The presentation of Jane Eyre’s childhood in chapter 1-8 Essay Example

knee, I was happy; happy at least in my way" highlights that Jane's ultimate joy lies in escaping her harsh reality and immersing herself in a book. Sadly, she is unable to do so.

Many readers can relate to Jane, as it is common for people to struggle in finding their happiness. This allows the audience to connect with Jane and feel sympathetic towards her at the beginning of the book. In chapter two, Jane's characteristics are further revealed through her reactions to her surroundings and how others treat her. The line "I resisted all the way; a new thing for me" shows her response to significant challenges in her early life, which span across the first eight chapters of her childhood. It also demonstrates Jane's passionate nature when it comes to things she strongly opposes and refuses to endure. Additionally, Mrs. Reed's remarks about Jane being "like a mad cat" provide further insight into Jane's personality.

Through the use of animal imagery, Jane is portrayed as untamed, altering our perception of her. The portrayal of Mrs. Reed reveals her unkindness and lack of concern for Jane, generating further sympathy towards Jane. Additionally, Jane's resistance against being carried away suggests a lack of ladylike behavior, providing the Reed family and servants with justification to dislike her. In Victorian society, women were expected to remain composed without fighting back or losing their temper; thus, Jane's struggle to maintain composure deviates from societal norms. She is confined in the red room where Mr. Reed passed away, creating an eerie atmosphere that unsettles and paranoys her. Despite attempting to appear strong by wiping away tears and silencing sobs, the

overwhelming circumstances eventually overpower her as she pleads for release from torment. In a state of panic, Jane desperately longs for escape from the gothic red room due to its oppressive nature which invokes sympathy towards this 10-year-old child.

In chapter three, Jane's terrifying nightmare is described as her experience in the red room. As a young girl, Jane is filled with fear and uncertainty due to the events of the previous night that have greatly affected her. However, she finds comfort in the presence of Mr. Lloyd, someone she knows and trusts to provide help and support. This brings her a deep sense of relief and assurance that she will be protected. With Mr. Lloyd by her side, Jane feels safe from any harm, including the haunting memories of the red room. His unexpected presence brings her great relief as she had possibly expected to encounter someone harsh who would only worsen her distress. Instead, Jane finally feels reassured that she is in a secure environment where she will be taken care of. Unfortunately, it saddens her when it comes time for her to leave.

However, Mr Lloyd promptly returns to check on Jane and inquire about her well-being. Jane expresses her misery, stating "I cry because I am miserable" and discusses the dearth of positivity in her life. Furthermore, she reveals the ill-treatment she endures from the entire Reed family. Though she disapproves of this maltreatment, Jane finds solace in being able to confide in Mr Lloyd and recount her mistreatment - a characteristic of the gothic genre. In her conversation with Mr Lloyd, Jane recounts past events and is then asked if she would

like to live with another family member. She responds, "no, I should not belong to poor people," demonstrating her unfavorable opinion of the impoverished, which sheds light on how readers perceive her. Despite having fewer rights than the servants she has grown up with, Jane espouses snobbish views towards them, similar to how the wealthy would be brought up. This suggests that Jane has much to learn about life and understanding individuals. She eagerly expresses her desire to attend school, indicating her eagerness to learn and escape the oppressive Reed family at Gateshead.

Jane's health improves in chapter four thanks to Mr. Lloyd's care, and she has hopes of attending school. However, there are no signs that indicate she will have the opportunity. The Reed family further isolates Jane as she is forced to eat alone and stay confined to the nursery all day. She avoids interacting with other children and only faces interrogation from Mrs. Reed. Even when John sees her, he is forbidden from speaking with her. Despite these circumstances, Jane takes advantage of John's silence, fueled by the same anger and desire for revenge that had consumed her earlier on. Consequently, their past encounters lead her to retaliate by breaking his nose.

He seeks refuge with his mother, who rejects him by saying she had warned him to stay away from her. This action angers Jane and leads her to declare, "they are not suitable for me to associate with." In speaking her mind, Jane evokes sympathy from the reader, as it would have been difficult for her to refrain from saying such things when she yearned to be heard. Mrs. Reed and Jane

engage in a passionate argument, leaving Mrs. Reed speechless. When Jane boldly utters, "You wish for my death!" it is striking for a 10-year-old child to express such a sentiment and demonstrates her unladylike behavior in standing up for herself. Furthermore, in chapter four, Jane has been granted the opportunity to attend school and escape Gateshead, providing her with a chance at a life of her own.

In chapter four, Bessie and Jane develop a close bond. Bessie's question, "and so you're glad to leave me?", expresses Bessie's curiosity about whether or not Jane will miss her. This exchange evokes sympathy for Jane, as readers may worry about her losing someone dear to her. Bessie's actions further demonstrate her affection for Jane, as she shares enchanting stories and sings soothing songs to Jane.
Jane is granted permission to attend Lowood School, a renowned institution resembling the school where Bronte herself received education during her childhood. Bessie feels sadness at the prospect of Jane leaving and expresses wishes for her safe journey by telling the guard to take good care of her. Bessie's concern for Jane's safety highlights her genuine care for her well-being. Among the Reed family members, Jane is the only one who receives affection from Bessie. On Jane's journey to Lowood, they take a break to have some food and drink.

However, Jane cannot find peace and becomes somewhat paranoid due to her knowledge of the dangers posed by kidnappers. She confesses, "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's unease can be attributed to multiple

factors. First, the constant fear of kidnappers, but also the upcoming events that will soon take place at Lowood, a school she will attend. Jane is aware that she frightens herself, especially since she has been left alone during the entire coach drive. The reader cannot help but sympathize with poor Jane, who has traveled such a long distance all by herself without Bessie's enjoyable stories and songs to provide some solace. Finally, after enduring a lengthy journey, Jane finally arrives at the school where she meets her teacher, enjoys a meal, and heads off to bed. She notes, "Miss Miller had taken her place by my side," indicating that, given it is a charity school, beds must be shared and accommodate two individuals.

Jane, who is new, is provided with protection for the night as there is a fierce storm, with Miss Millers sleeping next to her. The children at Gateshead are well behaved and understand the symbolic meaning behind the bells. Religion plays a prominent role in the novel and can be observed throughout the school. As part of their daily routine, they have prayers in the morning, which vary over time throughout the chapters and Jane's time at Lowood. Jane is relieved when breakfast arrives since she had not eaten much the day before. Unfortunately, the porridge is burnt again, much to her disgust.

Jane remains hungry and unable to eat, falling into the gothic genre as her starvation weakens her. She realizes that Lowood School is impoverished and struggles to provide enough food, making it nearly impossible for her to receive a sufficient portion to satisfy her hunger. This elicits sympathy from the

reader as Jane endures long days of starvation that she is not accustomed to. Chapter 6 marks Jane's second day at Lowood.

Due to the frozen water in the basin, she is unable to wash. However, Jane managed to eat her porridge this morning and noticed that the girls at Lowood are severely underfed. She exclaimed, "how small my portion seemed! I wished it had been doubled." Throughout her time at Lowood, Jane will have to tolerate this limited amount of food since it is a charity school. Jane decides to confront Helen Burns, who was previously mistreated by one of the teachers mentioned earlier in the chapter. Jane accuses Helen of wanting to leave because of Miss Scatcherd. She realizes that Helen has a strong Christian endurance, which greatly impresses Jane with her knowledge.

In a conversation with Helen, Jane discusses Mrs. Reed, hoping for sympathy but receiving none. Helen suggests that Mrs. Reed's unkindness towards Jane is due to her dislike for Jane's character. This causes Jane to contemplate Helen's belief that in life, one should not dwell on the wrongs done to them but instead accept them. Although the reader would typically sympathize with Jane, Helen presents compelling points that leave Jane unable to argue. In Chapter Seven, after spending some time at Lowood School, Jane feels as though the first quarter there has been a long and challenging period of adjusting to new rules and tasks.

Jane describes her initial experiences at Lowood as terrible and unpleasant. She has not had any enjoyment and has struggled to adapt to the school's standards. Furthermore, she mentions how the older girls would mistreat the younger ones

during dinner, often pressuring or intimidating them to give up their food portions. This created a survival-like atmosphere where everyone had to fend for themselves. Jane being coerced into giving up her food allows readers to sympathize with her and understand that she, along with the other children, is not well-nourished.

Additionally, Jane and the other students had to endure lengthy sermons by Miss Miller, who would uncontrollably yawn out of tiredness. Even the teacher herself appeared bored, reflecting the exhaustion and hunger experienced by the children due to lack of sleep and inadequate meals. However, they were not permitted to sleep during these sermons; otherwise, they would face punishment. Despite their fatigue and hunger, they were required to stand and listen attentively.

Deviating from these strict rules, Jane accidentally gets into trouble which causes Mr. Brocklehurst to react harshly because he had already been forewarned about her by Mrs. Reed. Jane fears that this incident could result in her being sent back home but Miss Temple reassures her that it was simply an accident and everything will be alright.Despite the school's strict rules, there are compassionate teachers like Miss Temple who provide assistance and support to Jane. In this particular situation, Jane was required to stand on a stool throughout the day without being provided any food or drink while lessons proceeded.

The punishment given to a young child cannot be described as evil within the gothic genre. The reader sympathizes with Jane, feeling that the punishment is too harsh. In chapter eight, Jane is relieved to no longer have to stand on the stool and worries about her standing with her schoolmates. However, Helen assures her

that most of the girls feel pity for Jane instead of revulsion towards her deceitfulness. Helen, Jane's closest friend, cheers her up with these words, although Jane may be confused about why Helen wants to remain by her side. Jane decides to tell Miss Temple that she is not a liar. She feels as though she has been accused of something extremely serious. Jane confides in Miss Temple about her childhood and her difficult times with the Reeds. Miss Temple believes Jane and writes a letter to Mr. Lloyd to confirm her account of past events. Miss Temple invites Helen and Jane to stay with her for the night and offers them tea and a seed cake, showing her kindness towards the girls at Lowood.

Jane is filled with joy after enjoying a delightful meal in a cozy room. Miss Temple receives a letter from Mr. Lloyd, causing her to arrange a gathering. The news brings Jane immense happiness as she realizes that she is completely free from any accusation. This revelation boosts Jane's morale, enabling her to thrive academically at Lowood. By the end of chapter eight, readers can't help but feel delighted for Jane as she finally finds stability and excels in her studies and artistic endeavors. Throughout the first eight chapters, Jane Eyre's emotions are portrayed vividly, demonstrating the various impacts that each chapter has on readers. The novel provides a glimpse into Bronte's life and the challenges she faced growing up during that era.