During the first 8 chapters off the novel charlotte Bronte shows how sympathy is created for her heroine.
The story reflects some aspect of how Bronte’s life has an effect on her heroine Jane and the things that she had to overcome in her life as the story goes on; following Jane’s rough childhood with the Reeds to her time learning at Gateshead. Making it as an adult she then teaches where learnt and followed on to become a governess, falling in love with the man she worked for, Rochester. Later marrying him and falling pregnant with his child. Bronte creates a gloomy atmosphere by using gothic language and pathetic fallacy to help create sympathy for Jane Eyre. The gothic genre is a main theme in the novel as well as love, religion, gender relations and social class. Jane is highly mistreated by the reeds.
This includes beatings from john “ he bullied and punished me” through Jane’s early life she must put up with many things around her. This helps the reader to sympathise with Jane thinking what she has to go through at such a young life. Not only must Jane embarrass through physical violence but verbal as well, Jane suffers through John’s harsh language and disrespectful manner as his upbringing from his mother. “ you have no money, your father left you none, you ought to beg” we find out that if it wasn’t for the reed family she would had no money and although she wouldn’t have had the abuse of the reed family however she may be worse off begging on the street. It can be argued that Jane would have been worse off without the reed family and also with at this part of the story.
The author Bronte has used john as a consent reminder to Jane that she would have nothing without the reeds making Jane feel inferior to them, this creates sympathy for Jane as there’s no one to look after her and to really care for her. Bronte creates sympathy from the reader as Jane is punished for the one thing that makes her happy and at ease. “ With Bewick on my knee, I was happy; happy at least in my way” this shows that Jane is happiest when she is able to escape from her reality and get lost in her book. Unfortunately she is unable to do so.
Many readers would be able to relate to jane, as its common that people struggle to get what makes them happy, because of this the audience can connect with what Jane may by feeling allowing to feel sympathetic at the beginning of the book. In chapter two, more of Jane’s characteristics are revealed to how she reacts to her surroundings and how people treat her. “ I resisted all the way; a new thing for me. ” Showing how Jane reacts to major tremor in her young life, throughout her childhood of the first 8 chapters. It also shows that Jane can be very passionate against things that she feels strongly against and doesn’t want to have to endure. We see sides of her again from what Mrs Reed says about Jane creating a picture of how Jane must have been.
“ She’s like a mad cat. ” Animal imagery makes us think that Jane is wild and could possible make us look at Jane in a different light. However as we know Mrs Reed is a harsh woman looking out only for her children not caring much for Jane, knowing this allows us to feel even more sympatric towards Jane. Because Jane has to fight off being carried away is suggested that Jane isn’t very lady like, giving the reed family and even the servants another reason not to like Jane. As women in the Victorian times shouldn’t fight back nor lose their temper at anyone.
Jane’s is put harshly into a very evil looking room called the red room, the room is very gothic as Mr reed died in this room, Jane is aware of this making her feel uneasy and paranoid, she tries her best to stay strong “ I wiped my tears and hushed my sobs” She’s does want to appear weak even though she is put under and very intense situation. Her tries to eliminate her scared and sad emotions of the red room however everything gets too much for her and she cries and begs to be released for such torture “ Take me out! Let me go into the nursery” Jane is very panicky and wants to escape the gothic red room, as it begins to get too much for young Jane. The gothic undertones of the red room help create sympathy for Jane as it is such a horrible place to out a child in who is only 10. In chapter three Jane’s is realised from the red room “ the next thing I remember is waking up with a feeling as if I have had a frightful nightmare.
” Jane is only a little girl very scared and unsure, she would be much distorted from the previous the night. Jane meets a friendly face of My Lloyd, a gentleman she knows that he would help “ I feel an unimpressionable relief, a soothing convection of protection and secure” Jane feels protected from anyone including the red room with Mr Lloyd near her. She is relieved because possibly she might have expected someone harsh that was just going to make her feel worse about the past night. Instead Jane finally feels reassured that she is safe.
Jane is sad when it has to leave. However Mr Lloyd soon returns to check on Jane and on how she is doing “ I cry because I am miserable” Jane has nothing good in her life. She is also very mistreated by the whole of the reed family. Jane doesn’t like this but is glad that she can speak to Mr Lloyd about this and how she gets mistreated, follows the reassures of the gothic genre. Jane talks to Mr Lloyd about the past events, Mr Lloyd then asks is she would live with any other family member, “ no, I should not belong to poor people” Jane’s views on the poor reflects badly on her and more on how the reader see her. Although she has less right then the servant’s she’s grown up with snobby views against them, just like how the rich would grow up.
This suggest that Jane has a lot to learn about life and people “ I showed indeed like to go to school” Jane is eager to learn and to also escape the Reed’s at Gateshead. In chapter four Jane becomes well again with the hope that she will be able to go to school with the thanks of Mr Lloyd. However no hints were made that she will go to school. Jane now becomes isolated from the reeds, “ condemning me to take my meals alone, and pass all my time in the nursery” Jane seems more alone now than ever, she doesn’t speak the children, she is only accusingly question my Mrs Reed, john was made not to say anything to her when he sees her. However Jane takes the advantage of John’s quietness “ roused by the same sentiment of deep ire and desperate revolt which had stirred my corruption before” Jane shows anger and the want of revenge towards john. She in turn of the past events breaks his nose.
He flees to his mother who discards him saying she warned him to stay away from her. This again in turn sparks anger in Jane “ they are not fit to associate with me” Jane had not thought her words. She spoke from her heart, the reader can create sympathy to Jane has this would have been a very hard thing to not say as she wants to be heard. Mrs Reed and Jane rant and argue, leaving Mrs Reed lost for words. “ You wish me dead! ” this is a very bold statement for a child of 10 to say and because Jane is fighting back this leaves her very un lady like.
Also in chapter four Jane has been allowed to go to school, to escape Gateshead and have a chance of her own life. Bessie and Jane have become very close in chapter four and Bessie question Jane a little “ and so you’re glad to leave me? ” Bessie asking Jane this shows curiosity in Bessie wondering if Jane will miss her. The read can create sympathy for Jane as they could be worried about Jane losing someone close to her. Bessie told me some of her most enchanting stories, and sang me some of her sweetest songs” this shows Bessie truly does care for Jane as she sings and makes Jane feel at peace with everything. Jane is allowed to go Lowood School, a school that is very known to be similar to the school that Bronte went too during her childhood. Bessie is sad to see Jane go and wants to make sure that Jane has a safe journey “‘ be sure and take good care of her’ she cried to the guard” this shows Bessie wants Jane to be safe and have a safe journey to Lowood as she must travel by herself.
Jane is the only one that Bessie likes of the Reed family. On Jane’s journey to Lowood they rest for a bit for something eat and drink. However Jane cannot rest and becomes slightly paranoid as she knows the dangerous of kidnappers “ here I walked about for a long time feeling very strange and mortally apprehensive of someone coming in and kidnapping me; for I believed in kidnappers” Jane could be feeling strange for a few reason, first of because of kidnappers but of also the coming events that she would be soon at Lowood, in a school. Jane is aware that she scares herself as she has been left alone throughout the coach drive.
Sympathy is created for poor Jane having to come such a long way on her own, without Bessie there to give her some joy through her pleasant stories and songs. After a long journey, Jane arrives at school, she meets her teaches eats and go to bed. “ Miss Miller had taken her place by my side” as it is a charity school the bed had to be shared, two per bed. Jane is new and as there is a fierce storm, Miss Millers sleeps next to Jane for the night. This offers Jane the protection to sleep.
All the children at Gateshead are very well behaved and they know the the bells are a symbol for everything. Religion is a main theme in the novel and it’s seen a lot throughout the school, “ here prayers were read” early morning they prey as they would various over times throughout the chapter and Jane’s time at Lowood. Breakfast came and Jane was relieved that she would finally get some food from careless not eating much the day before. Disgusting! The porridge is burnt again. ” Jane is still left hungry as unable to eat anything.
This falls under the gothic genre as she is starving and can’t eat, making her very weak. Jane soon releases that Lowood School is very poor and getting food burnt, that isn’t even of a big enough portion to fill her would be near impossible. The read is able to create sympathy for Jane as she near starving having to go through very long days that she would not be used to. In chapter 6, it is Jane second day at Lowood.
She is unable to wash as the water in the basin is frozen solid. However Jane was able to eat her porridge this morning but soon released that the girls at Lowood are very underfed “ how small my portion seemed! I wished it been doubled. ” Jane will have to put up with this throughout being at Lowood due to being at a charity school. Jane decides to talk Helen burns that earlier in the chapter were mistreated by one of the teachers. Jane makes an accusation asking is she wanted to leave because of Miss Scatcherd, she releases that Helen has strict Christian endurance and Jane is very impressed with Helen’s knowledge. Jane talks to Helen about Mrs Reed, expecting sympathy, she receives none ” she has been unkind to you, no doubt, because, you see, she dislikes your cast of character” Jane learns how Helen thinks that life is too short to be calling out peoples wrongs and that you should just accepted them.
The reader would normally create sympathy for Jane, but Helen brings up points that Jane cannot argue about. During chapter seven, Jane has been at Lowood School for some time is still settling in. “ first quarter at Lowood seemed an age and not the golden age either; it comprised and ink some struggle with difficulties, inhabiting myself to the new rules and wanted task. ” Jane describes how the start of her time at Lowood was terrible, she’s had not had any fun and had not been able to settle in very well as she is still getting use to the standards of the school. And how older girls had the advantage come dinner time ” whenever the famished great girls had an opportunity they would coax or menace the little ones out f their potion” the older girls would bully the younger one, for more food, it became a bit like survive of the fittest, except all has to find their own way to survive.
Jane being coax out of her foods allows the reader to be sympathising towards Jane and how she isn’t fed enough and neither is anyone else. Jane and rest of the child must listen to long sermons “ listening to a long sermon read by Miss Miller, whose irrepressible yawns attested her weariness” even the teacher reading it is bored and like the children is tired for little sleep and hardly eating. However they cannot sleep or they may be punished, they must stand and listen, collapsing even due to tiredness and hungry was thought to be very bad, as the school is very religious. Jane accidently steps out of line causing Mr Broklehurst to react severely after already been warned by Mrs Reed. Jane thought it was all over for her and she would be sent back.
However ” don’t be afraid Jane, I saw It was an accident” Miss Temple reassuring Jane that she will be ok, this shows that although the school is very strict there is a few nice teachers helping Jane. Jane was made to stand on a stole for the entire day, having nothing to neither eat nor drink as lessons went on. This is a very harsh punishment on a child so young, and can’t be described as evil relating to the gothic genre. The reader sympathies has the punishment is too harsh feeling bad for poor Jane.
In chapter eight, Jane is relived from having got stand the entire time on the stole and is worried that her follow school classmates will now looks bad on Jane and want nothing to do with her. However she is assured by Helen that most of the girls felt pity for Jane instead of revulsion at her agreed deceitfulness. “ Jane, you are mistaken: probably not one in the school either despises or dislikes you: many I’m sure, pity you much” Helen is Jane’s closest friend and is cheered up by Helens words, despite maybe confused about why Helen wants to stay near her. Jane decides to tell Miss temple that she isn’t a liar, “ you have been charged with falsehood; defend yourself to me well as you can” sympathy is created has is sounds more like Jane has be accused of something extremely serious.
Jane tells her about her childhood about being back with the Reeds, Miss Temple seems to believes Jane and writes a letter to Mr Lloyd requesting confirmations of Jane’s account to the past events of her tortures times with the Reed’s. Miss temple has Helen and Jane as her guests for the night and offers them with tea and seed cake “ You two are my visitors to-night; I must treat you as such” this shows the Miss Temple has a kind heart and teats the girls at Lowood very well. Jane is very happy as she enjoyed a lovely meal in a warm room. A little time passed and Miss Temple received a letter back from Mr Lloyd, she ordered an assembly “ and she was most happy to be able to pronouns her completely cleared from every imputation.
Jane is very happy that her name is cleared this also gave her the puss to excel in school, getting better and better each day at Lowood, the reader would feel happy for Jane by the end of chapter eight as she is finally able to settle and excel in her work and drawing’s Jane Eyre shows a lot of emotions throughout the first eight chapters, we see how hard it is and how each chapter give a different effect on the reader. The story allows us to have insight on Bronte’s life and how hard it must have been to grow up in these times.
