Exploring Feminism and Empowerment in Jane Eyre and The L-Shaped Room.
Exploring Feminism and Empowerment in Jane Eyre and The L-Shaped Room.

Exploring Feminism and Empowerment in Jane Eyre and The L-Shaped Room.

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  • Pages: 8 (2008 words)
  • Published: October 16, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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In this essay, I will compare two novels that showcase the spiritual and emotional growth of their respective heroines, albeit in contrasting ways. Both novels delve into the issue of feminism and the liberation of women, with Bronte's work highlighting Jane's female independence and Lynne Reid Banks' novel exploring the isolation experienced by women who deviate from socially accepted norms of marriage and childbearing, particularly in contemporary times through Jane Graham's character.

The aim of this essay is to analyze the distressing journeys undertaken by Jane Eyre and Jane Graham, as they strive to reach their ultimate state of happiness.I will also examine the spiritual and emotional growth of both girls during their lifetime. Charlotte Bronte's novel 'Jane Eyre', published in 1847, became an instant hit in the early Victorian period. Bronte's p

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rimary focus throughout the novel was on female independence, a critical theme due to women's inferior status in society during that period. Although Jane faced numerous obstacles throughout her life, her persistence and determination earned her the coveted hero status in the novel and ultimately led to her achieving true happiness.

Starting her journey in the household of her Aunt Reed, Jane's childhood at Gateshead is marked by being only tolerated, not loved. Despite her young age of ten, Jane displays an unchildlike ability to judge situations with honesty and insight, which leads to her being sent away to Lowood charity school where she endures a cruel regime but emerges with her spirit and integrity unbroken. After becoming a governess at Thornfield Hall, Jane falls in love with Mr Rochester, only to learn of an impediment to their marriage that forces he

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to flee to Morton. There, she is taken in and finds the family she has been longing for.

The novel 'The L-Shaped Room' by Lynne Reid Banks reflects the traditional ending of a story portraying a woman's passionate search for expanded opportunities beyond the limitations imposed on her by Victorian society. Published in 1960, during the establishment of women's independence that was rapidly gaining acceptance throughout society, the novel follows Jane Graham's battle against societal prejudices and herself. Her journey ends with a discovery of self and independence. Jane is banished by her narrow-minded father after he finds out about her pregnancy, leaving her without a mother's support. As an act of self-punishment, Jane resolves to live in a squalid L-shaped room in Fulham, which is infested with bedbugs, dirty, and worsened by morning sickness. Despite these challenges, Jane finds solace in the compassion of her neighbors, including John, the black jazz musician, and Toby, the Jewish writer.

Jane finds strength for the future through the kindness, compassion, and love she receives. The role of women in society is more evident in 'The L-Shaped Room,' though this does not mean that society has not progressed in its views towards women. Compared to Jane Eyre, Jane Graham's situation is less acceptable and she faces harsh judgement from both herself and society. Jane Eyre lives a relatively secluded life with few external opinions of her attitudes, while the Victorian public's reaction to the book provides insight into society's views.

Within the text, it is evident that many of the younger characters perceive Jane's father's attitude to be outdated. Dottie's response to Jane's father throwing her out reflects this viewpoint:

'"You can't mean he threw you out! But that's incredible! It's like a Victorian melodrama-"' The doctor also shares a similar attitude towards Jane's father, expressing his outrage: '"Damn it, we're not living in the Middle Ages." Despite this, the text implies that not all of society is against Jane, and the author may have been aiming to present a balanced viewpoint. Jane's positive attitude is reflected in this viewpoint, and up until this point, she has shared the same perspective as those around her: 'Who did I think I was imagining glibly that I could bring up a child all by myself? I had no money. I had no home.'

Being jobless and lacking moral courage were significant challenges that Jane faced. Currently, Jane is gradually accepting these realities and so are those around her. Unlike Jane Eyre, Jane's societal status is more pronounced in 'The L-Shaped Room' because she lacks self-confidence and regards her actions as morally wrong, leading to self-punishment. This perception is mirrored by society, evident when she consults a doctor to confirm her pregnancy. The doctor immediately assumes that she is being judged and is seeking an abortion; he suggests that his colleague should certify her as psychologically incapable of having a child.

Once the task is completed, I will schedule your procedure at my clinic. This encounter reveals that society chooses to ignore situations like this. The doctor's use of generalizations when referring to pregnant women underscores this point. His condescending attitude towards the protagonist is similar to other male characters in both novels, including Jane Graham's father, Terry-the actor, Toby at times, and the cafe proprietor who objectifies her.

Within the

novels 'Jane Eyre' and 'The L-Shaped Room', the main female protagonists, Jane Eyre and Jane Graham respectively, face mistreatment by various male characters: John Reed, Mr Brocklehurst, and Mr Rochester. Moreover, there is a notable absence of strong female characters for comparison. This leads readers to question the author's intentions in creating supposedly feminist novels with only one woman protagonist. However, it is possible that this lack of female figures serves to highlight the absence of a maternal influence in the two Janes' lives while emphasizing their unique struggles. This characterizes them as real and inspiring women who do not conform to societal expectations to find happiness. Both novels address self-denial in women, and how they often deny their own needs as a form of punishment or to maintain moral standards.

The importance of having a home and basic necessities like food and comfort are materialistic needs while emotional needs include belonging in a family or any social society and the need for love and compassion from friends. Both Jane Graham from 'The L-Shaped Room' and Jane Eyre lack close family members and strong relationships with their remaining family. Jane Graham feels resented by her father and Jane Eyre is not accepted into her aunt's home, leading them to feel ostracized by society without genuine friends. Without the influence of a strong parent figure or family, these heroines have the freedom to make their often unconventional choices.

Comparing the characters Jane Graham from 'The L-Shaped Room' and Jane Eyre, it can be assumed that Graham is more materialistic due to never experiencing dire circumstances. In contrast, during her time at Lowood, Jane Eyre focused on

basic human needs such as food, clothing, and shelter. However, her lack of friendships did not contribute to her unhappiness. Bronte uses food and drink as symbols of deeper desires within the characters. For instance, the meager and spoiled food at Lowood highlights hunger, which can be interpreted as Jane's yearning for social, sexual, and spiritual fulfilment. Additionally, the description of Jane's "ravenous" hunger at Lowood reflects her youthful passion and impulsiveness.

Jane's materialistic focus at Lowood generates sympathy for her and highlights the cruelty of Mr Brocklehurst's harsh Christian beliefs, which are closely linked to the religious theme in 'Jane Eyre'. Although religion is not a predominant theme in 'The L-Shaped Room', it is crucial to acknowledge its significance in Bronte's novel. Bronte even included a note in the book to elevate the value of religion and discredit prejudiced individuals with strictly religious views, while emphasizing her reverence for God. She also intended to underscore the contrast between Mr Brocklehurst's bigotry and St John's religious devotion.

Both 'The L-Shaped Room' and 'The Color Purple' highlight the theme of bigotry towards religion and race. The character Terry's anti-Semitic attitudes towards Toby in 'The L-Shaped Room' reveal the prevalent views of many individuals during that era. The author intentionally portrays Toby's kind-hearted personality before revealing his religion to encourage readers to empathize with him. Additionally, Jane's unfavorable opinions of John due to his skin color and disgust towards different sexualities illustrate the societal bigotry and prejudices at play during that time. Although Jane sometimes feels shame for her beliefs, it is evident that most people in society shared her perspective at the time. These novels emphasize

how bigotry and prejudices were pervasive in society during that era and how they impacted the lives of women and other individuals. Almost every character in 'The L-Shaped Room' faces some form of prejudice or discrimination.

In the beginning of the novel, Jane displays discrimination towards those perceived as different. This irony stems from the fact that she herself is susceptible to harsh judgment due to her position. John, a character in the story, exemplifies society's negative attitudes towards those who are considered different. Despite sharing their mutual pain over Toby's disappearance, Jane initially fears John's presence and finds discomfort in his embrace as he belongs to a "forbidden race" and is physically distinctive.

During her pregnancy and growth, Jane understands the significance of treating everyone fairly and avoiding passing judgement. Jane's reaction towards John's homosexuality is unlike her initial response towards Malcolm at the start of the book. She realizes that there is something about John which she had not comprehended before, and while it shocks her, the feeling isn't unpleasant. Jane anticipates that she might develop a similar aversion towards John as she had towards Malcolm and others like him previously, but she doesn't.

Despite the absence of change, I acknowledged my debt to John, recognizing that his help would not have been possible had he been any different. The discrimination aimed at women, particularly Jane Graham in 'The L-Shaped Room,' reflects the societal expectations and challenges faced by women. Similar to 'Jane Eyre,' 'The L-Shaped Room' also contains numerous instances of religious bigotry, although it involves various religions rather than solely Christianity. Jane, who shares Jane Eyre's lack of religiosity, expresses her views

on religion: 'religion is - the pinning-up of faith across the ugly vista of logic and reality, to fulfil a need.

Comparing the two Janes, Jane Eyre exudes an innocent and naive persona, while Jane Graham is more doubtful of religion and men. Nevertheless, Jane Graham is deemed more vulnerable as she ultimately relies on God in times of great distress despite rejecting help from Him at the start of the novel. In a similar vein, Terry and St John share numerous qualities including their strong religious beliefs, but Terry's perspective leans towards anti-Semitism, unlike St John’s magnificent outlook. Thus, Terry’s harsh treatment of Toby entails calling him derogatory names such as 'Jew-Boy' and stating that he would willingly leave him lost if he ever went missing.

Terry is not the sole character in the novel who expresses such beliefs. During a fit of anger, James, Jane's employer, refers to the Jewish owner of the company as a 'sly and deceitful little kyke'. However, much like Jane, we are taken aback when Toby reveals to her: "I'm Jewish. So, you probably wouldn't have wished to tie the knot with me anyway."

It had not been previously apparent to the reader that religion was a point of contention for the couple. However, given the amount of persecution Toby had endured from society, it was a foreseeable reaction. Bronte regularly presents a variety of religious values and in many instances draws a comparison between Jane Eyre and characters who possess significantly divergent religious beliefs, such as Helen Burns. While Jane is portrayed as someone who seeks and questions, these other figures are firm in their adherence to one form

or another of religious doctrine. When Helen is on her deathbed, she shares with Jane about both her wickedness and her profound connection with God.

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