Rags to Riches An Orphans Journey Bharath Balabaskar
Rags to Riches: An Orphan’s Journey Bharath Balabaskar Jacob Roy Molly Ellinger Reese Allen
Introduction The novel, Jane Eyre, is a perfect example of a 19 th century bildungsroman. A bildungsroman is generally defined as the story of a single character’s psychological and moral growth within the context of a defined social order, and ends when the character recognizes his/her place in the world, just as Jane does in the end of her story. In short, Jane Eyre is a bildungsroman, as Jane starts from an unloved, isolated girl who questions her belonging, and eventually, after 500 pages, discovers her own inner strength, independence, and place in the world.
What is a bildungsroman ? ● A “growing up” story that follows the formative years of a character’s development. ● The genre evolved from folklore tales of a dunce going out in the world to seek their fortune. ● Focuses on emotions and experiences to show development/education. ● Usually follow a pattern: the sensitive protagonist leaves home and undergoes stages of conflict and love affairs before returning to a final resting place better than ever. ● A bildungsroman can be very short and to-the-point or, like Jane Eyre, 183, 858 words
Literal meaning of the prompt “A bildungsroman, or coming-of-age novel , recounts the psychological and moral development of its protagonist from youth to maturity, when this character recognizes his or her place in the world. Select a single moment in the psychological or moral development of the protagonist of a bildungsroman” The prompt asks you to identify and explain a significant moment, or turning point, in Jane’s development from a poor, mistreated, uneducated, and quick-tempered child to a more compassionate, thoughtful, wealthy, and independent woman. It would be beneficial to explain how this moment is important to the overall purpose of the novel and connect Jane’s experiences to the experiences of Charlotte Bronte and other women during the 19 th century. It is best to keep in mind the key elements of a bildungsroman: ● ● A physical and psychological journey Struggle and tragedy Love affairs Loss of innocence I know there is, because it does not sound too sweet. It is not like such words as Liberty, Excitement, Enjoyment: delightful words… But Servitude!
Example #1 and analysis Lowood, pg 82: “I heard her with wonder: I could not comprehend this doctrine of endurance; and still less could I understand or sympathise with the forbearance she expressed for her chastiser. ” Analysis: After seeing Helen get hit by Ms Scatcherd without any real offense, Jane confronts Helen to ask how she could bear it. Helen teaches her a lesson in humility and patience, which Jane at the time cannot comprehend. But when Jane is unfairly singled out by Mr Brocklehurst, she is hurt, but then remembers what Helen says and perseveres, eventually becoming the head of her class and later a teacher. Jane remembers this throughout the rest of her life, and the lesson in patience makes her a better governess, the lesson in endurance makes her a strong willed young woman, and the lesson of returning evil with good makes her a moral young woman who is able to forgive Aunt Reed, despite the horrible treatment she gave young Jane and keeping her from wealth and family.
Example #2 and analysis Moorhouse, pg 389: “I should still have my unblighted self to turn to: my natural unenslaved feelings with which to communicate in moments of loneliness. There would be recesses in my mind which would be only mine, to which he never came, and sentiments growing there fresh and sheltered which his austerity could never blight, nor his measured warrior-march trample down: but as his wife—at his side always, and always restrained, and always checked—forced to keep the fire of my nature continually low, to compel it to burn inwardly and never utter a cry, though the imprisoned flame consumed vital after vital—this would be unendurable. ” Analysis: In this passage St. John asks Jane to be his wife so that she may join him as a missionary in India. Jane agrees to go, on the condition that they not marry, because Jane knew that a life as his wife would be miserable, as she needs to express herself with her true love, and is willing to give up her faith for that. Before Jane had turned down Rochester in an opposite situation, where her faith led morality had prompted her to flee the temptation that was her romance with Rochester. Now, Jane is forgoing the duty she feels from her faith and choosing her love with Rochester. This is not her going against her own morals, but rather making a choice on the direction of her moral compass, where her love and happiness is more important than any sense of duty that St John could force on her. Jane has now found a middle ground between a life of happiness but also sin (if she had agreed to travel with Rochester to France to forget about Bertha), and a self sacrificing faith that keeps her from happiness (as she agreed to marry St John). She is starting to make decision entirely on her own that can stay in accordance with her own beliefs, without a reliance on any stricture.
How Jane Eyre is a Bildungsroman Gateshead, page 12: “Bessie and Abbot having retreated, Mrs. Reed, impatient of my now frantic anguish and wild sobs, abruptly thrust me back and locked me in, without further parley. I heard her sweeping away; and soon after she was gone, I suppose I had a species of fit: unconsciousness closed the scene. ” Explanation: At this point in the novel, Jane is a small child, orphaned at a young age and neglected by her benefactress. Jane is uneducated and acts based on her emotions; she is irrational at times and shows a dependence on her aunt and cousins, though they ignore and mistreat her. Jane clearly demonstrates the characteristics of a young child - she is afraid of being left alone in a room that seems to be haunted by the ghost of her dead uncle and yearns for a family that she cannot have. However, though she is immature, Jane seems to have a keen awareness of the injustices done to her, and she shows an interest in books and higher learning. Gateshead serves as the foundation of Jane’s life and teaches her how to overcome challenges and cruelty.
How Jane Eyre is a Bildungsroman Lowood, page 82: “I had given in allegiance to duty and order; I was quiet; I believed I was content: to the eyes of others, usually even to my own, I appeared a disciplined and subdued character. ” Explanation: Jane arrives at Lowood as a piece of moldable clay, ready to be shaped through learning and regulation. The majority of Jane’s character development occurs at Lowood, where she is taught how to behave as a young, respectable woman. In the early 19 th century, for a woman of Jane’s social status, it was goodmannered to be relatively quiet and intelligent in the company of others. Jane changes from an immature girl to a young woman, educated and prepared to move away from Lowood and everything she has known. Lowood is a great turning point in Jane’s life, and it serves as the catalyst to transform her as an individual.
How Jane Eyre is a Bildungsroman Thornfield, page 369: “Yes; I feel now that I was right when I adhered to principle and law, and scorned and crushed the insane promptings of a frenzied moment. God directed me to a correct choice: I thank His providence for the guidance!” Explanation: Jane’s time at Thornfield occupies, by far, the largest part of the novel; during this time, Jane comes to know love and the feeling of family. While at Thornfield, Jane opens up to emotion once again, this time with a more rational view. She is free to feel love, jealousy, sorrow, and confusion. The mysteries of Thornfield and the people within, namely Mr. Rochester, bring Jane out of her shell and develop her into a headstrong individual, not afraid of voicing her opinion to those of a higher social position. However, Jane also faces a rift between her moral code and her feelings when she discovers that Mr. Rochester has a living wife. Ultimately, though Jane matures into a more vibrant and interesting individual, she still seems to hold on to her principles and ethics.
How Jane Eyre is a Bildungsroman Moorhouse, page 358: “I could join with Diana and Mary in all their occupations; converse with them as much as they wished, and aid them when and where they would allow me. There was a reviving pleasure in this intercourse, of a kind now tasted by me for the first time - the pleasure arising from perfect congeniality of tastes sentiments, and principles. ” Explanation: Following the trauma of leaving Thornfield, Jane finds herself in the company of people who are eventually revealed to be her cousins. Here, Jane’s character undergoes a stark transformation from a girl filled with life and hope to an individual focused on simply surviving and earning what she is given. When Jane inherits a large sum due to the death of her uncle, she is adamant about equally splitting it, rather than keeping it all for herself. Jane faces hardships in this time, as she is still dealing with the loss of the man she loved and the future he had offered; Jane is entirely alone until she is saved by St. John. Overall, Moorhouse sees Jane’s reversion to a docile state, where she is more practical and logical in looking at the world.
How Jane Eyre is a Bildungsroman Ferndean, page 443: “It opened slowly; a figure came out into the twilight and stood on the step; a man without a hat: he stretched forth his hand as if to feel whether it rained. Dusk as it was, I had recognised him - it was my master, Edward Fairfax Rochester, and no other. ” Explanation: Though Jane was initially adamant about staying away from Mr. Rochester and therefore the temptation to stray from her morals, Jane eventually returns to his side at Ferndean as an independent woman. The memories of her past love with Mr. Rochester never leave Jane’s mind; she is consumed by the thought of what she sees as her one true love. At this point in the novel, Jane weighs her morality against her emotions once again, though this time she chooses her feelings for Mr. Rochester. Ferndean sees the final and most mature version of Jane Eyre, where she has learned to overcome loss and heartbreak to find a family and love.
Literary Elements Allusion: Lowood, pg 55: “His divine consolations, “If ye suffer hunger or thirst for My sake, happy are ye. ” Oh, madam, when you put bread and cheese, instead of burnt porridge, into these children’s mouths, you may indeed feed their vile bodies, but you little think how you starve their immortal souls!” Explanation: In this Mr Brocklehurst is doing a review of Lowood school and makes mention of a small issue of extra bread one day, which he then explodes on Ms Temple in a religiously fervent rant, using his references to Christ as an excuse to be miserly and unkind. Jane learns that there is such a thing as being devout and unchristian, and being too humble to the point of unhappiness and unhealthiness. Personification: Thornfield, pg 239: “I have known you, Mr. Rochester; and it strikes me with terror and anguish to feel I absolutely must be torn from you forever. ” Explanation: After hearing that Mr Rochester might marry Blanche, Jane confronts him about what will happen after the marriage, but breaks down and confesses her love for him, and how much it affects her. She states over the time she has spent at Thornfield she has grown to love Rochester, and the prospect of leaving him floors her. Mood: Moorhouse, pg 386: “My iron shroud contracted round me; persuasion advanced with slow sure step. Shut my eyes as I would, these last words of his succeeded in making the way, which had seemed blocked up, comparatively clear. ” Explanation: St John just asked her to join him in India to be a missionary, and she cannot follow him. After some prodding from St John, and thought from Jane, Jane starts to become stubborn and resists his persuasion and the mood becomes confrontational. This scene is important because it shows that Jane is willing to ignore the summons of God to be with her true love, Rochester.
Significant Moment #1 Jane befriends Helen Burns: A Spiritual Journey and a Lesson in Forgiveness Although Lowood is quite a miserable place for Jane, both physically (poor quality of food and exposure to the cold and disease) and emotionally (a gloomy atmosphere, belittling remarks by Brocklehurst, and a strict policy of conformity to standards), Jane is able to find relief in Helen becomes Jane’s first real friend acts as a sort of mentor; Helen is very religious and tells Jane to read from the Bible. She teaches Jane about forgiveness and “loving your enemies, ” as Christ did. Jane gains a moral basis through Helen and is able to apply this understanding at later events in the novel, such as when she returns home to seek reconciliation with Ms. Reed or argues with Rochester and St. John over marriage. With the help of Helen, Jane begins to transform early in her journey from an irrational and quick-tempered girl to a more sensible “enlightened” woman. Jane’s experiences at Lowood and with Helen are significant because they show drastically a positive influence can affect someone. At Gateshead, Jane was denied the loving relationships that are necessary to truly begin teaching someone, but as she progresses in her journey, Jane is able to meet new people that she can open up to and learn from.
Significant Moment #2 Goodbye Rochester: Self-Respect and a Return to Poverty When the wedding ceremony between Jane and Rochester is interrupted and Jane learns of Bertha’s existence, she refuses to marry Rochester. This moment is significant because even if she was in love with Rochester, Jane has to respect herself and, because of her previous moral development, cannot marry someone who already has a wife. Jane is even willing to leave Thornfield and return to poverty, something she has tried so hard to escape. This moment brings together nearly all the aspects of a bildungsroman (love affair, loss, and moral development) and exemplifies Jane’s individuality, which is quite contradictory to the mindset of most (submissive) Victorian women.
How the novel relates to Charlotte Bronte Jane Eyre’s experience is both similar and different from Bronte life story. For example, they were both in similar situations in life, such as losing loved ones to typhus, and had parallel aspirations. However in the end, where Jane had a happy ending and found love, Bronte did not. Jane Eyre’s story seems to be Bronte’s life if everything had gone more dramatically but perfect in the end.
Additional AP Prompt The prompt: The British novelist Fay Weldon offers this observation about happy endings: “The writers, I do believe, who get the best and most lasting response from readers are the writers who offer a happy ending through moral development. By a happy ending, I do not mean mere fortunate events—a marriage or a last-minute rescue from death—but some kind of spiritual reassessment or moral reconciliation, even with the self, even at death. ” Choose a novel or play that has the kind of ending Weldon describes. In a well written essay, identify the “spiritual reassessment or moral reconciliation” evident in the ending and explain its significance in the work as a whole. Jane ends the novel with a happy ending with Rochester after she is able to marry him without compromising her morals, by rebuffing Rochester’s offer to be his mistress in France, and later choosing true love over duty by refusing St John’s offer. Along the way Jane does good wherever she can, teaching the girls in her village school to be educated and well mannered despite their background, and teaching at Lowood faithfully for years. Jane Eyre has a satisfying ending because we see Jane grow into a mature woman who can do all these things from a disobedient (and oppressed) little girl being punished.
Citations Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Barnes & Noble, Inc. , 2001. De. Graff, Josiah. “The Bildungsroman: What It Is and How to Write One. ” Kingdom Pen, 2017, http: //kingdompen. org/the-bildungsroman-what-it-is-and -how-to-write-one/
Why Bharath and Reese dislike Jane Eyre The entire story of Jane Eyre is just Charlotte Bronte’s fantasy of what her life could have been had she been luckier and had more opportunity. Therefore, the poor reader is forced to endure through 500+ pages about things that are completely unnecessary to the growth and development of Jane. The story of Jane Eyre would’ve been better off as a CW TV series that only got renewed for one season because of how long it was.
The Jane Eyre Roast, Continued ● The movies are terrible for a reason. ● The “coming-of-age” story did not have to be this long. We get the point, Bronte. We don’t need to know EVERY event in her life. ● There’s too much “one time” and unexplained supernatural. ● Jane doesn’t do anything. ● Rochester shouldn’t have been able to finesse Jane. He’s ugly, treats her with contempt, is too mysterious, practically forces Jane to marry him (while he has a wife), and is insane. ● Rochester probably changes more than Jane. ● Her only physical success comes from someone else. ● Is Jane a role model for readers? ● The plot is too unbelievable. ● Did we learn anything?
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