In Charlotte Bronte’s novel, Jane Eyre, the author reveals the independent, mature, and strong values of the protagonist, Jane Eyre, in the male dominated and hierarchical society with the use of first person point of view, selection of detail, and dialogue.
The use of dialogue in the novel verifies Jane Eyre’s independent and mature personality and values that separate her from the hierarchical society she resides in. When being insulted by her aunt that she does not fit in with the rest of the family, Jane replies “they are not fit to associate with me.” The reply that Jane gives to her aunt shows how she can stand up for herself by choosing not to back down in the argument. Jane standing up for herself in the beginning of the novel establishes
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Jane threatens her aunt by telling other of how her aunt is “bad, hard-hearted…deceitful.” The aunts change in attitude to being friendly and the “desire” to be Jane’s “friend” shows how rank and images are important to the people in the society. Jane learns from a young age how society will be unfair to certain people and it will hold everything to others which shows how Jane is mature for her age to understand that concept. To understand the concepts of life for that time period is not something children typically have to worry about in life or being mistreated in an unfair society. When conversing with Helen Burns in the novel, Jane discusses the concept of death, and how “all must die one day” and Helen understands it and her “mind is at rest”. Jane’s childhood friendship …show more content…
When told Mr. Rochester will be visiting at the residence, Jane replies whether it is “necessary to change my frock?” Jane's reply to the news shows her disapproval of what women should be expected to do in front of a male; in the male dominated society in which women must be below men. Jane was meant to obey what she must do to show respect to the men that she associates with. Her disapproval with the necessity to change her frock shows how she doesn’t believe that women should have less power than the men and should rather be considered an equal. The question that Jane asks about how "necessary" it is shows how women were meant to look the best she can in the society but not be the type to outrank the males. When Mr. Rochester asks about Jane's paintings and how she came about them, she replies "out of my head" and Mr. Rochester comments "That head I see now on your shoulders". The use of Mr. Rochester's comment shows his disbelief that she could have possibly done such a painting and how he has yet to believe it. The selection of detail shows how the society doesn't believe that women could possibly hold a role more than a caregiver and worker. The paintings are used to show her special skills that aren't typically seen in that male dominated society. The paintings are a way to show Jane's independence in a society that is ruled by males. When Jane becomes
As a feminist, Jane is able to protect herself when she is in a situation where she needs to be defended. For instance, when her brutish older cousin John hurls a hardcover book at her head, she pounces back by attacking him in defense. She also faces no difficulty in successfully defeating her cold-hearted aunt in a verbal fight, just at the tender age of ten. Jane is surely unafraid of the consequences that she has to face on actions that she believes as rightfully done. This amazing trait remains even as she proceeds into adulthood and meets the love of her life. She is able to deal with, and even stand up to Mr. Rochester’s unreasonable verbal attacks directed at her. She clearly shows her dauntless side of her personality, by speaking her own mind when Mr. Rochester demands for the money that he had given her. Jane refuses clear cut, and Mr. Rochester asks to then at least let him see the cash. Jane refuses again by retorting that he is “not to be trusted.” Jane has an honest and truthful soul who knows how to speak for herself, unlike many women during this period of time. Jane is never concerned about what other people would think of her if she tells them the exact truth about everything. She is able to inform her departure by cancelling off the wedding between herself and Mr. Rochester after what she had witnessed and experienced. Jane cries out “you are a married man-or as good as a married man, and wed to one inferior to you- to one with whom you have no sympathy- whom I do not believe you truly love; for I have seen and heard you sneer at her. I would scorn such a union: therefore I am better than you- let me go!” Jane is able to truthfully utter her thoughts, her true opinion without being afraid; even if it was to someone she dearly loved. When Mr. Rochester angrily cries out, “Jane, be still; don’t struggle so, like a wild frantic bird that is rending its own plumage in its
In the beginning Jane seems a strong character who is very rebellious; In the Victorian times it was considered “deceitful” for a child too speak out. Jane wishes to overcome this. And she does when she says, “I must keep in good health, and not
Furthermore, Jane says “I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself” (Chapter 27, Bronte.) This statement greatly represents the growth that Jane has undergone. She no longer dreads the solitude that once haunted her because she respects herself enough to realize that she did not deserve to experience such great dismay. Through independence and self-recognition, Jane has discovered the importance of loving oneself. Without the reliance on the thoughts of others, the once extremely troubled girl found bliss through a lack of outside control. In regards to her relationship with Mr. Rochester, Jane understands that she must leave him behind to maintain her own well-being. She does not allow the wealth or proclaimed love from Rochester to skew her decisions and she does not linger to dominate the life of her lover. Instead, she moves forward to continue her endless pursuit of happiness and independence.
Significance: This quote signifies Jane finally coming to a decision. She has decided to leave this ideal of a man with perfect Christian morals and instead marry someone because she truly loves them not just because they fit this mold a someone whom she always thought she would marry. Deciding to go back to Mr. Rochester wasn’t an easy
Throughout the novel, Jane is treated as a threat to other characters, either because she is an intruder from the outside community, because she is an enigma or because her ideas are threatening. The other characters marginalize Jane in order to dismiss her or her ideas and threreby transform her ideas into something non-threatening. From the very outset, the characters exclude Jane; even as a child she is excluded from the social group, "Eliza, John and Georgina were now clustered round their mama in the kitchen... she really must exclude me from privileges intended only for contented, happy little
Her Aunt as well as her only cousins resent Jane. She is an outcast, but nevertheless at only the age of
Furthermore, this demeaning and negative attitude Jane is exposed to is further instigated when her cousin, John Reed, expresses her situation by saying: "You have no business to take our books; you are a dependent, mama says; you have no money; your father left you none; you ought to beg, and not to live here with gentlemen's children like us". The truth of Jane's unfortunate situation is expressed against her which results in her feeling no true support from this family and confides only in her childhood nursemaid- Bessie, who although behaves inconsistently and has “a capricious and hasty temper”, is the closest mother figure to her. Furthermore, the friction between Jane and John is further emphasised when the first physical aspect of violence is introduced to the reader through a graphic portrayal, further showing the ultimate rejection Jane experienced
In the earlier chapters of the novel, Jane is ten years old and she is admiring some pictures. The first picture
In the early stages of Jane's life she was a very autonomous girl. She grew up in a hostile environment in the home of Mrs. Reed and her three children, John, Eliza, and Georgiana that is known as Gateshead. The Reed family showed no love or any sort of affection towards Jane in any way, shape, or form; for they all despised her. She spent most of her time out of contact of others. The most contact she had with someone was a
Jane is introduced to the reader from the age of 10, whose entire life has been isolated due to her stay at Gateshead. She lives with her aunt and cousins, who are harsh and have emotionally
One of the people who she meets that ends up having an influence on her is Helen Burns. Helen is a girl who is very obedient and submissive. She let people tell her what to do and doesn’t really stand up for herself. Helen eventually dies of typhus fever, but for the short time that Jane knew her, she ended up having a big influence on how Jane acts in the future when she leaves Lowood. The book says, “Her grave is in Brocklebridge churchyard: for fifteen years after her death it was only covered by a grassy mound; but now a grey passionate, but she didn’t show that as much as she did when she was still a young child, she learned to think before she acts.
She also reveals to Helen that she may perhaps never love or bless him (58), neither is she ready to relate with Reeds and states she will never call her aunt (Rhys 36). Jane dehumanizes herself by referring to herself as ‘Blind puppy’, an "impotent bird with broken
Readers learn early in the story that Jane Eyre does not fit contemporary society's idea of a proper woman. As a child, Jane stands up to her aunt, Mrs. Reed, on more than one recorded occasion when Jane feels she has been treated unjustly (Brontë 28, 37). At one point, Jane bluntly tells her aunt, "I declare, I do not love you: I dislike you the worst of anybody in the world except John Reed [Jane's cousin]" (37). This was at best improper behavior for a child in Victorian society, and it was most definitely seen as improper by Mrs. Reed who grows to hate Jane, calling her "tiresome, ill-conditioned" and "scheming" (26). But her aunt's reprimands and hatred do not deter Jane from speaking up in the face of injustice.
Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre embraces many feminist views in opposition to the Victorian feminine ideal. Charlotte Bronte herself was among the first feminist writers of her time, and wrote this book in order to send the message of feminism to a Victorian-Age Society in which women were looked upon as inferior and repressed by the society in which they lived. This novel embodies the ideology of equality between a man and woman in marriage, as well as in society at large. As a feminist writer, Charlotte Bronte created this novel to support and spread the idea of an independent woman who works for herself, thinks for herself, and acts of her own accord.
The pivotal moment that affected Jane Eyre’s outlook on life was due to her harsh upbringing by her aunt and her cousins. It is first introduced to the reader that Jane was adopted by her kind Uncle Reed, and his family, while Jane was sent to the red room as punishment and she was pondering about the past in order to pass time. The red room was a chamber, with décor that was almost all red, which could be locked from outside. The reason Jane was sent to the red room was because she had lashed out at her snobby and obnoxious cousin John Reed that on a regular basis would torment Jane. After years of pent up anger and frustration Jane couldn’t take it any longer. On regular occasion, she was outcast by her own family, although only she was only blood related to her deceased Uncle Reed and partly to his children. Before he had passed, Jane’s uncle had made a promise with his wife that she would raise Jane as if she were one of her own children. But, as time went on the Reed family’s