In Response to Question 6.
A Quick Summary:
Charlotte Bronte carefully portrays Jane Eyre as a girl with a secret. It becomes clear that Jane does everything possible to not stand out as a problem child. Later, it is revealed that she does this because of her troubled past. As an orphan she was adopted and given a new life, but something she lied about was so terrible that she was sent back to the orphanage. Now she must do everything she can to hide her secret. Her plan fails her when she drops her chalk slate while Mr. Brockelhurst, the director of the orphanage, is in the room. Mr. Brockelhurst asks Jane to come to the front of the room. He places her standing, on top a stool. Then promptly announces that she should be marked as a problem child, should be left out of other children's games, and her soul needs to be saved.
Analysis:
With a detailed summary of the chapter it is now possible to closely analyze how Jane's alienation in front of the entire orphanage helps to portray the moral values and assumptions of her society. Morally, the orphanage clearly shows Christian values with portrayals of religious teachings, and Mr. Brockelhurst alluding to the Bible multiple times while talking to the women running the Orphanage. The grown-ups in her society also assume that she will constantly remain a troubled child, and won't change. On the other hand, the other children in the orphanage look up to her while she stands on the stool, "now exposed to general view on a pedestal of infamy. What my sensations were no language can describe; but just as they all rose, stifling my breath and constricting my throat, a girl came up and passed me: in passing, she lifted her eyes. What a strange light inspired them! What an extraordinary sensation that ray sent through me! How the new feeling bore me up! It was as if a martyr, a hero, had passed a slave or victim, and imparted strength in the transit" (Bronte).
As seen in the excerpt from the passage, the children look up to her as some sort of hero for her silent protests of the social system she has grown up in. They give her strength to stand on her stool with a proud stature.
Recap:
To recap, the adults in her society look down upon Jane Eyre as a problem child and a liar because of her past. They encourage the other children to do so too, even though they claim to share the Christian values of society. The children on the other hand look up to her for standing up to the onslaught of hateful speech given my Mr. Brockelhurst, the man running the orphanage.
Till the next assignment,
Cheers. Tristan.
Good analysis, but don't forget to acknowledge social and historical context. It's necessary for the question and for the text selected as it related to your response.
ReplyDeleteI liked your analysis as well. I liked your inclusion of the Christian references. I think it would've been helpful to reference the historical context as well. I really liked your inclusion of direct quotes to support your ideas.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you described the contrasting perspectives of the grown ups and the children of the orphanage. I also liked the quote that you used; it was one of the ones that stood out the most to me in the reading.
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