Jane Eyre By Waylon Coufal, Emily Henninger, Andrew Lacombe, Michael Largent, and Glaiza Lustre

One of the strongest human drives seem to be a desire for power One of the strongest human drives seem to be a desire for power. Discuss how a character in the novel struggles to free himself or herself from the power of others or seeks to gain power over others. Be sure to demonstrate how the author uses his power struggle to enhance the meaning of the work. Literal Meaning: Think of and explain how a character within Jane Eyre struggles to face and overcome the power of other authority figures. Explain how this fits in the overall theme of the authors work. Character Chosen: Jane Eyre

Connection to Charlotte Brontë The theme of this prompt reveals how a character such as Jane Eyre, faced cruel circumstances within her time and how she adapted. The cruel use of power that Jane Eyre faces, can be seen as commentary on the social statures of men and woman and their use of power through authority, within Charlotte Brontë’s time. To be more specific, this commentary reflects Charlotte Brontë’s progressive beliefs through Jane’s strong resilience, in the face of harsh circumstances.

Gateshead This is where Jane’s quest to free herself from the power of others begins Growing up, she is constantly bullied by her aunt, Mrs. Reed, and her cousin John The epitome of her mistreatment is when she is sent to the Red Room, a horrifying room thought to be haunted by her uncle who died in that room Even when she is being sent to Lowood and Mr. Brocklehurst comes to Gateshead, Mrs. Reed feels the need to talk down about her and say how horrible of a child she is and that she’s a liar.

Lowood Jane on the outside: At Lowood, Jane struggles with her “new roles and unwonted tasks.” While she did escape the wrath of Mrs. Reed, she found difficulty expressing herself at Lowood, where the students were expected to quietly accept unjustified punishment. She also struggled with self-esteem when she accidentally broke a plate and was shunned and called a liar by Mr. Brocklehurst, but later, with the help of Helen and Miss Temple, she gained back her confidence. Progressively, she became more confident in herself with her knowledge, and this empowered her to take on a new challenge in her life by being a governess. Jane’s growth at Lowood gave her the power to direct her life. Jane on the inside: thaaat’s MYYY OPiNNniiOooN

Thornfield (Pivotal Moment) The moment when Rochester and Jane confess their love for the first time is significant, as it symbolizes a new possible future for Jane. Through the possibility of marrying Rochester, Jane would be given a higher position in life, allowing her more power than she would have as a simple governess. This represents a transition, where Jane is moving away from her usual struggle in the face of higher authority, that treated her cruelly, as seen in Lowood, Gateshead and as a simple governess obeying orders.

Moor House (Pivotal Moment) The death of her uncle, John Eyre, marks a monumental point in Jane’s life, especially her future. Not only had she inherited 20,000 pounds, but she had discovered her relationship to St. John Eyre Rivers and his sisters, which happen to be his cousins. Jane’s discovery of newfound family and becoming financially independent is one of the last pieces solidifying her character. This financial independence has now freed her from working under the influence and of others and also gives her the power to hold her own in society. Fun fact: The purchasing power of a British pound in 1826 was about equal to 70 pounds in 2012. That would make the fortune left to Jane Eyre worth about $2 million. (Talk about power)

Ferndean The roles between Jane and Rochester reverse as Rochester is fully dependent on Jane. Rochester has become a beggar, and Jane does not need any worry for money of a job due to her fortune. Jane is filled with sadness once she realizes the roles are reversed and she is the one who consumes power because of her wealth. Rochester does not deny help from Jane because she has the more empowering role, which doesn’t anger him. Jane knows now that she does not need to settle with a man because she is now financially stable but her love for Rochester is too strong.

In the beginning, Jane struggles with class and the unfortunate authority of Mrs. Reed over her. As an orphan with a bitter aunt and an abusive family, she recognized that her only way of freeing herself from a toxic household was through independence as an adult, but she didn’t know exactly how. Later, she sees an escape or an “entrance into a new life” when Mr. Lloyd suggests school. Jane’s environment as a child could have easily degraded her self-worth, but instead, neglect fueled her to seek opportunities to better herself, highlighting the importance of self-determination and independence in the novel. “It is not my house, sir… I have less right to be here than a servant… If I had anywhere else to go, I should be glad to leave it; but I can never get away from Gateshead till I am a woman.” (17)

“Ladies,” said he, turning to his family; “Miss Temple, teachers, and children, you all see this girl?” Of course they did; for I felt their eyes directed like burning glasses against my scorched skin. “You see she is young; you observe she possesses the ordinary form of childhood; God has graciously given her the shape that He has given to all of us; no single deformity points her out as a marked character. Who would think that the Evil One has already found a servant and agent in her?” (Page 58, Chapter 7) When Mr. Brocklehurst humiliates Jane in front of all the other students, Jane feels pained as seen in how she describes their stares, like burning glass against her skin. This overall reveals how Jane struggles against how Mr. Brocklehurst uses his authority figure and power, to discipline people within the school. This struggle that Jane has escaping this cruel use of power, can be seen similarly through her relationship with Mrs. Reed. Likewise, both Mr. Brocklehurst and Mrs. Reed reference the bible, while justifying their cruel treatment, showing how Jane is also struggling against the power that society uses ,through biblical text.

Bildungsroman Bildungsroman – In an age where society gives power to men and Charlotte Bronte was forced to write her book under the use of an alibi, Jane Eyre was able to grow throughout the novel and become independent from the care of men and others. Her parents’ death and her childhood at Gateshead were the first problems and difficulties that she was drawn to encounter. As she traveled off to Lowood to seek a new life away from the oversight of her dreaded Aunt, she was faced with her first breath of freedom which was drawn short by death and sickness. Thornfield was where she developed her morals and overcame many obstacles. This journey eventually drew to a close in Ferndean, where having already become financially independent, Jane was able to marry Rochester as an equal through social class

Allusion Jane discovered that Bertha cause the fire at Thornfield Hall and Rochester tried to save her life. However, the burning of the house resulted in killing Bertha. The story reflects Homer’s Odyssey when Telemachus hangs the maids for sleeping with Penelope’s suitors. After all the accused maids are hung, one of the older maids cleanses Odyssey’s hall using fire and sulfur. The allusion to the Odyssey highlights how the 19th century harshly treated female sexuality, leaving women with no power or independence.

Symbolism Symbolism in the novel well represents the struggle that Jane Eyre went through to free herself from the power of others At Gateshead, Jane is sent to the Red Room, where she is locked in isolation in a horrid room which deep red color symbolizes the anger and fear Jane is feeling as this is the room where her uncle died and she believes she is being haunted by a ghost Another example is the burnt porridge that the girls at the Lowood institution receive to eat This awful meal shows how the girls are treated like animals as this is food that would only have been served to pigs Being locked up in the Red Room and given uneatable food, symbolizes the mistreatment and misuse of power that Jane struggles to overcome throughout the novel.

Prompt: In the novel, past events can affect, positively or negatively, the present activities attitudes, or values of a character. Choose a character who must contend with some aspect of the past, either personal or societal. Then show how the character’s relationship to the past contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole. Jane Eyre is a character who constantly found herself being shaped through the negative events, found within her childhood. This can be seen in how characters, such as Mrs. Reed and Mr. Brocklehurst, treated her, making Jane stronger in the face of adversity. This strength grown in Jane can be seen whenever she decides to hold onto her moral values, after hearing Rochester had a wife, resulting in Jane leaving Rochester, regardless of her possible hopes to be with Rochester. Positive events in Janes past, seen through the characters Jane met, such as Helen, Bessie and Mrs. Temple also shaped Janes present attitudes and values as seen in Janes calm and reflective demeanor. Overall, the affects of the past on Janes attitudes or values, reflects the theme of growth through surroundings.

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