Examples Of Self-Reliance In Jane Eyre

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.

In the first few opening chapters Jane Eyre is seen as a mentally and physically abused child, during her years at Gateshead Hall. John Reed displays violence towards Jane in the first chapter. He punishes and bullies Jane; it is not known why the Reed family resent her so much. Her situation is seen as desperate within the first few paragraphs. Her cousins and Aunt make her life impossible and unbearable, she is not seen as a member of the family. Jane is simply seen as ‘’less than a servant’’ as she does ‘’nothing for her keep’’.

From her troubles with the abusive Reed family, her friendships at Lowood, her love of Mr Rochester and her time with the Rivers family, Jane 's character remains strong and vigilant despite the hardships she endures. Through the course of the novel, Jane 's character changes slightly but moreover reinforces itself as Jane uses people, situations and her personal experiences to gain knowledge, and assist her gaining her full character.

The only time that a member of the Reed family speaks to Jane is when they are belittling her, hoping to further assert their elite dominance over the lower class. In one particular quarrel, John Reed, the oppressive “Roman emperor” and “slave driver,” throws a book at Jane’s head to physically proclaim his dominance over her, to which Jane responds by verbally firing back at his elitist oppression. (Brontë 13) The battle between the social classes concludes with Jane being banished to the horrifying red-room as punishment for attempting to overthrow the elite power, John Reed, even though John was the clear instigator of the scuffle. Jane is later condemned by the house servants for her attempt to overthrow her “young master.” Jane and John are both children, but due to the wealth and status of his parents, John is allowed to rule over Jane, making Jane, as the Gateshead servants would describe, “‘less than a servant’” because she does nothing for her keep. (Brontë 15) Jane continuously faces this maltreatment at Gateshead until an outburst directed towards Mrs. Reed causes her to be sent away to Lowood school, a place where Mrs. Reed hopes Jane will perhaps be taught to conform to the societal norm of how a young girl like Jane should act in

The Reeds take care of Jane because both of her parents died at a young age, making her an orphan. While living here, Jane’s extended family subjects her to neglect, abuse, and hate. This caused Jane to feel as if she were alone at Gateshead. Bronte’s naming of the residence shows how Jane feels like she cannot move beyond the “gate” separating her from the others living at Gateshead, stating “I was clearly a discord at Gateshead Hall; I was like nobody there; I had nothing in harmony with Mrs. Reed or her children, or her chosen vassalage.” (Bronte 17).

In this part of the novel, we are introduced to Jane and the Reed family. Jane's time at Gateshead was rather unpleasant, oppressive, and cruel. The Reed family viewed Jane as a nuance and never treated Jane as her own. This can be seen in Chapter 2 when Jane is put in the red room and exclaims, “All John Reed's violent tyrannies, all his sisters' proud indifference, all his mother's aversion, all the servants' partially… Why was I always suffering, always browbeaten, always accused, for ever condemned?”

Jane lived with her aunt Mrs. Reed, for most of her childhood at Gateshead. However, one day after being fed up with Mrs. Reed, Jane outbursts, “‘I am glad you are no relation of mine. I will never call you aunt again as long as I live. I will never come to see you when I am grown up; and if any one asks me how I liked you, and how you treated me, I will say the very thought of you makes me sick, and that you treated me with miserable cruelty’”

When the story begins, Jane is ten years old and lives with her aunt at Gateshead. She was constantly terrorized by her relatives. In her description of her life at Gateshead, she said, “John Reed was a schoolboy of fourteen years old, four years older than me, as I was but ten” (Brontë 12). His superiority in both age and size led him to constantly harass Jane while they lived together. Eventually, Mrs. Reed decided to send Jane to Lowood school where she would spend the rest of her youth. After being there for a bit of time, she stated,

Self-deception is one of many standard emotions that every person has, even many authors include these emotions in book and novels. Books such as Jane Eyre and the mark on the wall use this key emotion in the story.

These depictions are evident though the characters of Mrs Reed, Blanche Ingram and Jane herself. Mrs Reed is Jane’s aunt through marriage; she is depicted as a woman with authority who spoils her children and dislikes Jane. In the beginning of the story, she is a cold-hearted being; at the end of the novel, her character changes given the circumstances and is less of a wicked aunt to Jane. The influence of class and status in the depiction of women is achieved through the character of Blanche Ingram. As a woman of high social class and beautiful as she, is interested in Mr Rochester for his wealth and considers him an easy husband to attain because he is ugly in the eyes of most; this is evident when she says, “Whenever I marry…I am resolved my husband shall not be a rival, but a foil to me…(pg180)”

Mrs. Reed treated her badly than her cousins. They treat her as an orphan, but not as a family. Through Jane’s experience, at Gateshead, the home of the wealthy Reed family, she experiences conflicts with Mrs. Reed and John Reed. Jane is mistreated by John Reed. John Reed who is a naughty boy is looking for Jane.

These attitudes she feels her family has towards her she then musters into her feelings toward John Reed as she refers to all his “violent tyrannies”. My feelings toward Jane are something between sympathy and adornment. She, as mentioned in the lecture, has a story similar to the ever so popular Cinderella. With that being said I am led to believe she has to have a happy ending. I am also led to believe that her character cannot be anything has her family claims. Throughout time women who are strong, smart, and independent are given a reputation of rebellion and wickedness. Independent and strong women have a tendancy of being feared. Jane Eyre is just a child whose character has become independent and strong because of the lack of love she is receiving from her “housing” arrangements (I will not call them family, as they have not acted as so). I am excited to see what happens as the novel continues and how outsiders continue to view Jane. I am also excited to see if Jane changes as the novel develops (though I really hope she does

Jane Eyre once stated, “I am no bird, and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will.” (Bronte 268). This quote perfectly defines Jane Eyre and her ability to decide for herself throughout this book. Even though Jane faces numerous hardships, she overcomes these times with other memories to over rule the bitter ones. Jane’s ability to follow her ethical code and determination to face the manipulation and hatred of others proves she is a strong and independent woman.

The characters are blinded by their personal pride and are unaware that this leads to their own corruption. The many characters that are presented in Jane Eyre attribute others by their class. This shape character interaction and a character who displays these attributes are Mrs. Reed. Mrs. Reed was placed as Jane Eyre’s guardian after the death of her uncle and her parents. Although Mrs. Reed loathed Jane as she attributed her to being lower class and thought of her as a dependent.

At the novel's opening, Jane is living with the cruel Mrs. Reed and her horrid three children, Eliza, Georgiana, and John. Mrs. Reed makes her distaste for Jane very evident in all of her actions. She forbids her to play with her (Mrs. Reed's) children (Jane's own cousins) and falsely accuses her of being a "liar" and of possessing a "mean spirit." Mrs. Reed's attitude is