Techniques Bronte Uses to Evoke Sympathy from the Reader in Jane Eyre

Techniques Bronte Uses to Evoke Sympathy from the Reader in Jane Eyre

The essay looks at ways and especially the people that evoke sympathy

for the reader in Jane Eyre’s younger life. Bronte uses many ways to

provoke the reader’s empathy and compassion. People and techniques

used to do this, are shown in the following.

Sympathy is evoked in the reader through Mrs Reed. Although we are

given no details on Jane’s childhood before she comes into Mrs Reeds

care, we may presume it was a happy one. The contrast is shown when

Mrs Reed kept and held Jane separately from her own children. Jane

knows that “She (Mrs Reed) regretted to be under the necessity of

keeping me at a distance”. Also “She must exclude me from privileges

intended only for contented, happy little children”. Jane is trying

to empathise with Mrs Reed and understands that she does not belong

with the family, and therefore feels lost and unhappy.

Many adults in the novel dislike Jane because she is an outspoken

individual. She is a non-conformist and goes against the grain of the

typical female child of her time. She was told to do as she was told

and not to think for herself. Today she would be more accepted by

having her own views. She is told that “There is something truly

forbidding in a child taking her elders in that manner, be seated and

until you can speak pleasantly remain silent.

Jane hides and reads behind some curtains to escape what she perceives

as her captors. Her favourite book is Bewicks History of British

Birds. She dreams she is visiting islands and far off shores as she

travels the globe. The reader can almost visualise her journey and

also longs for her freedom. As she reads it is noted that outside the

weather is dull...

... middle of paper ...

...l to cut her

beautiful locks off, she remonstrates and passes a hanker chief over

her lips as though she is trying to hide or brush away her feelings of

the stupid accusations. Jane is humiliated in front of the whole

school because of Mr.Brocklehurst for false accusations. Mrs.Temple

later announces to the school and reassures Jane and everyone that she

is a good girl and that what Brocklehurst said was not true, the

reader feels vindicated for Jane.

Bronte describes her characters knowingly and with insight. The reader

is drawn into the sad unjust world of an orphan, especially the female

orphan in Victorian England. I feel that Jane is a determined young

woman someone who I would like to become friends with, not because we

would have much in common but that her life philosophies are wise and

she is the product of a well experienced short life time.