In Literature, birds traditionally represent independence and freedom of speech and movement. Their wings, which give them their ability to escape into the heavens, embody the ultimate form of freedom. Unlike most living creatures, birds are not tethered to the earth. They have the ability to fly wherever they please, to escape from the confinement of society, and to exert their jurisdiction over themselves. In Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte employs birds a symbol to highlight important themes in her novel such as independence (or a lack of), freedom, and rifts in social class. She also depicts some of her most prominent characters as birds to analyze relationships between them and to assess their overall character
