Narration and Conversation in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre Essay

     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.

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

Jane’s view on life as said earlier it is similar but different in a way. It can be stated that Jane and Helen have the same views but different attitudes. Like when Mr Brocklehurst first came back to lowood they held this miy ceremony and jane drops her slate she is immediately branded as deceitful and careless by him. But instead of being like Brocklehurst said. Helen Jane 's friends smile everytime she walks by the stool. Which is very reassuring to Jane, And later that evening ms temple took jane in asked her tears had stopped yet

Just as significant as Mrs. Reed, in the influence of Jane, was Helen Burns, Jane’s best friend at Lowood. Helen left only a positive impact on Jane in the short time that they were together and taught her how to forgive her enemies. An example of this is when Helen tells Jane, “‘Would you not be happier if you tried to forget her severity, together with the passionate emotions it excited?’” (71). In saying this, Helen shows Jane how childish it is to hold a grudge against Mrs. Reed when she was free of her. She was also trying to help Jane be rid of any resentment she might have towards her childhood so that in the future she could be free to achieve greatness without any regret. Additionally, Helen affected Jane positively by telling her “Hush Jane, you think too much about the love of human beings [...] why, then should we ever sink overwhelmed with distress, when life is so soon over,’” (66). In saying this Helen had taught Jane not to worry about what other people think of her. Likewise, Helen is also

Following this dramatic scene, there are many situations in which her individualism can again be sensed. During her stay at Lowood Jane is emotionally subdued and her personality is in many ways suppressed. It is not until after Miss Temple, the person that seemed to shine light on the school, leaves that Jane realizes the restrictions that she is under. It is at his point that she has the sudden urge to leave the confinements of the school, seek a job as a governess, and experience the “varied fields of hopes and fears,

Eight years later, when Jane travels from Lowood to Thornfield, she is much more contented. She has come to be respected by the teachers and pupils at Lowood, largely due to the influence of her teacher, Miss Temple, to whose instruction she "owed the best part of her acquirements" and who had stood her "in the stead of mother, governess, and latterly, companion". Jane has found in Miss Temple what Mrs Reed always

At Lowood Jane is repulsed by Mr. Brocklehurst and his “two-faced” character. Even so, Jane fines her first true friend. Helen Burns, another student at the school. By instruction, Helen is able to prove her messages. When Jane is punished in front of the whole school, she tries to accept it. But Jane still dreams of human affection and is deeply hurt when she is scolded. Jane goes as far to say, “If others don’t love me, I would rather die than live.” Helen’s response, “You think to much of the love of human beings,” (69). Through example Helen teaches Jane too. Helen is punished by, Miss Scatcherd because her finger nails were not clean. Jane wonders why she just took it and did not fight back. Jane says, “When we are struck without a reason, we should strike back again very hard; I am sure we should . . .” Helen replies, “Love you enemies; bless them that curse you . . .” (56). When Helen is dying of Typhus she reminds Jane, “I believe: I have faith: I am going to God,” (82). Jane is able to draw strength from Helen’s faith, making her stronger. Helen’s messages guide Jane through her turbulent life. This is how Jane learns not to worry so much how other think of her.

The role of religion at both the societal and individual levels in the book Jane Eyre affects the story’s main character in profound ways. Jane Eyre has several religious influences throughout her life, both positive and negative. We can see how she feels about each interaction because she records her emotions so vividly. She also has bouts in which she takes a break from the actual story to talk to the reader directly if a particular situation needs more description. This narrative strategy of first person retrospective reveals to the reader the ways in which religion in society or religious people affected Jane Eyre throughout her life.

“I desired liberty; for liberty I gasped; for liberty I uttered a prayer; it seemed scattered on the wind then faintly blowing.” These words describe the constant inner battle of one of the most complex yet transparent characters: Jane Eyre. Jane does not conform to the Victorian society and seeks freedom in her mind as well as in her position. Charlotte Bronte is the author of the book Jane Eyre in which the protagonist comes out as being one of the most realistic and near revolutionary characters. In truth, Jane was a very unusual protagonist of a novel being self-described as, “dark, plain and simple”.

When Jane is sent to Lowood (an all girl's school), she finds the first true love shown by an adult. Miss Temple, the school's superintendent) treats all of the girls with extreme kindness and gentleness. When the girl's breakfast is burned, she arranges for them to have the luxury of white bread and cheese to make up for it. Also, even while some of the other teachers like Miss Scatcherd and even the school's headmaster, Mr. Brocklehurst, are mean to the girls, she is always there for them with a hug and a smile. When Helen falls deathly ill, Jane sees how motherly and unfaltering Miss Temple is towards Helen. Another character who shows Jane love at Lowood is Helen herself. She is the first person Jane's age who is nice to her. Jane grew up with the Reed children's spiteful actions and attitudes toward her and never experienced a peer's kindness until she met Helen.

For the initial presentation of Jane Eyre, Brontë uses first person narration to introduce Jane to the reader, “What does Bessie say I have done, I asked”. Brontë may have decided to use first person narration to make the reader look at the world through Jane Eyre’s eyes which gives a voice to a young child which in the Victorian era children were seldom given a voice. Brontë created Jane at the bottom of society; a female orphan at a half charity school. It is apparent as soon as the reader meets Jane Eyre for the first time that Jane is low in status and has no choice or power of her situation. In the Victorian era, mostly men would have been reading it because most women in the Victorian era were not educated enough to read such a novel; Brontë replicates this by making most of her male characters rich and dominant.

As a governess, Jane is shown the life of the luxurious. Mr. Rochester's mansion is overwhelming, and his parties are extravagant. Mr. Rochester speaks to her frequently, because he needs someone to listen to him. When Edward reveals to Jane his former cheating wife, she feels a connection to him on personal level. Jane has never felt this since her relationship with Helen Burns at Lowood. Jane becomes

Another sign of Jane’s independence was when she became eighteen, decided to leave Lowood and start a new beginning on her own to explore the world and fulfill the emptiness that she feels. In leaving Lowood Jane is enabled to experience more opportunities; love and romance, moving to Thornfield, making new close friends, also proving those that did not believe that she would ever come to much that she could accomplish great things in life. “I remembered that the real world was wide, and that a varied field of hopes and fears, of sensations and excitements, awaited those who had courage to go forth into its expanse.” (pg. 77) This shows how Jane Eyre recognizes that there is a bigger world out there. She understands that there are more opportunities out there waiting for her, and that all she has to do is reach out and grab them.

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.

Jane entered Lowood as a stubborn and outspoken child but left as a mature and independent young adult. The overarching ideology of the school likely explains her drastic personality change. Mr. Rochester describes Lowood as a Christian charity school that internalized the value of uniformity such that it was “observed in every arrangement connected with the establishment of Lowood: plain fare, simple attire, [and] unsophisticated accommodations” (42; ch. 4). As all the students were subject to the systematic and mundane nature of the school, Jane is also forced to adapt by suppressing her passionate temperament. Over the course of her years at school she learns to be “hardy, patient, self-denying” and eventually “appeared a disciplined and subdued character” (75; ch. 7, 100; ch. 10). The Lowood values of modesty and restraint later prove to be deeply ingrained into Jane’s personality when she describes her comparatively smaller room as a “safe haven” in the