A Look into the Character of Jane Eyre

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When reading a book, the reader may or may not pick up on the hidden, clever ways the author tries to describe the character. These ways of describing the character can add a lot of insight to the particular character. Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre contains allusions such as color, biblical references, and the difference in class that give the reader insight into Jane’s character. The color red is used throughout the novel and Rochester gives Jane the nickname of mustard seed; these are just two of the symbols that have deeper meaning in the novel. Brontë shares several similarities with Jane; she writes with a autobiographical sense. The reader can make the connections between Charlotte Brontë and Jane through her use of symbolism. The numerous creative symbols in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre give the reader a deeper look into Jane’s character. The colorful descriptions in Jane Eyre provide a better visual for the reader as well as underlying clues that reveal character. Color is extensively described in the settings at Gateshead and Thornfield, while lacking at Lowood. This lack in color is to focus on Jane’s development. There is extensive color descriptions before and after Lowood show her character before and after the progress; Jane grows spiritually and emotionally while at Lowood. The color red appears numerous times throughout the novel. Red in present in times when Jane is lonely. At Gateshead, Jane hides behind the scarlet drapes from John, her so called master, in the first scene. She is continually tortured by him through physical and verbal abuse. Jane is being controlled by John, as well as by Mrs. Reed. "The Reeds attempt to enclose Jane both physically and imaginatively so that she becomes their property” (Leggatt... ... middle of paper ... ...ne Eyre. Ed. Stevie Davis. Place of Publication Not Identified: Penguin, 2006. Print. Hochberg, Shifra. "Jane Eyre and the New Testament Parable of the Mustard Seed." Bronte Studies, Vol. 35 No. 1 Mar. 2010: 1-6. Ebsco Host. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. Leggatt, Judith, and Christopher Parkes. "From the Red Room to Rochester's Haircut" Mind Control in Jane Eyre." English Studies in Canada. Vol. 32, Issue 4 Winter 2006: 169-88. Ebsco Host. Web. 13 Feb. 2014. Miller, Emma V. "'Just As If She Were Painted': Interpreting Jane Eyre through Devotional Imagery." Bronte Studies, Vol. 37 No.4 Nov. 2012: 318-25. Ebsco Host. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. Precious Moments Bible: New King James Version. S.l.: Thomas Nelson Pub, 1985. Print. Roberts, Michele. "How Eating Becomes a Metaphor in the Novels of Charlotte Bronte. "Newstatesman 5 May 2003: 56. Ebsco Host. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.

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