Jane Eyre is set up like an autobiography with Jane narrating and addressing the reader directly from time to time. The narrative technique does change from time to time as it begins in the past tense with Jane looking back but then switches to present tense to draw the reader in, as if they are there or allows another character to speak. Style, Imagery, and Symbols are very important. Weather, like storms ice or coldness is used to represent misery. Fire is important, the family around the fireplace shows unity and whether Jane is included around the fire shows whether she is accepted or not. A FIRE outside of a fireplace is bad and dangerous but also associated with PASSION. The elements play a large role and are evident in the names of people Eyre, Rivers, Mason, Rochester, Burns, Reeds etc.
Jan 10
“Gateshead”
Continuing with names being important, Gateshead and the gates that close behind her symbolize her being locked in.
The section opens up with images of coldness and bleakness. We see Jane being excluded from the family as the sit around the fire, she is being banished.
Jane longs for a sense of belonging, Jane is shown as being banished from the fire often to show her feelings of isolation. They dislike her because she is poor and plain.
The Upper classes are usually represented poorly as selfish, self absorbed, and judgmental of those below them. The working class is the one Jane aspires to belong to.
The upper class is shown as frivolous and cold, the sense of class continues throughout the book.
Jane at the window is a common theme as she looks out showing her being alone but also as a place of safety. She reads a book about birds, which also illustrates the bleakness.
Images of color appear for the first time, that run throughout the novel. The RED curtains, blood, red room, fire. Red is associated with passion, punishment, and hell. FIRE is a really important image in the novel. It represents both belonging when it is controlled like the fireplace and passion when it