Literature Analysis #1

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

GENERAL

1. The book Jane Eyre starts off with Jane as a young, ten year old girl and not exactly fitting in with her “family.” She wants nothing to do with them and eventually becomes so sick that it was suggested that she be sent away to school. She couldn’t be happier…until she realized how terrible the school was. Mr. Brocklehurst uses all the school’s funds for his own family and basically abuses most of the students. Jane eventually makes a friend, but because life is cruel said friend ends up dying from an epidemic that went around school. This sickness however showed how bad Brocklehurst was at running a school so he left and other men took his place. Jane became happier and ended up continuing schooling for 6 years and then teaching for 2 more after. She then wanted more out of life so she decided to teach French to Adele at the Thornfield manor. There she falls for her master, Rochester, who in turn has the same feelings. They want to wed, but on their special day they are interrupted by a man and his sister that claim she was married to Rochester. Rochester doesn’t deny it, but simply says she has gone crazy since then. After this Jane leaves knowing that she and Rochester could never truly be together. On her own, she eventually comes across Mary, Diana, and St. John who help her survive. After Jane is told that they are all actually cousins and that her father had left a small fortune for Jane. Jane splits it equally among her cousins. St. John decides he wants to me a missionary and that he wants Jane to join him in matrimony. She refuses because she does not love him. That night she realizes she needs to be with the man she loves. She goes to him and finds his manor burned to the ground. (Rochester’s “wife’s” fault) Though Thornfield burned he made it out alive, blind but alive. Eventually Jane and Rochester get married and have children of their own.

2. I believe the theme and the message in this novel is to show that not everything in life is fair. You honestly have to work hard to make it by even on the simplest of days. Through Jane’s life we see all the hardships that she went through, the rough spots, and the sadness but she made it. She did what she had to do and made the life she wanted to live. This book contains romance, but I don’t think the story was centered around that. Instead the author wanted to show the struggle one must go through when you finally find a person you care immensely about.

3. I believe the author showed growth in the way she had Jane speak. (This may seem obvious because the story begins with Jane as a 10 year old but that’s not the point.) She was so aloof to everyone in the beginning. “I am glad you are no relation of mine,” said Jane when speaking to her aunt. This was definitely NOT how a young girl should be speaking to her elder, but she didn’t care. It showed that she’s spunky in a way which, I believe, is what makes her likable. “Even for me life had its gleams of sunshine.” In the beginning Jane was on the outs quite a bit, but this quote shows that she believes there is still something out there no matter what is thrown at you. She becomes a new person that thought about things in a different way. “I am my husband’s life as fully as he is mine.” Again Jane grew to a more open person. She let herself be close to someone and was able to change because of it. The tone used in these quotes really helped explain what Jane had to go through. She starts off rough and then gets past that struggle to enjoy what was in the present.