Jane Eyre - Chapters 1-10; Gateshead (Primary and Secondary Blog Entries)

2/4/2015

Jane in the Red Room

Now that you have been introduced to Jane, please respond to any or all of the questions below. You need to use textual evidence (quotes) from both Bronte's novel and from the chapters selected from Foster's book. After you have posted your Primary Blog Entry, please take some time to read ALL of your colleague's entries and then compose a thoughtful response (your Secondary Blog Entry) to TWO selected Primary Entries.

1. If you had to infer (guess) based on these chapters what type of woman society thought of as acceptable, what type of woman would that be?.

2. Reread the descriptions of fire in this segment. This is an important image that becomes more important as the novel progresses. What do you think it might mean?

3. What type of relationships does Jane have with her cousins? Her aunt? The servants at Gateshead? (not just the biological relationship, but also the emotional relationship).

4. What’s with the red room? What was your reaction to this section?

Part One Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, 2 quotes from the short story, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the assigned "pen name" given to you in class - Please finish by 11:59 pm on the Thursday night before this section's class discussion.

Part Two Expectations (read everyone's first responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas): 100-150 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the assigned "pen name" given to you in class. - Please finish by the following Sunday night at 11:59 pm

2/11/2015 09:46:27 am

After reading chapters 1-10 of Jane Eyre, if I had to infer on what type of Woman the society in the novel would think acceptable, it would be the kind of woman from the aristocracy who mindlessly listens to her parents and follows the social characteristics of her class such as acting with elegance, speaking in an educated manner, living luxuriously and being merely used as a tool to join to wealthy families together to preserve their status. I’ve come to this conclusion through paying close attention to Jane as to why she was treated with such aggression by her aunt and cousins. In chapter one I learned that Jane was treated differently from her three cousins and at first I thought it was because she didn’t act the way children from aristocratic families were supposed to act “Jane, I don’t like cavillers or questioners: besides, there is something truly forbidding in a child taking up her elders in that manner. Be seated elsewhere until you can speak pleasantly, remain silent.” (Bronte 1) What this quote showed me was that Jane wasn’t willing to mindlessly listen to her aunt like her cousins and thus refused to act in a “civilized” manner like women back then were supposed to act like. Another part of the story that was even better evidence in showing why Jane was treated so badly and further shaped my inference on how women were supposed to act back then was when in chapter 4 Jane learned of her parent’s history. Her mother was part of the Reed family and her grandfather excluded her from his will “On that same occasion I learned….died within a month of each other” (Bronte 23) From this paragraph I saw that since Jane’s father was not of nobility then the Reed family saw Jane to be of a lower class as well and this was the root of her mistreatment. This can be reflected in a larger sense that society saw the “ideal” women as one from nobility as Jane was not, according to the Reed family.

2/12/2015 01:41:59 pm

I agree with your statement. The typical woman in this society is expected to be a neck-up straight, supposedly self-actualized upper-class women from a life of luxury who look down at the poor. Mrs. Reed seems to fulfill this role based on the way she expects Jane to act. She constantly mistreats Jane because she is not from a life of luxury as she is. Therefore, Jane is beneath her. In other words, this society expects women to act based upon the social class they were born into. There seems to be no switching of social class because even though Jane is brought in as a member of the Reed family, she is still seen as being below the rest of her family.

2/12/2015 02:27:04 pm

Omg I totally agree with you on this one. Ever noticed how in the beginning, Jane comments on her benefactors, "If they did not love me, in fact, as little did I love them" (Bronte 3). This is the same way modern adolescents treat their elders and also others, disregarding age. The saying goes, "if you don't respect me, I don't respect you." Jane views herself as equal towards people that were supposed to be her superiors, which is a problem because women back then were expected to "know their place." Since Jane is a little rambunctious, she ends up getting the short end of the stick, just for standing up for herself. This shows that women did not have much of a voice in certain situations. Also, she encounters a character at school that contradicts her own beliefs. Helen Burns believes that you should "love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you and despitefully use you" (Bronte 61). Women were expected to be morally superior to men. This quote shows that women should not resort to violence during an unfair predicament because peace, apparently, is always the resolution. They lived in an oppressed world where women were glared at if they dared to speak up for themselves. Jane's lack of understanding for this shows that she is innocent because she was not raised in the aristocratic world. Her mind is not corrupted from wealth and high standards because of where she came from. This draws a fine line between the rich and the poor. I believe Bronte is trying to say that the poor is morally superior to the rich, having said that, Jane is the character that represents this statement. Her lack of understanding of "how things work around here" shows how she was raised better than any of the children of Mrs. Reed's.

2/15/2015 05:06:22 am

I agree with you and even referenced the same quote about Jane being ridiculed for simply asking a question. I like how you said "mindlessly listens to her parents," women were not expected to really think for themselves at that point in time, there were expected to just follow along. Also by adding in and referencing background history on Jane's family in order to better understand gender respect was a great thing to do, Jane's disadvantage of not being of noble status like her cousins plays a big role of what we have read so far in her life. I truly believe that if she were of nobility, there would be slight changes in her life than what she is living now, and most women would probably benefit from being of higher status too in this time.

2/15/2015 10:20:37 am

I agree with your opinion on how women are looked upon in society during this time period and how Jane refuses to “act like her gender” thus resulting in some of her mistreatment. To add on to your statement, I connected Jane to the young girl in the passage we read for out Mid Term. The girl, similar to Jane, went against her gender by refusing how to learn how to play the piano as well as other skills women needed to know. Overall, this indicates how society had a big influence of gender roles, however, with various types of literature having a female role that goes against society; suggests that the demand of women’s rights will significantly increase.

2/15/2015 10:27:33 am

I saw this comment and immediately thought of the words submission and obedience. I agree with your ideas that women during this time were not supposed to speak out against their elders or exhibit a sense of individuality. I also saw that Jane instinctively doesn’t fit in with the Reed family or conform to the norm. I believe Jane is different from society’s image of a woman, not only because she was born that way, but because she was raised under a roof where she was continuously told that she was not a proper lady. Other characteristics I saw as what society believed a woman should have were brought up during Jane’s time in the Lowood School. Young ladies needed to learn about reading, writing, and the arts. They were also expected to speak,read and write in other languages. There were aspects of education that people believed women should be experienced in as an addition to having manners and proper etiquette.

2/15/2015 02:54:57 pm

I agree with everything that you said. During that time period women were merely used to take care of children and carry on the wealth or marry into wealth. They weren’t able to do the same things like men. Jane is not like the other girls around her which I think gives Mrs. Reed reason to be rude and mean to her. Also since Jane’s father is from the lower class she is seen as of no use. She’s not as good as her cousins who have a rich family history. Jane reminds me of that girl in the passage we read for the midterms, how she wasn’t like the ideal woman and went against social standards. I think this idea of a girl going against the ideal of a woman was a common theme to write about back in the day.

2/11/2015 03:39:41 pm

The red room was a scene in which Jane is imprisoned in an abandoned room decorated in all red and small accents of white. This is the room where her kind uncle passed away. As Jane sat in the dark room she was faced with ideas of her uncle reeds restless ghost taking revenge after the desecration of his final wish. Jane works herself into such a hysteria she passes out. This hysteria was ultimately caused by Jane’s trauma of her extreme isolation “This room was chill, because it seldom had a fire; it was silent, because remote from the nursery and kitchen; solemn, because it was known to be so seldom entered” (Bronte) This isolation is almost a physical manifestation of the mental isolation Jane undergoes on a daily basis. She is as they referred to her as “less than a servant” (Bronte) because she doesn’t work for her keep. This comment shows the isolation between Jane and the servants. Her aunt and her cousins also treat her as an outsider, and for her cousin, she is someone to physically abuse, as he frequently strikes her. Her placement in the red room is really quite jarring to a reader, it’s the real climax of her mistreatment especially as it follows the scene where her cousin throws a book at her. This feeling is enhanced by the room itself, being red it invokes thoughts of blood and violence. The small amounts of white innocence in the room overcome by the terror the red invokes. As a reader I truly felt for Jane in this moment because any fear throughout her life would bring her back to this.

2/15/2015 12:24:10 pm

I completely agree with you on the idea of the red room and what it evokes. It is very evident throughout the book that Jane is treated unfairly and is abused physically, mentally and emotionally by her aunt and cousins. The idea of the red room adds more pain to Jane, in which she is already enduring. Imprisoning Jane is a way of control for her aunt her a way of punishment for her. The red room represent the cruelty set forth by her aunt. I agree with you when you said “This feeling is enhanced by the room itself, being red it invokes thoughts of blood and violence. The small amounts of white innocence in the room overcome by the terror the red invokes.” I think the idea and representation of the colors red and white you came up with is exactly what they are supposed to represent in the story.

2/15/2015 03:07:32 pm

You brought up a lot of interesting points that I didn’t think about before. I liked and agreed with the comparison of her being isolated in the room to her being frequently isolated and ostracized from her cousins and aunts. The red room provokes that same feeling of aloneness and loneliness. I liked how you discussed the symbolism of the colors. The red reminds Jane of the blood spilled from when the book was thrown at her. There could have been another time in which she was badly hurt, but was sent to the red room instead. The hints of white represents Jane’s innocence and how her innocence in all these situations are mostly ignored. Although the room haunts her of her late uncle, it’s a reminder of the love and appreciation he had of her. The red room stores many conflicted feelings for Jane.

2/12/2015 08:06:42 am

The red room shows the harshness of Jane’s aunt towards her. She was sent there due to her “wickedness”; even though she has done nothing wicked. The red room was the bedroom in which Jane’s loving uncle had died in. The red room contained everything that was red, such as the walls, the carpet, the cloth, the toilet-table, the chairs, and the wardrobe. This room was frightening to Jane as it leads her to fall unconscious from panic. The red room symbolizes the cruelty the Reed family shows to Jane. The room ultimately signifies death. Red is a color of death and the fact that the room is all red points to a period of downfall for Jane. “I cannot endure it—let me be punished some other way! I shall be killed if—“(Bronte 14). The red room takes a drastic toll on Jane as it wears her down. Red is also a symbol of evil, which the room represents. “Alas! Yes; no jail was ever more secure.” (Bronte 9). By Jane comparing the room to a jail, readers see the wickedness of the treatment the Reed’s give to Jane. They treat her like absolutely nothing which is why her reflection looks cold, dark, and hallow. This scene shocked me when I read it. I was saddened by the fact that Jane was forced to sit in a room by herself for most of the day. I feel as though this punishment was unnecessarily cruel since Jane had done nothing to deserve it.

2/12/2015 01:22:39 pm

In addition to what you stated, I believe that the Red-Room also represents the emotional and social relationship that Jane lacks with the Reeds. Therefore, when she is forced into the Red-Room without a proper justification, it proves to me that the Reed family is unable and unwilling to emphasize with what Jane has went through or is continuing to go through, which further exemplifies their detachment. Jane describes her stay in Gateshead Hall as: “I was like nobody there; I had nothing in harmony with Mrs. Reed or her children or her chosen vassalage”. Apart from hatred, there is no other connection between Jane and the Reed family. From the Reeds point of view, Jane is a self-righteous, quick tongued girl who is incapable of fulfilling the role of the typical woman at the time period. This puts up a social barrier because Mrs. Reed sees Jane as trying to act like she is better than her, for Jane is acting like she is better than the typical upper-class woman. Instead of being what is expected, she is trying to fulfill the role of a typical man of that time period by getting into fights and acting out.

2/15/2015 03:31:55 pm

I agree with your statement. I believe that the red room was used as Mrs. Reed's escape from Jane. Since Jane wasn't considered of the same social class as the rest of her relatives, it was much easier for them to punish her over something so minuscule that they didn't have to deal with her much longer. This leads into showing the lack of any kind of relationship Jane has with her family. Her family doesn't care for her, and probably if they had the option they wouldn't even bothering housing her or being her guardian. They don't care for Jane or care about what she has been through. All they care about is who they associate themselves with and whether they are of similar social class as them. Jane is nothing but an embarrassment to them and they would much rather keep her locked up.

2/12/2015 08:18:12 am

The first relationships we see Jane have are bad ones. Her cousin John physically abuses her and from what I get from the first few chapters she doesn’t really interact with her Georgiana or Eliza. From what I see they keep their distance and carry the attitude of being better because of their mother. Mrs. Reed treats her children as if they are higher than Jane because they have money and are her children. The only reason her cousin Georgiana’s attitude is dealt with is because of her beauty. Jane says “Her beauty-her pink cheeks, and golden curls- seemed to give delight to all who looked at her, and to purchase indemnity for every fault”. This quote shows us that people treat Jane cruelly is because she has no beauty and is poor. She doesn't act the way her aunt expects her to and she has no beauty to compensate for it causing everyone to treat her as some one lower than a servant. This brings us into how the maids treat Jane. Bessie tells Jane she is ungrateful and is blunt with Jane, but shows her kindness and sympathy in a weird way. When she goes to visit Jane she says “You are genteel enough; you look like a lady, and it is as much as ever I expected of you you were no beauty as a child.” After she goes on to compliment Jane after. I believe that Bessie treats Jane in a brisk way to prepare her for how life would be for her. She knew that since Jane wasn’t of wealth and didn’t have beauty others wouldn't treat her well. They would ignore the fact that she was intelligent. So she treated Jane in this way to teach her, to get her ready to go into a world where people focused on superficial appearances.

2/12/2015 02:06:38 pm

I agree with you on that one, that beauty was a more valued trait. They justified treating her like a degenerate just because of her background and physical appearance. This shows that aestheticism and wealth are the key qualities to survive in the society of the 19th century. It is a never ending cycle because people at that time married others based on status. Then their child would be raised to have the same standards. Bessie is significant because I believe deep down, she respects Jane's feistiness. But she feels pity to see Jane getting beaten down for standing up for herself to people that are above her. Bessie is teaching her the reality of the world, that her life will be miserable if she is persistently continues to be outspoken. She puts it in a way that it is better to be submissive to your superiors than to go out of your way to fight for your own justice. This is what life was like for women. The only problem was, they didn't speak up because they were too afraid of being judged.

2/13/2015 02:56:36 am

I agree with you completely. The idea of being beautiful and acting "lady-like" which seems to be synonymous with having both money and grace. Jane doesn't act like the typical lady and her looks aren't enough to distract those at the estate of her lack of wealth. There's an interesting conversation between Bessie and Abbot were they pretty much agreed that if she were "a nice, pretty child, one might compassionate her forlornness; but one really cannot care for such a little toad as that" (Bronte 23). It would make sense if Bessie was giving her a dose of tough love, to prepare her for the world that Jane must try to fit in.

2/15/2015 10:35:00 am

“This quote shows us that people treat Jane cruelly is because she has no beauty and is poor.”
I partly disagree with your statement because you are stating that Jane has no beauty thus making her be treated cruelly. This is not necessary true since because even if Jane was drop dead gorgeous, the upper class will not treat her any different. Due to her upbringing and poor background, it makes others of high class see her as someone of no beauty even if she may have beautiful features. As a whole, it just shows how money and someone’s social class can trick the mind into thinking that an individual may or may not be attractive. Linking this back to “The Importance of Being Earnest”, Gwendolen’s mother is an example on how social class can make someone look attractive. For example, when John/Earnest wanted to marry Gwendolen, her mother decided on how act upon this request by his upbringing. Before when she thought he was brought up well and had a large sum of money, she was shamelessly acting kind to him; however, this changed as soon as she found out that he was found in a handbag as an infant. This scene(s) emphasizes how people are not only treated different by their wealth, but also seen differently due to their social class.

2/15/2015 01:09:28 pm

This is very much true, the struggles Jane must endure with her own family almost seems unbearable. It' seems that Georgina is like the perfect young child souly based off of her looks and Jane gets bullied for being herself and has been often compared to Georgina by the servant abbot because Jane can not totally keep her feelings to herself as a young woman at this time was expected to do. I surely agree that Bessie's compasion for Jane is an odd for sure because , it's like Bessie is trying to let Jane know in her own way that life is gonna be tough and giving Jane that backbone to deal with everyone who's trying to bring her down.

2/12/2015 09:36:43 am

This novel instantly reminded me of a new but old version of a Cinderella story, but much more brutal. Jane's cousins John, Georgy and Lizy seem to be the ugly and mean step-brother and sister , and who could forget Mrs. Reed or the evil step-mother who has been forced to take care of Jane because that was he husbands dying wish. In this Cinderella story there are no animals that save day, no one on Jane's side except for Bessie(servant) who often gives Jane the benefit of the doubt ,where as the other servant Abbot has no sympathy towards Jane or even really care for her at all "if she were a nice, pretty child, one might compassionate her forlornness; but one really cannot care for such a little toad as that". But the true worst f them all would have to John Reed , a 14yr old punk who punishes Jane for sport , physically and mentally "he struck suddenly and strongly". It is very obvious that she has no true positive relationship , everyone that I have mentioned has either hurt her with words or in a physical manner. I strongly believe that if you about 8-9 yrs. old and constantly being told by those who are supposed to care for you the most that you are ugly and will surely amount to nothing and being excluded from social gatherings at the Gateshead estate "Christmas and the New year had been celebrated at the Gateshead with the usual festive cheer; presents had been interchanged, dinners and evening parties gin. From every enjoyment I was , of course excluded". This is a huge toll, not being excepted , but somehow , somewhere she finds the strength to keep moving forward.

2/12/2015 11:37:47 am

I just wanted to comment to your comparison about Cinderella. I had the same idea as you and right after I uploaded my comment I scroll down to see your comment discussing about Cinderella. It seems like we had a similar concept since our ideas intertwine with one another.
I just wanted to give you a heads up since I don't want you thinking I stole your idea about relating the novel to the fairy tale.

2/15/2015 05:06:53 am

I really enjoyed the Cinderella reference and I completely get where your coming from. Jane is at a true disadvantage with no one to come rescue, being completely on her own. Just like Cinderella, she has to endure cruel treatments and hardships from people who she is forced to call her family. Yet everyday she gets up and does it all over again, it is amazing to think that she has been accustomed to this daily routine. How do you think you would react if you were living this type of life style? Jane is truly a strong character in the wrong place.

2/15/2015 03:40:25 pm

I agree with you and your reference to the classic fairytale. Jane is very much like Cinderella and goes through similar events like the fairytale character. Right off the bat you can tell that Jane has absolutely no positive relationship with any of her family members. They mistreat her and even abuse her simply because she isn't of similar social class as them. I also believe that her beauty has to do a lot with it as well. Jane could be one of the most rude and selfish young girl to exist, but if she has that delicate and beautiful face then those surrounding her would look pass the terrible personality.

2/12/2015 11:32:39 am

The red room was the room of her late uncle, who brought Jane Eyre to the household. The scene as a whole was creepy since who would punish a child by locking them up in a room where her relative died in. It seems like a cruel and unusual way of showing a child that they are not wanted in the household. Mrs. Reed, Jane’s aunt, hints that Jane is a bother and should end up like her uncle by making her stay in the red room.
This room symbolizes how trap Jane felt during her stay with her aunt and it is emphasizes through the colors in the room. Red surrounds Jane which represents the evils of the world while the few spots of white represent innocence. The colors create an imaginary line that separates Jane and her aunt/cousins; Jane is the white while her relatives are the red. This is supported with their actions throughout the novel. Take for example, Jane’s cousin John constantly taunts and physically abuses Jane by “[grasping] her hair and [her] shoulder… [until she] felt a drop or two of blood from [her] head” (6, Bronte).
On the side note, I feel like this whole scene reminds me of Cinderella. A male figure who supported the main character dies leaving the individual with his wife; who is so cruel that if she does not want your presence in the household then “she [would] turn [he/she] off,[making the individual] have to go to the poor house” (7, Bronte). Also, who can’t forget the ugly step sister, which in this case is merely her cousin John. I just wanted to point of this strange comparison to this novel and the fairy tale.

2/15/2015 06:06:33 am

I like your idea of Jane being white. White is often associated with being pure and innocent. This is exactly what Jane is, completely innocent to what she has been accused of. They think of her as a trouble maker and someone who is lowly because of her lack of beauty and money. Also, the fact that there is a small amount of white in the room compared to the red, could represent the fact that Jane is outnumbered. If her cousins and aunt are represented by the red, it'd show their power over her, until Jane finally fights back and punches John.

2/15/2015 12:49:49 pm

I completely agree with the symbolism of the room representing how trapped Jane felt while she stayed with her aunt.Also your connection with cinderella really emphasized Jane's relationship with her family.Another thing about you post that really made me think about this seen differently was when you said ,"a cruel and unusual way of showing a child they are not want", I thought this type of punishment was because Jane's aunt wants Jane to become a certain way. Like if Jane's Aunt wanted jane to know she's not as special as her cousins and since jane over stepped her boundaries so she was punished not because she was unwanted,

2/12/2015 12:26:00 pm

Jane’s uncle Reed’s bedroom and the room in which he passed is now used to punish Jane. “’Say your prayers Miss Eyre when you’re by yourself…” they went, shutting the door, and locked it behind them.”(Brontë pg,8 )”, this room cause Jane to become emotionally and mentally overwhelmed, with the thoughts of her parents and the ghost of her uncle Reed haunting this room. Being majorly overwhelmed caused Jane to faint and woke up being questioned about her reasoning she became ill in the Red room; she responded speaking about her uncles death and ghost, “he died in that room, and was laid there. Neither Bessie nor any one else will go into it at night…it was cruel to shut me up alone, without a candle-so cruel that I think I shall never forget .(Brontë pg. 20)”.When first reading about the red room the idea that was most logical was this room being a “safe” place for Jane to feel close to her uncle and escape the cruel way her aunt treats her.

2/12/2015 12:56:44 pm

The Red Room is fairly isolated at the Reed estate, away from the nursery and other areas where the residents may be. It is obviously called the Red Room due to the fact that everything in it is cloaked in red: the table, carpet, and the bed. It has a morbid feel to it due to the fact that her uncle, Mr. Reed, spent his last breath in there. Mr. Reed was the only one who truly cared for her, and the fact that she was punished and forced to be locked up in the room is important. It is almost like she’s being taunted by being placed there by being reminded of the kindness she most likely received when he was alive. And she later believes the Mr. Reed might be upset with her being treated so poorly and felt the need to “hush my sobs, fearful lest any sign of violent grief might waken a preternatural voice to comfort me…” (Bronte 12). It’s obvious that he loved her, and this leads to another thought about the color of the room that Bronte chose. The color red can have two completely different connotation; it could either represent love or hatred, both feeling full of passion. The meaning behind the color red has morphed from one of love that the person who passed enticed in her, to hatred from Mrs. Reed and the other residents. It has grown cold “because it seldom had a fire” as the warmth of love has turned into cold hard glares, punches, and complete isolation because she can’t carve a niche in the mansion.

2/12/2015 03:19:06 pm

I think your comparison of cold and fire was spot on. I also wanted to add how the room was “silent, because remote from the nursery and kitchens” (Brontë 9), and “solemn, because it was known to be so seldom entered” (Brontë 9), could be referring to Jane herself. She is silent, because she has no voice in the family, and is emotionally remote from her cousins and aunt. She is solemn because of her life in general with the Reeds, who treat her cruelly. The addition of how the Red Room is “seldom entered” represents how Jane is seldom cared for, only by Mr. Lloyd and Bessie.

2/12/2015 01:51:06 pm

Based on the first few chapters, women were expected to be intellectual and well educated, yet feminine and submissive in the 19th century. These qualities were only possessed and shown off for status, almost in an aesthetic way. They were not put to good use in order to pursue successful careers. Their roles in society were unfortunately, very limited.
When Jane finally starts school, there was heavy focus on bible study, sewing, history and grammar. Bible study would make the girls more morally superior because they were encouraged to be faithfully devoted to their religion. In sewing, the girls made their own dresses. History and grammar taught the girls comprehension and to speak properly. All of these classes had a purpose, and it was to mold the perfect character traits of a woman in that society into those little girls.
During a reading, Burns was constantly being chastised by Miss Scatcherd. “Burns, you poke your chin most unpleasantly; draw it in… Burns, I insist on holding your head up; I will not have you reading before me with that attitude…” (Bronte 56). According to this Miss Scatcherd’s criticism, it was more important to have poise than to actually understand the passage the girls were reading. Burns seemed to contradict Miss Scatcherd’s standards because she was giving profound thought about the passage.
“A chapter having been read through twice, the books were closed and the girls examined. The lesson had comprised part of the reign of Charles I, and there were sundry questions about tonnage and poundage, and ship-money, which most of them appeared unable to answer; still, every little difficulty was solved instantly when it reached Burns; her memory seemed to have retained the substance of the whole lesson, and she was ready with answers on every point. I kept expecting that Miss Scatcherd would praise her attention; but instead of that she suddenly cried out: ‘You dirty disagreeable girl! you have never cleaned your nails this morning!’ (Bronte 56). The girls were only expected to obtain the ability to read. Their education was very limited because it focused more on the physical aspects than actually retaining the information that is given to them. To sum it all up, education for women was worn like a fancy outfit! Society accepted a woman that possesses these qualities, but does not expect them to put them into good use.
Reading that passage made me so angry!

2/12/2015 02:15:55 pm

Jane does not have very good relations with anyone at the beginning of the story. Her aunt, Mrs. Reed, is cruel and treats her badly, forbidding her from playing with her cousins. They also do not like her, especially John, who is an absolute menace. Jane recounts that “He bullied and punished me—not two or three times in the week, nor once or twice in the day, but continually: every nerve I had feared him, and every morsel of flesh on my bones shrunk when he came near” (Brontë 4). She is treated horribly without end, with no one to help her. John takes advantage of his social stature over Jane to do as he wishes. Mrs. Reed seems to be oblivious to this, but shows that she does not care either way when she witnesses the two fighting, punishing Jane for standing up for herself. Mr. Lloyd and Bessie are the only ones who are kind to her. When she is crying, Mr. Lloyd asks, “Well, you have been crying, Miss Jane Eyre; can you tell me what about? Have you any pain?” (Brontë 19). They are the only ones who show compassion her, unlike everyone else, who regard her as being lower than a servant.

2/13/2015 12:55:35 am

I agree with you a 100 percent! What you stated about how Jane is treated at Gateshead is evident in the first few chapters of the book. I too have examined sort of how Jane’s aunt and cousins treated her. Why do you think that they treat her as such? In my first Blog entry, I mentioned how Jane was mistreated by the Reed family because she didn’t follow the social norms of what women had to follow during those times but also how her father wasn’t of nobility so she was treated the same way. Do you believe that these two things, Jane’s negation of social norms and her father’s social class, contribute a great deal to the mistreatment she receives from her aunt and cousins?

2/12/2015 02:54:57 pm

From reading chapters one through ten in Jane Eyre, it is inferred that the type of woman who are accepted in society are, dare one should say it, woman who are obedient. The term obedient to describe how a women should act sounds terrible compared to when it is usually used for the expectations of a dog, however it appears to be more absurd in the novel for a woman to lash out and lose her patience. When Jane's cousin through the book at her she was completely fed up however they only commented on her outburst and not that fact that he was degrading her existence, "Did ever anybody see such a picture of passion?" This seemed like they were commenting with disgust on how quick Jane was to attack him. Also, in the very first page when Jane is coming down the stairs and hears her name being mentioned in a conversation, she pleasantly asks, what she has done to which the response is, "Jane, I don't like cavillers or questionnaires, besides, there is something truly forbidding in a child taking up her elders in that manner." Jane is at a true disadvantage, it is already appearant that the acceptable type of women is one who, well, keeps her mouth shut and only comments when she is asked to, but she is still young too, she is extremely looked down upon. These women in this society basically have to be content with living in the shadows and playing by the rules.

2/12/2015 05:03:53 pm

Truly, seeing as how in 1847, women did not have much power, it makes perfect sense. They had to “stay in their place” and act according to their gender role, as dictated by society. Which leads me to believe this is a feminist novel, responding to those old ideals and opposing them with the character of Jane. Men like John and Mr. Brocklehurst try to oppress her and keep her low on social ladder, keeping her from becoming independent. She does not want to fall in line and be held down, and instead fights back, which was usually what a man was expected to do.

2/14/2015 09:13:53 am

I agree. Charlotte Bronte really wanted to capture women’s role in society. Based on how Jane is treated, it seems to be that during that time period the only thing women are there for is to look pretty, give birth, take care of the children, and do whatever the man of the house says. Jane is shown as being out of place in society, “this little girl has not quite the character and disposition I could wish” (Bronte 32), and is perceived as being mischievous. Her acts are “testing society’s boundaries” which leads to her being sent away in hope of fixing her to become the rightful woman that fits into society.

7th

2/12/2015 02:55:41 pm

The Red Room proves demoralizing and even haunting to young Jane. To be locked in the room the ONLY kind man to her died, for self-defense, pent my frustration at the aunt and kids. It’s a prison so conveniently in the house! She is defiant but outnumbered, outclassed, out done. She’s been broken to not recognize her own beauty in a mirror, “all looked colder and darker” (Bronte). It’s not only how she feels, but how the room is turning on her, almost as if the cold numbness of death is aiming for her. this is no place for any child to be, forced to consider their own demise.
This was to further isolate Jane from the Reeds, from physical to deep-set emotional. In the Reeds’ eyes, the only cure for “acting up” was brute force, no matter the circumstances. Their rich status “justifies” treating anyone anyhow, especially reminding Jane of how she is entrusted to Mrs. Reed.“Mind you won’t [resist or be an actual human being]” (Bronte 7) The family can’t and refuses to accept her tomboy character as a way to cope and surpass her obstacles but as a direct violation of their rules of aristocracy. Jane doesn’t fit their picture of being proper, so something must be wrong with her, not them.

2/12/2015 03:34:51 pm

Jane’s cousin had thrown a book at Jane causing blood to trickle down from her head. Mrs. Reed didn’t take into account that Jane was hurt, not that she actually cared. Immediately, Jane was sent to the red room. I would have imagined the red room to be small and empty, but it was quite large being that it was the “largest and stateliest chambers in the mansion” (Bronte 8) and had plenty of furniture. This scene gives insight as to how Jane feels about her cousins and how she feels that she isn’t good enough. She says, “Eliza, who was headstrong and selfish, was respected. Georgiana, who had a spoiled temper, a very acrid spite, a captious and insolent carriage, was universally indulged. Her beauty, her pink cheeks and golden curls, seemed to give delight to all who looked at her” (Bronte 10). Jane feels as if she’s not good enough and she’s the one who is always mistreated. I felt really bad for Jane. She’s like that new kid in school that no one really likes and is ostracized. The part that was really frustrating was when Jane described how much of a nuisance and rude John was, but he was still the mother’s darling. Mrs. Reed doesn’t dislike Jane just because she doesn’t act like a lady, but really because of Jane’s family history/status.

2/13/2015 02:21:18 am

I agree with you, I thought that the red room was going to be a small cramped space kind of like the room where bad children are sent in the movie Matilda, at the school in the movie. I also hated how Jane’s aunt, Mrs. Reed, completely put the blame on Jane when clearly her son was the aggressor and Jane was injured. When I read that part of the book I felt bad for Jane but when I read chapter 4 where Jane was about to leave Gateshead and go to the Lowood school, I felt great satisfaction as she finally told off her aunt when she said “You think I have no feelings….You are deceitful!”(Bronte 36) This is strong indication that she is truly breaking out of the social norm of the day and is becoming a strong independent young lady.

2/12/2015 03:40:32 pm

Just by reading the first chapters of the novel I was able to tell that the relationships Jane had with the other characters in the novel weren’t the best. Starting off are her two cousins, Eliza and Georgiana. Although Jane doesn’t mention them as much as her other cousin, she does show some kind of envious relationship towards the girls. “Eliza, who was headstrong and selfish…was universally indulged” (Bronte 10). Jane didn’t seem to quite understand how these girls still seemed to get away with anything even with their difficult personalities, while she was the complete opposite and was always in trouble for something. Because of the situation Jane is in, John, her other cousin, looks down on her and doesn’t even treat her as family. “He bullied and punished me…my bones shrunk when he came near” (Bronte 4). His relationship with Jane was nothing but cruel and rowdy. He would demand things from Jane and act as if he were her master. He threatened Jane many times and would even put his hands on her causing her to bleed or get extremely hurt. Jane also seems to have a difficult relationship with her aunt, Mrs. Reed. Being the wife of Jane’s deceased uncle, Mrs. Reed was more likely obligated to care for Jane rather than wanting to do it. “He had required…of her own children” (Bronte 12). Just because Mrs. Reed was obligated to take Jane under her guardianship didn’t mean she treated her like one of her own. She didn’t care much for Jane, she always believed she was the one causing trouble and she would always get punished.

2/14/2015 08:56:36 am

I totally agree with you, especially on the fact that John acts like Jane’s master. Jane is treated like a servant by all of her cousins and her aunt. The servants even refer to John as being Jane’s master, “Miss Eyre, to strike a young gentleman, your benefactress’ son! Your young master!” (Bronte 7), which shows how low everyone who lives in the Gateshead thinks of her. Jane is mistreated by the all of the other characters and she is never shown love. They don’t look at her to be one of the family, she is basically considered another servant that doesn’t do any work. It seems to be more painful for them to take care of Jane than joyful.

2/15/2015 10:47:05 am

I agree with your comment that Jane’s relationship with her family is definitely a strained, dysfunctional one at that. I also believe that Jane’s upbringing by her aunt and even the servants at Gateshead pushed her to envy her cousins and grow to despise John. As Jane grew up, she was constantly compared to Eliza and Georgianna which I believe gave her self-image issues. Jane wasn’t really in a home where she could learn to love her family because she was too busy catering to their needs and being mistreated as a part of the help. Also, the part in the novel where Jane acknowledges that it must be difficult for her aunt to love her as her own was heartbreaking. Jane seemed to make an excuse for a woman that acts terribly toward an orphaned ten year old that is indeed a part of her family.

2/15/2015 01:55:32 pm

For sure her relationships with everyone is just awfull and it just sucks because jane has no real say in the matter. But although it's true that janes cousins don't even get a slap on the wrist even though they have awful attitudes , I also feel that janes very envious of the two girls in the way that they have someone to play with and how they could act in any manner they please and not be as brutally scrutinized as Jane does. It's very clear that Mrs.Reed dislike of Jane set the tone of how everyone looked at jane and really just the tone of disgust towards her and she's never really given a chance to show her true colors😩!

2/15/2015 02:48:59 pm

I totally agree with you and your opinion on Jane’s relationship between her and cousins and her aunt. The relationships she had with them were not the best, as you stated. She deeply despised her aunt and cousins. Jane isn’t treated like family, which makes her situation worse, being that she’s being mistreated by family. Most people’s ideas on family is that they are supposed to be there for no matter what and help you out. Her family is the complete opposite. They torture, amongst other things. That is true when you said “She didn’t care much for Jane, she always believed she was the one causing trouble and she would always get punished.” You can tell Jane’s doesn’t care for her throughout many parts of the story, especially when she is locked in the red room.

2/12/2015 03:47:52 pm

The red room is the isolated, eerie, chamber that Jane is sent to when she “misbehaves” or is perceived as doing something inappropriate. The red room is first introduced when Jane is cast off by her aunt for “attacking” her cousin. As the novel continues, Jane explains that her uncle passed in the red room and that she believes there are spirits/ghosts of some type that reside there “Mrs. Reed, impatient of my now frantic anguish and wild sobs, abruptly thrust me back and locked me in…”( Bronte14). This quote exemplifies how the red room is merely a punishment for Jane that is used to physically and emotionally isolate her from the other individuals who live in Gateshead. This room sends Jane into a panic and causes what she believes to be a type of trauma. As I continued to read, I immediately thought of the stories of “Cinderella” and “Harry Potter” where the protagonists are sent away to dungeons or hidden rooms and are depicted as having feelings of loneliness. My initial reaction to the use of the red room as means of punishment for a ten year old was that it was severe, cruel and unusual. The potential mental anguish that Mrs. Reed was causing to her niece was never considered. Also, when Jane is speaking to Miss. Temple she revisits the past experience of the red room and it’s obvious that Jane is still quite perturbed by the events “Mrs. Reed… locked me a second time in the dark and haunted chamber” (Bronte 77).

2/15/2015 11:12:11 am

The type of relationship Jane has with her aunt and cousins is not at all a relationship you would expect family to have with one another. While reading the book, you clearly see that Jane despises her cousins and aunt. She feels as though they are cruel human beings, and she wants nothing to do with them. You can interpret this by not only through the text, but by what Jane says in chapter 4. She states “ I am glad you are no relation of mine. I will never call you aunt again as long as I live. I will never come to visit you when I am grown up; and if any one asks me how I liked you, and how you treated me, I will say the very thought of you makes me sick, and that you treated me with miserable and cruelty” (36). With Jane saying this directly to her aunt, you can understand the emotional relationship in which they have with one another. Shortly after Jane says this, she begins to explain to her aunt how she “affirmed” the idea that she treats her with cruelty. Jane begins to speak about the red room and how her aunt used to lock her up there to her “dying day…” (36).

2/15/2015 12:59:24 pm

To add onto your post Jane did feel very strongly towards her aunt and cousins, she also had relationships with the family's servants like Bessie which was completely opposite of her aunt and cousins.But it is completely understandable of why Jane feels this way towards her aunt , after loosing her parents ad uncle reed even if Jane's aunt was nice towards her it would most likely be very hard for Jane to find a connection with her aunt and cousins .

2/15/2015 11:45:17 am

The red room is a way of punishment for Jane made by her aunt. Jane’s aunt would violently throw her in the room and lock her up there for days. On page 36, Jane says “You think I have no feelings, and that I can live without one bit of love or kindness; but I cannot live so; and you have no pity. I shall remember how you thrust me back--roughly and violently thrust me back into the red room, and locked me up there--to my dying day; though I was in agony; though I cried out, while suffocating with distress, ‘Have mercy! Have mercy, Aunt Reed!’ And that punishment you made me suffer because your wicked boy struck me--knocked me down for nothing” (36). I feel like Jane is being punished for no reason and it is not fair for her to be being treated the way she is. This is one of the reasons why Jane despise her aunt. I understand why Jane feels the way she does towards her aunt.

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Jane Eyre - Chapters 1-10; Gateshead (Primary and Secondary Blog Entries)

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