How Bronte Uses Setting to Reflect the Experiences of Her Characters

Explore how Bronte uses setting to reflect the experiences of her

characters.

Bronte describes every setting in "Jane Eyre" in a vast amount of

detail, using a number of different language techniques, so as to

portray the experiences of her characters, almost subconsciously, to

the reader. As well as this, she conveys the moods of her characters

using methods such as pathetic fallacy and symbolism, in order to

express their emotions indirectly. Furthermore, Bronte uses all of

these methods, in addition to a number of scenes containing

juxtaposition, as well as the overall structure of her writing style,

consistently throughout the book, following Jane through her life.

And, transmitting her personal changes and experiences at each stage

in her life to the reader.

Bronte employs close descriptive detail in her portrayal of Gateshead

which reflects Jane's emotional turmoil. As well as this, she uses

symbolism when setting the scene in the red room, in order to portray

Jane's feelings and mood to the reader. For example, she describes all

of the red objects within the room: " hung with curtains of deep red

damask", " the carpet was red" and " the table at the foot of the bed

was covered with a crimson cloth". These vivid, deep shades of red all

are known to symbolise danger and blood, which usually tend to create

a sense of fear, and consequently, this is one of the emotions Jane is

inclined to feel. As well as this, she describes the furniture in such

a way that it seems incomprehensibly gigantic and intimidating to Jane

as, " it was one of the largest and stateliest chambers", " massive

pillars of mahogany", " shrouded in festoons" and "deep surrounding

shades rose high". Thus, the reader is given a se...

... middle of paper ...

...The lengths to which she goes in order to get through the fences

and into the house; "iron gates between granite pillars", "I looked

round in search of another road. There was none; all was interwoven

stem, columnar trunk, dense summer foliage- no opening anywhere" and "

I followed it, expecting soon to reach the dwelling, but it stretched

on and on", displays both the strength of Rochester's self-defence and

also the strength or her love for him and how determined she is to

help him. In addition, when they are reunited and Jane begins to put

all of her love and care into Mr Rochester and the house, his sight

begins to slowly return. Consequently, he has a whole new, more

positive outlook on life, and this is reflected within the setting; "I

had wakened the glow, his features beamed" and " I led him out of the

wet and wild woods into some cheerful fields".