As Jane Eyre is such a detailed and classic novel, I decided to start with Part I. Later, I will divulge into Part II. Both Part I and Part II are important and contain so much detail and storyline that it’s proper to split them up. I mean, they are 2 separate Parts, right?
Right!
So, here we go:
Part I of Jane Eyre begins with young Jane living with her mother’s sister-in-law, Mrs. Reed, and Jane’s two cousins. All of whom she has little to no desire to be around as they are all harsh and ugly to her, not only in emotional treatment but physical as well.
One of Jane’s biggest scenes during her stay with them is when her cousin, Jack, beats her and then her Aunt locks her in a room, pushing her to insanity. She is a young girl, around the age of 10, and this treatment pushes her mind to wander to horrific depths for such a child.
She is reminded of her poor Uncle’s death in that very room and imagines his ghost haunting her. She cries herself into hysteria until she is finally brought from the room. Although the scene is dramatized at the vision of a young girl, it is such a big moment for Jane.
Following her stay with her Aunt, she is moved to Lowood Institution to be educated. She gains a very dear friend, Helen, and a kind teacher, Miss Temple. These two characters are very dear to young Jane’s heart. She looks up to Miss Temple as a mother figure and sees Helen as a sister, although these feelings are only alluded to in Brontë’s writing.
Jane’s time at Lowood is very interesting to me as a reader because of the real-life influence that Brontë brings to Jane’s storyline.
During Brontë’s life around the same age as Jane during her education at Lowood, Brontë’s sisters attended a similar institution. Similarities in the institutions include: poor nutrition for the children, less than fair treatment of the children, and a place where many children died from diseases/illness.
The latter similarity is directly reflected from Brontë’s real life onto the passing of Jane’s dear friend Helen. Helen’s dies from tuberculosis and it’s very heartbreaking for young Jane.
Lowood became a very dear place to Jane and she, later, taught there then goes on to teach the young girl cared for by Mr. Rochester. In then ending of Part I, Jane is finally settled at Mr. Rochester’s home and begins to fall in love with him, although at this time she is not ready to admit that.
I explain all of this because these are the highlights of Part I that truly stood out to me as a reader. Jane Eyre, I’ll admit, was difficult for me to read. I have always been a true fan of the Classics and Jane Eyre has been on my List for a while…
Given that, reading it now, I truly have struggled to get through it. Whether it’s how Brontë writes or the story itself I am unsure. Jane’s story is unique, yet can be very dull at times. Reading through Part I, I constantly wanted her to just do something. Express your feelings outwardly, partake in something out of the ordinary, live your life.
Before leaving her Aunt’s home, she speaks her truth and stands up for herself to her Aunt. This was a pivotal moment for Jane and it began her journey to Lowood, but up to the end of Part I, it seems to be the only bold step she took.
I do enjoy the personal life experiences Brontë place in Jane Eyre. This makes the novel unique and the emotions more raw, as Brontë herself has felt what young Jane feels during some of the experiences. It will be interesting to see how this story unfolds into Part II.
Fingers crossed for Jane to make a bold move, maybe take a risk here and there.
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