Examples Of Power In Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre’s second home at Lowood spans a period of eight years during the beginning of which she continues to face an inner battle between passion and reason. Still a young girl, Jane is unable to comprehend the lack for insubordination. This perpetuates when Mr. Brocklehurst denounces her in front of the school:

Throughout the book, Jane endures both physical and mental abuse from multiple individuals; however, she defies them by fighting back in her own way. The abuse starts at Gateshead when her older cousin, John Reed, verbally and physically assaults Jane. Brontë writes on page 12, “He bullied and punished me; not two or three times in the week, nor once or twice in a day, but continually: every nerve I had feared him, and every morsel of flesh on my bones shrank when he came near.” Jane consciously chooses to defend herself after John strikes her on page 13 and 14, “I wonder if he read that notion in my face; for, all at once, without speaking, he struck suddenly and strongly. I tottered, and on regaining my equilibrium retired back a step or two from his chair…I don’t very well know what I did with my hands, but he called me…” Jane defies John’s authority as the man of the house by fighting back when he abuses her. By doing this, Jane breaks the typical Victorian gender-based ideal that a woman must obey and be complacent to the directive of any man in a higher position than her (Olga Zeltzer, Historical Analysis: Women as the "the Sex" During the Victorian Era). Jane’s actions,

At Lowood Jane is repulsed by Mr. Brocklehurst and his “two-faced” character. Even so, Jane fines her first true friend. Helen Burns, another student at the school. By instruction, Helen is able to prove her messages. When Jane is punished in front of the whole school, she tries to accept it. But Jane still dreams of human affection and is deeply hurt when she is scolded. Jane goes as far to say, “If others don’t love me, I would rather die than live.” Helen’s response, “You think to much of the love of human beings,” (69). Through example Helen teaches Jane too. Helen is punished by, Miss Scatcherd because her finger nails were not clean. Jane wonders why she just took it and did not fight back. Jane says, “When we are struck without a reason, we should strike back again very hard; I am sure we should . . .” Helen replies, “Love you enemies; bless them that curse you . . .” (56). When Helen is dying of Typhus she reminds Jane, “I believe: I have faith: I am going to God,” (82). Jane is able to draw strength from Helen’s faith, making her stronger. Helen’s messages guide Jane through her turbulent life. This is how Jane learns not to worry so much how other think of her.

In the novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, the heroine is portrayed as a neglected individual who desperately wishes to learn the skill of escaping the imprisonment of the troubled mind. Literary critic Nina Baym claims that Jane’s goal is to assert her dominance rather than to gain independence. However, in several parts of the novel, Jane is vocal about her desire to make it on her own without the assistance of money, love, or affection. She would rather be freed of any restraints that may hold her hostage than dominate the life of another.

One would think that she would grow up to be unforgiving, but Jane explains that she “must resist those who punish [her] unjustly. It is as natural as that [she] should love those who show [her] affection, or submit to punishment when [she] feel it is deserved” (Bronte 119). Jane saying this to her young friend, Helen, exemplifies how Jane was beyond her years and how she grew into being a young woman of wisdom. Her development throughout the novel is shown by her beginning as an isolated orphan in her society, yet she ended as an heiress with a family of her own. Jane who creates her own family and happiness by being independent, remaining curious and maintaining self-respect.

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, empathy is shown to change the thinking of the characters, giving them a more brave outlook in multiple situations. Empathy helps the characters feel for the people who surround them, and by doing so they are able to do courageous, unexpected things. The most prominent example of this is the “doomed” court case against Atticus and Tom Robinson.

Jane is also isolated, excluded and embarrassed by Mr. Brocklehurst, a supervisor of Lowood Institution, where Jane is a student. As Jane begins to develop her she is able to play a more active role in her life and turns down two marriage proposals which she feels will lead to further imprisonment. However, it is only at the end of the novel, that Jane is able to be proactive in planning her life. Throughout the novel Jane

Chapter seven sees Jane slightly more experienced to the ways of Lowood School. She has come to accept the poor conditions laid down by Mr. Brocklehurst, however has not yet learnt to ignore them and Bronte describes Jane suffering a lot in this chapter. This lack of food and appalling living conditions are down to the head of the school, Mr. Brocklehurst. This man uses his apparent strong beliefs in Christianity as an excuse to provide the children of Lowood with the absolute bare minimum. Brocklehurst claims his “mission is to mortify in these girls the lusts of the flesh”, presenting the idea that perhaps Brocklehurst is simply a man that has a immensely firm grasp of his

Throughout Jane Eyre, a novel written by Charlotte Bronte, Jane is shown by multiple women in her life what “proper” feminine behavior is, however she comes to the conclusion that “proper” feminine behavior is going against conformity, being able to forgive and standing up for herself. Topic Sentence 1: One of the most important role models for Jane is Mrs. Reed, who shows that conforming to norms will not bring happiness. Evidence 1: “I should wish her to be brought up in a manner suiting her prospects,”...to be made useful, to be kept humble” (33-34, Signet Classic Edition) Analysis 1: With Mrs. Reed telling Brocklehurst how she wants Jane to be and in turn showing Jane how she should act in society, Jane learns her first rule of “proper” femininity, the world will want someone to be “useful” to them but following this they will never be fully content.

Throughout the Victorian Age, male dominance deprived women from freedom of choice. In Charlotte Brontë’s novel, Jane Eyre, Jane Eyre repeatedly struggles to become an independent young lady due to the troublesome men in the story. There are several male characters who control, humiliate, and abuse their power over Jane. The author manages to depict patriarchal dominance through the characterization of John Reed, Mr. Brocklehurst, and Mr. Rochester.

Jane Erye's next home emerges as the Lowood Institution where she spends six years of her life learning to become intelligent and morally stringent, while remaining visibly plain. Her lesson of physical and mental humility comes at the hands of Mr. Brocklehurst, the institution's main benefactor. Upon seeing a girl with natural curls in her hair, he proclaims: "My mission is to mortify in these girls the lusts of the flesh, to teach them to clothe themselves with shamefacedness and sobriety" (pg. 96). Such a strong influence on Jane, at such an early age, greatly persuades her opinion of her own physical image. She feels her status in life always remains as a humble and inconspicuous servant with a sharp mind and strict morals. In spending six years of her most impressionable years of her life at such a repressive institution, she learns a great deal of humility.

has a soft spot for Helen Burns and appears to be one of the strongest

When Jane is sent to Lowood (an all girl's school), she finds the first true love shown by an adult. Miss Temple, the school's superintendent) treats all of the girls with extreme kindness and gentleness. When the girl's breakfast is burned, she arranges for them to have the luxury of white bread and cheese to make up for it. Also, even while some of the other teachers like Miss Scatcherd and even the school's headmaster, Mr. Brocklehurst, are mean to the girls, she is always there for them with a hug and a smile. When Helen falls deathly ill, Jane sees how motherly and unfaltering Miss Temple is towards Helen. Another character who shows Jane love at Lowood is Helen herself. She is the first person Jane's age who is nice to her. Jane grew up with the Reed children's spiteful actions and attitudes toward her and never experienced a peer's kindness until she met Helen.

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Jane accepts the power she draws from her confidence and does not wait for others to save her. Several simple passages present the evidence, the first being her abuse from her cousins and aunt. When her cousin John goes to attack her by throwing a book at her head, Jane foresees his action and ducks out of the way and continues to defend herself, saying, “I don’t very well know what I did with my hands, but he…bellowed out aloud” (page 6). She is not subtle in her conditions of leaving the house, and fights for herself, by herself. “Speak I must”, she declares to herself, “I gathered my energies and launched them” (page 35). Jane realizes from that point on that if she did not speak for herself, no one else ever would. Later, in school, the