Only a mother would know

Only a mother would know Naturally I have my best intentions for my child, but this is most definitely not it. From this cold metal stool I can see one child with greasy hair picking his nose and voluptuously enjoying his midday snack. To my right I can see a skinny boy, who looks far too old for this play group, who is currently biting one of his fellow playmates. Then there was William, a chubby child whose mother runs this association, who has a bladder problem and weeps all over the place, leaving wet patches on the swamp green carpet. Margaret, William's mother, maintains the belief that her boy is a child prodigy and is a severely sensitive child that tends to piss himself when he feels insecure. Naturally with this child it is just a case of his mother refusing toilet train him at the age of five. In the corner on the furry rug are the three little girls, playing with the shoddy dolls that are each missing an eye or an arm; amongst them is my Amy. She has short brown curls, like her father's. Only she has my face and eyes, which was very comforting as I always tried hard not to think about her father and how his abandonment of us will lead to my daughter facing life with one parent. There is always Jerry, my current boyfriend, who unfortunately does not really grasp fatherhood and is undoubtedly going to soon leave us and return to his party animal life. It was

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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What do you find interesting in Bronte's portrayal of Jane Eyre? How does it reflect the social issues of the time?

What do you find interesting in Bronte's portrayal of Jane Eyre? How does it reflect the social issues of the time? The novel Jane Eyre was written to show people the hypocrisy and the social injustice of the time. This book highlight issues such as religion, poverty, education, women and marriage. First I'm going to talk about poverty, Bronte felt that poor people were treated unfairly as she shows by making Jane an orphan with not a penny to her name. Jane is treated very cruelly by her wealthy aunt, which is shown when she tells her own son (Jane's cousin) that Jane is not good enough for them: 'she is not of worthy notice; I do not choose that either you or your sisters should associate with her'. Bronte felt that rich people felt no duty towards the poor and were happy for them to end up in workhouses or poor houses, swept with disease where they would eventually be 'taken care of'. In the first chapter a servant also tells Jane 'you are less than a servant for you do nothing for your keep'. As a consequence of her experiences Jane is almost terrified of being poor probably due to the lack of love and compassion from her so called family so she show this by saying 'I should not like to belong to poor people.... I should not like to go a - begging'. When she is taken ill the servant looking after her insensitively sings a song called 'poor orphan child' which describes

  • Word count: 780
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Grim ghost story.

Coursework_yr11_Ghost Story Grim The year of 1943 was an exciting one for the Rivers children. In January, Jane, Andrew and Richard were moved to the country for fear of the Blitz in London. They were taken by train in a packed carriage full of children to a small village by the name of Longside. Mr Wayne Lambert, an American, whose family had moved to England when he was just three years old, lived alone in his house. At the mature age of 53, he had lost all American bonds apart from the passport that he carried. He lost his American accent and he wore British clothes. He was no less British than his next door neighbours. He was not very sociable but he had a few close friends whom he could rely on. Although he did not have many friends he was respected throughout the village, as a decent and honest man. The Rivers children were proving hard to home, Nobody wanted to take more than one child away, let alone three. They were the last people sitting down patiently waiting for their new parents. Andrew and Richard were twins, and at the age of seven, were not very sure about what was going on but were excited about having new parents for a year or two. Jane, who was twelve, was scared about the outcome of having to be housed. She was almost certain that she would have to be separated from the twins but she dreaded the time when somebody would suggest that the twins should

  • Word count: 2830
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Compare and Contrast the Characters of Rochester and St. John Rivers

Compare and Contrast the Characters of Rochester and St. John Rivers Edward Rochester and St. John Rivers are both extremely interesting characters. They have deep personalities so that it requires some thought to fully understand their actions. They can both do the same thing, under the same circumstances, with different motivations and in different ways. Rochester was born into a wealthy family, of high rank. The Rivers name was also well spoken of and highly respected. Both men had highly intellectual minds which they sought to cultivate and nurture. Each, in their own way, thought themselves superior over other people. Rochester bluntly behaved in a proud manner, whereas St. John quietly held himself above others Rochester is an unkempt bachelor, owner of several estates. He is a globetrotter who rarely stays in one place long. He has a tendency to be loud and demanding. St. John Rivers is a handsome and well-kept minister in a small town who feels called to work as a missionary in India. He is quiet, if he says anything it is to the point and very clear. He is studious and very active in his parish. Rochester seems to go about doing things fairly spontaneously and very boldly, in an abrupt and selfish manner, without much thought as to religion. St. John does everything very quietly in a well-planned way, under the pretence of religion and his

  • Word count: 1733
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Explore the relationship between Jane Eyre and Mr Rochester; including the obstacles they have overcome to achieve happiness.

Explore the relationship between Jane Eyre and Mr Rochester; including the obstacles they have overcome to achieve happiness. In this essay I how Jane and Mr Rochester have achieved happiness in various different ways. I will explore the obstacles they have overcome and how they have overcome them. Also, I will explore their relationship progressing and how as the months have gone on, they have become closer. Mr Rochester and Jane have never simply been employer and employee. There relationship has never been strictly professional and from the moment the met, Mr Rochester was always kind and caring towards Jane. This is shown by the way he talks to her and how he acts around her. 'Mr Rochester, as sat in his damask-covered chair, looked different to what I had seen him before' She notices this change around him when they are alone, as Mrs Fairfax and Adele had left the room. She is very descriptive of him saying that 'his eyes sparkled' and that he was 'much less gloomy.' She describes him as a totally differen t person than his usual 'frigid and rigid temper of a becomes very morning.' I think she has seen a different light of Mr Rochester, and she likes it. In this paragraph there is a connection between the two and Jane describes herself as in a 'gaze. Fastened by his physiognomy.' He catches her glare and asks in a very engaging tone ' Do you think me handsome?'

  • Word count: 2414
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How do Maya Angelou and Charlotte Bronte represent childhood in the novel, and to what extent had this been influenced by the social, cultural and historical events of the time?

How do Maya Angelou and Charlotte Bronte represent childhood in the novel, and to what extent had this been influenced by the social, cultural and historical events of the time? Maya Angelou was writing at a time when blacks had no equal rights. The Wall Street disasters were there was a lot of poverty, and the civil rights were going on were the blacks fought for what was right. Maya Angelou grew up with her grandmother because her parents spilt up and had a divorce. Her grandmother taken Maya and her brother Bailey from when they were little because she did not want them to be involved with the arguing. Maya had a tough up bringing as she was raped at a young age of 8 bye her mother's boyfriend. She had an unstable background because she moved around a lot in her life. At this very young age Bailey played a very important part in Maya's life. Bailey was a year older than Maya. Maya lived a traumatic life. When Maya was raped it was during a visit to St Louis. People now would associate childhood with fun, youth, games, being playful, happy days, and other cheerful thoughts. However Maya Angelou associated childhood with pretending to be brave, as if it childhood was all one bring performance. In I know why the cage bird sings Maya Angelou describes her rough up bringing and how she has been mistreated and her trust abused. In the story Maya represents the caged bird and

  • Word count: 646
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Trace the development of Jane Eyres' character from a passionate child to independent woman

Brad Tarren 11O Jane Eyre Trace the development of Jane Eyres' character from a passionate child to independent woman Our class has recently studied the novel 'Jane Eyre' as part of pre 1914 Gothic horror. The author of the story is Charlotte Bronte, the novel is part autobiographical; therefore giving the story a powerful and accurate effect (for example: two of Charlotte's sisters died while at school; thus giving Charlotte the inspiration for Helen's death at Lowood school) Jane Eyre was Charlottes second book published in October 1847 under a males name Currer Bell. The reason for this was because publishers were disinclined to publish a female author's novel. Charlotte was born in 1816 in Thorton, Yorkshire. She was the third of four daughters of Patrick Bronte. In her lifetime Jane refused three offers of marriage; but in 1854 she consented to marry her fathers curate, A.B. Nicholls. Sadly the marriage was short lived as Charlotte died from an illness during pregnancy. During the tale Jane Eyre's character varies; changing from a passionate child to a strong independent women, I believe this is from her spending time at Gateshead Hall, Lowood School and finally Thornfield Hall. The story mainly takes place in these three different locations in Northern England, probably Northumberland, West Riding and Derbyshire. Jane Eyre was an orphan child who lived with her

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Passion in 'A Doll's House' and 'Jane Eyre'

Passion in 'A Doll's House' and 'Jane Eyre' Passion is a deep, overwhelming emotion which can be expressed in several ways. In the world today, freedom of expressing passion is deemed common. However, during the nineteenth century, where ideologies and behaviors were much more constricted, this seldom occurred and when it did, conflict and disorder resulted. The nineteenth century world created in 'A Doll's House' and 'Jane Eyre' by Henrik Ibsen and Charlotte Bronte respectively, portray this view. By analyzing both works, one can realize how both Bronte and Ibsen have similarities and differences in their view of Passion as well as the literary techniques they adopt to evoke this expression of immense Passion. The Passion expressed by Nora and Jane reflect their oppressed emotions. Jane expresses her first outburst of emotion in the form of anger, towards her cousin John Reed when he throws a book on her head, ""Wicked and cruel boy!" I said. "You are like a murderer - you are like a slave-driver -- you are like the Roman emperors!" " (P5).In this part of the novel, Bronte skillfully uses the outburst of passion in terms of characterization. Passion can be described as genuine or an inner true feeling. By Jane comparing John Reed to a Roman emperor, Bronte portrays that Jane already has a potential of knowledge, which in the nineteenth century was abnormal for a Victorian

  • Word count: 1146
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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in an essay of not more than 1500 words, compare and contrast the means by which two of the following works challenge the expectations, values and assumptions of their audiences. Your discussion should contain two texts of different genres.

28th August 2005 in an essay of not more than 1500 words, compare and contrast the means by which two of the following works challenge the expectations, values and assumptions of their audiences. Your discussion should contain two texts of different genres. The works I have chosen to compare and contrast are, George Bernard Shaw's stage play Pygmalion, the story of a working class single woman wishing to change herself, and an upper middle class educated man acting as tutor; and Jean Rhys's novel Wide Sargasso Sea. Wide Sargasso Sea (WSS) was written in the 1960s and was seen as a prequel to Charlotte Bronte's, Jane Eyre. It focuses on Mr Rochesters first wife Bertha prior to her arrival in England. Bertha, whose real name Antoinette Cosway is a passive Creole woman from Jamaica caught between two cultures. Whist there are the obvious differences between these pieces, with Wide Sargasso Sea being a novel set on a tropical island, and Pygmalion a stage play based on a flower girl from London, there are similarities from the outset. Other people base both these works upon much older works. WSS based upon Jane Eyre, and Pygmalion a reworking of the Greek tale in which a sculptor falls in love with his female statue. These seemingly innocent tales also contain subtle attacks upon the audience/reader and their way of life. Shaw adapts the subtext and plot of the play to

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Through her presentation of Jane, how does Charlotte Bronte challenge conventional ideas of her time?

Through her presentation of Jane, how does Charlotte Bronte challenge conventional ideas of her time? Charlotte Bronte, through the character of Jane Eyre, challenges the conventional ideas of the Victorian era, specifically in the areas of family life, education and relationships. Victorians adhered to the vision of a very rigorous family structure, which had no room for any individuality or distinctiveness. The traditional family view was that children were supposed to obey their parents and act prudently. They should be 'seen but not heard.' Jane, however, is a rebellious child with a passionate disposition who cannot tolerate this notion and often refuses to accept her punishments. Mrs Reed does not bring up Jane the way she brings up her own spoilt children. She makes it very clear that she is doing her niece a favour as she is forced by the circumstances to keep her in her household. She treats her like a maid, and Jane is often punished; most of the times because she expresses her own opinion. For example: 'I am not deceitful; if I were, I should say I loved you, but I declare I do not love you' - page 43 Mrs Reed constantly tries to suppress any uniqueness Jane possesses and forces her to treat her cousins like royalty due to her 'low' rank. In these cases, Bessie tries to advise young Jane. An example is below: You ought not to think yourself on an equality

  • Word count: 1030
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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