instead a combination of several different literary genres containing elements from bildungsroman, romance, tragedy, gothic and even some historical undertones. This is one of the main merits of the book, it appeals to a wide variety of audiences. However, this essay will be mainly focussing on the gothic conventions in Jane Eyre and in particular those within chapter 23 (volume II chapter 8). Throughout the novel, Jane Eyre contains many Gothic motifs all of which play a part in the drawing in and maintaining of the reader's attention and interest. One such motif that is used throughout the book is setting. The book contains many references to gothic setting from very early on. One of which would be the Red Room with its links to blood and strange mythical creatures like ghosts "I thought the swift darting beam was the herald of some coming vision form another world" along with its gothic furnishings "It was one of the largest stateliest chambers in the mansion. A bed supported on massive pillars of mahogany" and dark atmosphere "daylight began to forsake the red room". The overall atmosphere created by this gothic setting gives the text more depth and therefore exerts a greater
Discuss Charlotte Bront's use of violence, in the text Jane Eyre, that captures the reader's attention in relation to scenes, settings and characterisations?
Discuss Charlotte Brontë's use of violence, in the text Jane Eyre, that captures the reader's attention in relation to scenes, settings and characterisations? The author of Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë, uses depictions of mental, physical and natural violence throughout the text to interest the reader and create springboards towards more emotional and dramatic parts of the novel. By doing this, Brontë not only uses violence to capture the reader's attention, but also leads the reader on an interesting journey throughout the book. This violence is raised through three particular things that include the following. Scenes, such as the burning down of Mr. Rochester's house by Bertha and the fight between Jane and her cousin John. Settings that include the Red Room in which Jane Eyre is locked in as a child and the Attic in which Bertha Mason is locked. Also Characterisations of Bertha, Mrs. Reed and to some extent Jane herself shed light on the use of violence. Charlotte Brontë uses violence throughout the book to keep the reader interested and at the same time creating a springboard for emotional and dramatical scenes. The first instance of this occurs when Jane is very young and she quarrels physically and verbally with her cousin John. This leads to Jane being locked up in the Red Room, which her uncle died in, and her transfer to Lowood, which is an institution for
The Maturing of Jane in Jane Eyre
The Maturing of Jane in Jane Eyre When a caterpillar hatches from its mother's egg, it enters this world as an innocent, pure creature. As time passes by, it unwraps its cocoon and goes through metamorphosis. Once the caterpillar grows into a fully developed butterfly, it has lost its innocence and purity forever. Jane was an inexperienced caterpillar but her stay at Lowood and her challenging time at Thornfield with Mr. Rochester has changed her into an independent, matured butterfly. When Jane was young, she taught herself to be virtuous. Her aunt's criticisms and punishments has made Jane realize that she wasn't treated as part of the family. Her development of determination and self-reliance become more superior each day she spent at Gateshead. Jane states: "...I hate to live here." This quote proves that Jane hated Gateshead and she was determined to find a better place. The place Jane found was the Lowood Institution for orphans. It was not a better place but it helped Jane stand on her own feet. Through the help of Helen Burns, Jane has learned to love, forget hatred and live her life in happiness. Helen states: "Life appears too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or registering wrongs." These words shows that Helen is more mature and experienced than Jane. Jane observes: "Miss Temple is full of goodness..." Miss
Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre Jane Eyre is a book written in 1847 by a woman named Charlotte Brontè. She had published the book under the name of Currer Bell to discourage any bad publicity, in Victorian times if a woman had written a book it wouldn't be unusual if no one read it. In the book the main character relates to the writer in many ways the strongest relevance of all being they were non-believers in the stereotypical Victorian woman. I would say this book could have been the start of a revolution of how women thought & how they act. The book is about an articulate young Victorian woman who has radical ideas on the treatment & expectations of Victorian women. In the time it was written women were expected to be submissive to men & men would treat women as objects, a prize if it be his wife. Charlotte Brontè suggests that this was wrong which was very peculiar, as a woman was not expected to her own views. In my essay I will be particularly looking at Jane's character but also in little detail her friends & family. At Gateshead the weather is rainy & windy "ceaseless rain sweeping away wildly before a long & lamenting blast" this is an example of pathetic fallacy which Charlotte Brontè uses to show Jane's emotions. Jane is feeling dull & dreary which is shown by the overcast day. John Reed bullies her & members of her new family do not accept Jane. John treats her as if she is vermin
Jane Eyre : Textual Analysis of Chapter 26
Jane Eyre : Textual Analysis of Chapter 26 In the pages leading up to Chapter 26 Jane is in a state of emotional turmoil. She has accepted her master's proposal, although she has shown signs that she is mentally unprepared to be re-christened 'Mrs. Rochester'. The passage starts just as Jane and Mr. Rochester are arriving at the church, and Jane describes 'the gray old house of God' rising before her. The opening sentences themselves give us an insight to Jane's mental condition. Throughout the novel Brontë depicts Jane as pious and God-fearing. On Rochester's proposal, she declares their equality in the eyes of God; 'It is my spirit that addresses your spirit, as if... we stood at God's feet, equal, as we are!' However in this instance she seems to regard the church with more weariness and contempt, calling it 'gray' and 'old'. Jane also calls the church a 'temple', and coupled with her reference to the altar, there may be barbarous undertones, with the 'temple' suggesting some kind of pagan religion, and the altar a sacrifice: the identity of the victim would be obvious. Jane's apparent shift in attitude towards The Church shows her unrest, as she is seeing it as a condemning force rather than a liberating one. Some of the language Jane uses to describe her surroundings suggests that she feels the presence of a predator. There is something sinister in the way she
Trace the development of the friendship between Helen and Miss Brady. Show how this relationship helped Helen to deal with her problems.
Trace the development of the friendship between Helen and Miss Brady. Show how this relationship helped Helen to deal with her problems. Helen is a normal young schoolgirl except for her brother Peter who died not long ago in a motorbike accident. Her dad thought the world of Peter because he went to grammar school and he was going to become an engineer and move away from the place where they live, Alfred Street. Now that Peter is dead her dad has become "morbid" as some of sympathetic pupils in her class describe him. Helen cannot bare the silence in her house. Her dad locks out everybody now that Peter is dead as if there's no one else left. Helen feels left out and lonely. Sometime she hates peter! Miss Brady is an old woman who lives alone on a scruffy barge. She doesn't care for people, so she says and lives with her badger "Bad Bill," and her swan. However she is weak and old and has a bad leg and needs some help although she is too stubborn to ask anyone. When Helen first visits Miss Brady, sent by her teacher to give harvest fruit to old age pensioners, the old lady appears rude and makes Helen feel stupid. "Helen felt misjudged. Just because she had not wanted to pick up the worms, Miss Brady had decided she was soft and silly." Helen doesn't like Miss Brady, she thinks that the old lady is "bossy" and "unfriendly." However Miss Brady asks Helen for