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Jane Eyre Character Analysis

Decent Essays

Can an impoverished orphan in the Victorian era sustain dreams of love and a fulfilled life while remaining true to herself? Jane Eyre is a young 10 year old orphan that lives with her cruel and widowed aunt, Mrs. Reed. One day after being unfairly provoked, she is caught fighting like a “wild cat” with her cousin. Jane is punished and locked inside the “ghost-infected” Red Room. Jane is so frightened by her imagination that, after an hour, she passes out and wakes up in the care of kind servant Bessie and apothecary Mr. Lloyd. After Jane talks with Mr. Lloyd, he suggests that Miss. Eyre be sent to school. To Jane’s delight, Mrs. Reed concurs. Upsettingly for Jane, the Lowood school for girls isn’t what she hopes for. It is a place where poverty and an extreme minimalistic lifestyle is enforced. Jane suffers having barely enough food and clothing to sustain herself. One day, Jane meets a girl named Helen Burns and they quickly become close friends. Life at Lowood doesn’t seem so bad anymore, even when the harsh headmaster, Mr. Brocklehurst, does nothing but aggravate students. He enforces ridiculous rules such as having girls with naturally curly hair get their hair straightened to make themselves look simple. Finally, spring has come and going outside is more enjoyable. But with new seasons come new problems and in Lowood’s case it turns out to be a massive typhus epidemic. After the death of many students, including the beloved Helen Burns, outsiders take notice of the

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