Research Proposal on "Narration and Conversation in Bronte's Jane Eyre"

Research Proposal 10 pages (2828 words) Sources: 3 Style: MLA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Narration and Conversation in Bronte's Jane Eyre

Charlotte Bronte's novel, Jane Eyre, explores the value of language and equates it to the development of Jane's characters as she matures. Jane encounters many different individuals in her life but the ones that serve her best are the ones that challenge her intellectually. It is though narrative that Jane is allowed to grow and through this growth, she understands the importance of language and communication. From her encounters with Bessie, Mr. Lloyd, Mary Ann Wilson, Mr. Rochester, and everyone in between, Jane learns the importance of stimulating conversation. While Jane is the dominant narrator, she delights in letting other characters share in the task of commenting on the life and times of Jane Eyre. As the narrator, Jane measures her relationships with other characters by narrative exchange and she makes sure the reader is fully aware of her thoughts, emotions, and the constraints put upon her as her life unfolds before us.

Bronte's narrative style sets out to include and exalt the act of communication between individuals. Because out narrator is so compelled by words, it is only fitting that she tells the story to us in first-person narrative, which allows her to express herself and be heard - two things that she needs almost more than anything else. It is through discourse that experience becomes significant, at least, in Jane's eyes. Knies claims that the first-person narrative also achieves a "center of consciousness" (Kaplan), which also becomes significant in that the narrator is constantly evolving. Perhaps one of the most compelling examples of Bronte's ability to draw the reader into the novel with the powerful descriptive technique can be seen in the first chapter when Jane experiences the anger of John Reed. The flying book, the fall, with the book striking her head and the blood are the result of John's anger but more interesting is Jane's response to him, which up until this point had been "habitually obedient" (Bronte 4), calling him a "wicked and cruel boy" (5) that is like a "murderer" (5). He reacts like an angry child, pulling her hair and screaming for attention. Knies agrees with the notion that Bronte's narrative style captures us with emotion and excitement. He writes, "The opening chapter does a masterful job of getting the story going, giving us enough of the basic situation to make the action meaningful... At the end of the chapter we are drawn forcibly into the story as those four sets of hands are laid on Jane-and, in effect, on us, for we have already been compelled to make an emotional commitment" (Knies). With this scene, we feel compelled to read more to discover the fate of this young girl and the significance that the narrative brings to the completion of the story.

Jane, as a narrator, makes sure that we are aware of her thoughts, emotions, and the constraints put upon her as her life unfolds before us. The success of this technique lies in the fact that Jane establishes a relationship with us from the first pages of the novel. Kaplan observes:

The story Jane tells is not simply the story of her movement from victim to agent, orphan girl to familied heiress, governess to wife; it is also the story of her own longing to talk, to find someone to credit her version of her life, to sympathize with her trials and listen as a friend. It is, ultimately, the story of the growth of a writer, someone who can extend the gesture... To an unknown and unpredictable other (the reader). (Kaplan)

The general idea is that Jane receives as much in writing the novel as we do reading it and thus, the relationship begins. This type and give and take relationship sets the mood for understanding the complexity of Jane's desire for fulfilling discourse. Sternlieb observes that not enough attention is paid to the fact that Jane's "development as a narrator" (Sternlieb 454) occurs "simultaneously with her development as a character" (454) because both are evolving at the same time and they both share an equal amount of importance in Jane's character. Sternlieb maintans that Jane's "carefully constructed narrative strategy is developed specifically in response to Rochester" (454) but it does not wait for his entrance into the novel to "materialize" (454). This is significant in understanding the dynamic that exists between Jane and Rochester. He may be a man in Victorian England and she may be a woman but it is clear that they are intellectual equals. In an attempt to establish this intellectual equality, Bronte present Jane's story from Jane's point-of-view, as all events are related back to her and through her and, as a result, we know her deepest feelings and thoughts. It is important to realize that the novel is not simply one that is written in first-person narrative, it relies heavily on the impressions, thought, and feelings of the narrator to be completely understood.

Jane becomes a dependable narrator because she is straightforward regarding her emotions and when relating information about other characters. However, while she is establishing her character, she is also establishing a foundation for future relationships. Throughout the course of the novel and Jane's life, she evaluates her relationships with other characters by gauging them according to their narrative capability and her ability to converse with them. One of the first instances where conversation is tremendously necessary to young Jane is seen with Mr. Lloyd. After the incident with John, Mr. Lloyd asks her about the cause for her unhappiness and she writes, "Fearful, however, of losing this first and only opportunity of relieving my grief by imparting it, I... contrived to frame a meager... true response" (Bronte 20). Here we see how Jane recognizes at an early age the importance genuine conversation. In addition, she realizes the importance of being heard. The most significant individuals in Jane's life are the ones that provided her with enlightened conversation. During her stay at Gateshead, Jane tells us, "Bessie Lee must, I think, have been a girl of good natural capacity, for she was smart in all she did, and had a remarkable knack of narrative" (26) and Jane is captivated with her "most enchanting stories" (38) and her sweet songs. The relationship is significant because it affords Jane "gleams of sunshine" (38). Jane admits, "I preferred her to any one else at Gateshead Hall" (26).

While she is at Lowood, Jane's develops a fondness for Mary Ann Wilson because she possessed a "turn for narrative" (81) and because she was:

Witty and original, and partly because she had a manner which set me at my ease... she knew more of the world, and could tell me many things I liked to hear: with her my curiosity found gratification... she liked to inform, I to question; so we got on swimmingly together, deriving much entertainment, if not much improvement, from our mutual intercourse. (81)

This passage allows us to understand one of the most fundamental aspects of Jane's budding character, which is the discourse between individuals.

People become significant because of what they allow Jane to accomplish in and through the art of conversation. One character that Jane shares a special connection with is Helen Burns. She is intelligent, dedicated to her studies and loves books. Helen impresses Jane with her constant grace under pressure, especially when she must endure unwarranted punishment at Logwood. When Jane expresses that she could not bear flogging, Helen is quick to tell her, "It is weak and silly to say you cannot bear what it is your fate to bear" (56). Her words mesmerize Jane "with wonder" (56) and she cannot comprehend what she refers to as Helen's "doctrine of endurance" (56). Jane is amazed by the "forbearance she expressed for her chastiser" (56) and yet, she admits that Helen "considered things by a light invisible to my eyes" (56) and that she was right about things while Jane was wrong. Jane admires her sense of humility and her confidence in her religion makes a deep impression upon Jane, especially at her deathbed. Jane is with her in her last moments ad realizes that death does not have to be a painful experience if there is an afterlife to which she can look forward. The conversation is in conflict with what Jane has been taught and, therefore, leaves a lasting impression. Miss Temple is another character to which Jane can relate on a different level because she is the person that encourages Jane to stand up for herself even when circumstances appear to be at their most horrible. She tells Jane to defend herself because she has been charged with falsehood; defend yourself to me as well as you can" (72). Jane confides in Miss Temple and she is relieved to discover that Miss Temple listens to her and actually believes what she says. Again, Miss Temple is endearing to Jane because she lets her speak and be herself. In… READ MORE

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