Jane Eyre - a Book for and About the Neglected and the...

A book for and about the neglected and the neglectful. Explore the methods which writers use to present the idea of neglect in light of this statement. Neglect is defined as the state of being uncared for and within Jane Eyre, neglect is a constant theme. This is evident in the way Jane is neglected from childhood, and how this has a knock-on effect on the way she behaves throughout the rest of her life. Other minor characters such as: Adela Varens, Mrs Fairfax and Bertha are victims of neglect. Through language, structure and the form of the novel Bronte creates an air of isolation. This in turn emphasises, primarily, Janes neglect. The main way in which this is explored throughout Jane Eyre is how the main protagonist finds†¦show more content†¦Arguably, the other residents of Thornfield know about the secret of Bertha so in this way Jane is not being told a secret, which makes her an outsider in this way too. It can be said that in some respects Jane brings the social hierarchy based isolation upon herself, in the way she deliberately aggravates the Reeds family and refused to talk to other servants in fear of degrading herself. I compared myself with her [Grace Poole]; and found we were quite different. Bessie Leaven had said I was quite a lady; and she spoke truth- I was a lady. This quotation implies that Jane thinks she is higher up in the social hierarchy than the other servants at Thornfield. Bronte uses recurring literary devices throughout Jane Eyre to emphasise her isolation and neglect. Such as; pathetic fallacy as well as repeated juxtaposition between Jane and birds. This can be seen in; The great horse chestnut at the bottom of the orchard had been struck by lightning in the night. this can be symbolic of the solitary Jane, and the stormy weather. This not only reflects what is to come with the reveal of Bertha - but also symbolic of herself and how she is struck by the discovery on her wedding day. This is important because she is neglected, and isnt given enough respect by Rochester to tell her what she deserves to know. Jane uses her narrative voice to present the idea of neglect, as Jane