Coming Of Age In Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre

There is a moment in every child’s life where he or she realizes that growing up is not as desirable as they once thought. Before this moment they fantasize about not having a bedtime or driving or finally being able to drink. But then they feel the weight of the adult world with its responsibilities and restrictions of a society that doesn’t value the individual and expects its citizens to morph into mature, controllable adults. This is the time parents hate, the time when their children try to rebel or run away to escape their future as adults, but time, alas, cannot be outrun. The adult world expects many things of its inhabitants—a job, a family, taxes, sex, and much more. Unfortunately, most young adults feel as though they will be

Teen ager would argue that to be independant is to be free. Although parents would say their child’s desire for independence is strenuous like an uphill climb. This is confirmed in W.D. Valgardson’s short story “Saturday Climbing” where Barry struggles to climb a deceiving rock face which is analogous to his relationship with his daughter. Not only if Moira will go to college in the upcoming year but also which campus she will attend.Through this narrative, Valgardson suggests that when parents provide copious amounts of security, conflict will arise and children will rebel; only when a balance is found between security and allowing independence will the relationship be harmonious.

The second occurs as teenagers come closer to the prison that is adulthood. While already filled with angst and hormones, they try to fight their future to no avail. This frustration is what warrants their cry for help. The author also emphasizes the inevitability of the future by stressing that “[they] were born” into the lives they’re living(1,22). While they may fight to make their own choices, these young adults have little to no say in what they will become later in life.

They also expressed that, while they know it is quite common, they hoped for themselves to be living with a partner or in apartment on their own once they were over the age of 30 if they could not live in a home of their own. It was at this point that I began to see that the ideals of centuries past continue to be relevant within our modern context. However, the autonomy to choose the timing of attainment is fundamental to becoming an independent adult. My respondents, therefore, supported previous literature which suggests that conventional transitions to adulthood are occurring but at rather delayed and individualistic rates. But where does this delay come

Historically, young people’s lives were governed by class structure and gender normative roles. However, the decline of traditional institutions and ascribed life courses in late modernity has given rise to the reconceptualization of youth and new sociological perspectives on youth experiences. Rather than defined by social structures, late modern perspectives emphasize the role of agency, that is autonomous decisions, in shaping the lives of contemporary youth. Ulrich Beck’s (1992) individualization thesis highlights the notion of agency in late modern society. According to Beck (1992) individuals are no longer bound by social and cultural constraints and thus must “construct their own biographies” on the basis of individual choice, failure and aspiration (1992, p.3). However, by focusing on autonomous decisions, the individualization thesis has been criticized for overemphasizing the role of agency and thus rejecting social disparities, such as class, gender, and race, which continue to shape youth experiences (Cartmel & Furlong 2006). In contrast, proponents of the thesis maintain that individualization highlights the evolution of social structures in late modernity, thereby conceptualizing the changing nature of youth experiences (Woodman & Wyn 2014). In line with these arguments, this essay will examine young people’s lives in terms of the individualization thesis. Furthermore, it will attempt to address the criticisms associated with individualization.

Jane Eyre is a coming of age story following a young woman and her journey of self-growth. At the start of the novel Jane is living with her aunt and three cousins. They continuously abuse her, treating her like a stranger rather than a family member. At the age of ten Jane leaves her aunt's house and attends boarding school. It is at this school where she learns lessons of forgiveness and hope from a meek young woman named Helen Burns. Subsequently studying and teaching at the school for eight years Jane decides to become a governess at the mysterious Thornfield mansion. She falls in love with the owner of Thornfield and the two make plans to marry. Nonetheless on the day of there wedding Jane discovers that Mr. Rochester is already married and that he keeps his insane wife Bertha trapped away in the attic of Thornfield. Devastated by this information, Jane flees Thornfield and nearly dies from cold and starvation. Soon after she is taken in by the Rivers, two sisters and one brother. The passing of Jane's uncle reveals that she and the Rivers are cousins. It is also revealed that this uncle has left Jane all his fortune. This in turn leaves Jane extremely wealthy. Her cousin St. John Rivers ask Jane for his hand in marriage. However Jane comes to the conclusion that she still loves Mr. Rochester. After declining St. John's proposal Jane journeys back to Thornfield. When she arrives at Thornfield Jane discovers the mysterious mansion in burnt ruins. It is revealed that the

The word choice here reflects Jane's situation - she is like the ground, 'petrified' under the influence of her aunt, whose behaviour is mirrored in the term "hard frost" because of the icy discipline she bestows. Mrs Reed's attitude towards Jane highlights one of the main themes of the novel, social class. Jane's aunt sees Jane as inferior as she had humble beginnings: she is "less than a servant". Jane is glad to be leaving her cruel aunt and of having the chance of going to school.

In Charlotte Bronte’s novel, Jane Eyre, Bronte seemingly condemns the existing social hierarchy. Not only are the characters who are most concerned with the allure of fortune and rank portrayed as either deceitful or unethical, but even characters who’ve accepted their means of poverty and demonstrate honest moral natures are mocked. Rather than use the normal class structures, the book suggests that a person of impoverished means can be viewed as socially respectable with the condition that they maintain a sincere desire to better both oneself and their means of living.

In todays world growing up has become confusing for young men casually through college since they are in the mindset of just hanging out, partying and watching sports. But under the appearance of a boyhood a dangerous world has developed far from cultural and traditional post that had helped manhood navigate throughout life. Young men who graduate from college and are unmarried live with other guys in dorms or apartments or they often go back to live with their parents. They have low paying Jobs and not enough hours. There are many other young men who are motivated and have a clear vision of where they are heated. The motivation they have has provided a answer to many of the supreme patterns of Guyland. The responsibilities of adulthood seem

The nineteenth century Victorian era woman needed wealth or position to avoid a life of drudgery.  Women were viewed as trophies or possessions men owned.  They were not permitted to develop nor expected to, and even venturing out on their own was considered inappropriate.  During the era in which Jane Eyre was published the home and family were seen as the basic unit of stability in society.  At the middle of this foundation stood a wife and mother representing the sum total of all morality - a Madonna-like image.  This image was reinforced by social institutions such as mainstream religious and political beliefs.  Women were steered away from independence, confidence, and

In life there is often much change, it is inevitable. Sometimes it is the people who change or just their circumstances. With the characters introduced in charlottë Bronte's Jane eyre; though their surroundings were altered, it was ultimately their character development rather than circumstances that caused Jane to make her life changing decision. This decision came to pass only after Jane had matured in three distinct ways: financial maturity, experience knowledge, and the farthing of her knowledge

We find out also in this early stage of the book about how Aunt Reed

The belief that women should have equal economic, political and social rights which were offered to men was known as feminism. Feminism has been a prominent and controversial topic in writing for over two centuries, with the view articulating in the “19th century meaning that women were inherently equal to men and deserved equal rights and opportunities.” (Gustafson, 1) Many women throughout time have stood forward towards women’s rights. Jane Eyre was written and published during the Victorian Era. The novel was written by Charlotte Brontë, but published under the

Isolated from the rest of the family until she could ‘acquire a more sociable and childlike disposition’, she loses herself in academic volumes; first

The main theme in this short-story does also circle about the big leap from, in your adolescence, relying on your parents to, in your adulthood, become an independant individual with the right of