Foils In Jane Eyre

The effect and influence that Brontë’s Jane Eyre has on its audience is profound, and this is emulated in Thursday. It is evident early in the text that Thursday’s childhood experiences and exposure with the characters and universe of Jane Eyre has caused her to, somewhat subconsciously, embody the character of Jane that she discovered within the pages of the novel. Thursday’s self-identity is molded and formed so much by the novel that the character of Thursday herself, can be almost directly transposed with Jane. Through the author’s use of intertextuality, Fforde is able to depict what would be perceived as a modern day, contemporary Jane Eyre, through the character of Thursday Next. Within the first exposure that Thursday directly has to the story of Jane Eyre, the effect of Brontë’s protagonist on the nine-year-old Thursday is unmistakable. Immediately, Thursday sees herself in the character and her beliefs surrounding her own self-image are visible, saying she “had realised not long ago that [she]. . . was no beauty. . . and had seen how the more attractive children gained favour more easily.” (Fforde 66), however, she finds somewhat of a role model within Jane Eyre, expressing that “in that young woman I could see how those principles could be inverted. I felt myself stand more upright and clench my jaw in subconscious mimicry of her pose.” (Fforde 66). This mimicry of Jane Eyre, even through the subtlety of the apery of her pose,

The addition of Helen Burns in Jane’s life leaves a permanent mark as Helen becomes a role model for Jane, by being a patient, forgiving, and wise individual. Helen was sent out of history class and told to stand in the middle of the schoolroom, Jane was shocked at how patiently she accepted the punishment, ‘’I expected she would show sign of great distress and shame; but to my surprise she neither wept or blushed.’’ Helen demonstrates her patience by remaining calm during her punishment, and not wavering during any of her hardships. She has the propensity to face any difficult situation in a peaceful and patient manner. Being at the young age of around thirteen, one would expect her to be fearful or intolerant of her punishments, but she maintains

Charlotte Brontë, however, presents a different approach to the minds of the reader. The primary foil of Jane Eyre, Blanche Ingram, is the darling of her culture—beautiful and frivolously talented. What she lacks in conscience, having a foul demeanor, she makes up for in cunning brilliance. Blanche sees the prejudice set against her and is able to take advantage of them by playing by the rules. She constantly uses her high standing superficial beauty to make others look inferior, advancing herself in their place.

In the novel, Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre has the option of either marrying Rochester or St. John Rivers. Rochester and St. John Rivers are foils, however they do share some characteristics. Both Rochester and St. John Rivers have many strengths and weaknesses that influence Jane Eyre’s choice of whom she shall marry.

A confidant or a confidante is a supporting character who presents the main character with a sympathetic aid; as writer Henry James wrote, confidants or confidantes can be “the reader’s friend as the protagonist’s.” In the 1847 novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, Helen Burns is such the character that provides moral support to the protagonist, Jane Eyre. Through Helen, Brontë presented the protagonist a valuable friendship as well as created a literary foil, or “a character that shows qualities that are in contrast with the qualities of another character” (“Foil”). Jane Eyre was orphaned when she was a small child and was taken in by her uncle, who also shortly died as well.

Written by Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre tells the story of its title character as she matures and experiences all that life has to offer in 19th century England. Jane Eyre grows up as an orphan and seeks work as a governess at Thornfield Hall, where she meets and falls in love with Mr. Edward Rochester. After discovering that he is already married, she is introduced to St. John Rivers; he asks her to marry him for the sole purpose of being a missionary’s wife and she instead returns to Mr. Rochester, who she truly loves, and marries him. Throughout her journey, she learns many thing about Mr. Edward Rochester and St. John Rivers. Both men display similar characteristics, but as foils they exhibit many different characteristics as well. Both

Elizabeth Bennet and Charlotte Collins in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice epitomize the two type of women of the era. Elizabeth is strong willed, independent, and wants to marry for love. Charlotte is the opposite. She is easily swayed by a man’s pocket and uses marriage as a way to move up in social status. Elizabeth and Charlotte are foils of each other.

Jane Eyre, written by Charlotte Bronte, employs many themes like sanity and madness, fire and ice, and equality in station and morals. The most profound theme is sight and blindness, or light and darkness, which can be applied to a good portion of the novel. The main characters, Jane Eyre and Edward Rochester, figuratively play as both the light and dark in their companion’s lives. These abilities make the two foil characters, who contrast, but also complement each other’s qualities.

As author Charlotte Bronte pens Jane Eyre, Bronte manipulates the readers emotions through diction and imagery. These tools make the reader bring sympathy towards the protagonist, as if she were confined or imprisoned. As the main character goes to her place or retirement, she does not walk or strut in, but rather slips in. This demonstrates the author application in diction or word choice.

Charlotte Bronte’s “Jane Eyre” has captivated readers for generations. As with all coming of age novels, young adults can relate to the struggles and triumphs of Jane. Jane’s setting influences and parallel her emotions. A reader can see the novel through her eyes and perspective. In Bronte’s “Jane Eyre,” the location often parallels Jane’s emotional growth through the tone presented by the environment, resulting in the different places she lives revealing her journey through depression. Jane’s behavioral patterns and thoughts suggest clinical depression that affected her choices throughout the novel and her life at Gateshead, Lowood, Thornfield, Marsh End, and Ferdean.

Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre is presented in the Victorian Period of England. It is a novel which tells the story of a child's maturation into adulthood. Jane's developing personality has been shaped by her rough childhood. She has been influenced by many people and experiences. As a woman of her time, Jane has had to deal with the strain of physical appearance. This has a great effect on her mental thinking and decision making. Jane Eyre's cognitive and physical attributes have been affected by her environment throughout her life.

Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre emerges with a unique voice in the Victorian period for the work posits itself as a sentimental novel; however, it deliberately becomes unable to fulfill the genre, and then, it creates an altogether divergent novel that demonstrates its superiority by adding depth of structure in narration and character portrayal. Joan D. Peters’ essay, Finding a Voice: Towards a Woman’s Discourse of Dialogue in the Narration of Jane Eyre positions Gerard Genette’s theory of convergence, which is that the movement of the fiction towards a confluence of protagonist and narrator, is limited as the argument does not fully flesh out the parodies that Charlotte Bronte incorporates into her work. I will argue that in the novel

     Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre is a coming-of-age story about an unconventional woman's development within a society of strict rules and expectations. At pivotal moments in Jane's life, she makes choices which are influenced by her emotions and/or her reason. Through the results of those choices, Jane learns to balance passion and practicality to achieve true happiness.

One could look through the enticing piece of literature that is Jane Eyre through a variety of lenses, two significant lenses being mythological and autobiographical. Charlotte Bronte creates an imaginative plot line that encaptures her readers and contributes to the essence of her work as a whole. Bronte combines the lenses of mythology and autobiography not only to appeal to her readers but to balance out the fairy-tale like events with realistic and real-life issues.

Jane Eyre, a novel by Charlotte Brontë, contains several notable themes and messages sent to its readers. Jane Eyre is a coming of age novel that is a story of a girl's quest for equality and happiness. A common theme that recurs throughout the novel is the importance of independence.Charlotte Brontë utilizes several techniques to convey this message, incorporating her personal experiences, as well as including symbolism and motifs. Charlotte Bronte subjects Jane to several conflicts that occur because of Jane’s desire for independence and freedom, such as love, religion, and gender inequality.