The girls at Lowood are made to persist on a diet of precious little, sometimes spoiled food. The dormitories were too cold and the halls damp. Many essentials were denied the girls under the premise sited by Brocklehurst in an especially despicable scene where he lambastes Temple for apprising the girls with a lunch of bread and cheese after breakfast arrived spoiled and inedible. Brocklehurst informs her that in such a circumstance, the spoiled food should more appropriately have been seen as a lesson from God. He determines that a more suitable instructor would instead "take the opportunity of referring to the sufferings of the primitive Christians; to the torments of martyrs; to the exhortations of our blessed Lord himself, calling upon his disciples to take up their cross and follow him." (Bronte, 70) In one manner, we may take this sentiment as fundamentally similar to those expressed by Helen. The notion of endurance is emergent in her claims as well as those of Brocklehurst, with the fundamental difference being the subject of the sentiment. Where Helen speaks of her own endurance, Brocklehurst foists it upon the children. The girls at his school are equally the victims of his judgment and his withholding, both of which he contends to do in the name of God. The nature of Eyre's unique perspective is underscored by certain tonal decisions which govern the mood and ambition of the novel. The text could best be described as somber, ironic and most importantly perhaps, as combative. In Eyre herself and in that which she represents as a point of contrast to the skewed values of her society, the text channels a resistant posture that is meaningful in the context of its time. Here, the progressive nature of the text is carried out in descriptive tone as well as in the characterization of its central protagonist.

This scenario provoked the following...

The oppressive nature of Victorian England carries many deeply sustained pressures for conformity which I know that I could not abide. However, I wonder if I would have had the boldness that Eyre did, to confront the injustices which must have seemed so obvious to many. Indeed, perhaps I do not have to wonder. Instead, I might consider the allegorical value of a character such as Eyre, whose inspirational resistance might be channeled to moments in my own life where standing up for what's right might compromise my own comfort or force me to face up to great fears.
In a consideration of the text as an allegory, there are also some key essay questions which could be used to invoke discourse on the subject of the text. The following are some suggestions:

1. What were the social conditions that both served to create Jane Eyre and function to obstruct her personal advancement?

2. Describe the key characteristics of three characters from the novel who stood in contrast to Eyre's value system?

3. How might Eyre's scenario be compared to the experience of somebody in America today? Consider a group or demographic that could be inspired by Eyre's story?

4. Does the resolution of Jane Eyre appear consistent with the values of Eyre herself? Does the character get what she deserves in the end? Why or why not?

5. Consider an individual in real history who might be compared to Eyre for one reason or another? Is there a progressive icon either currently or from history who appears to share some of here admirable qualities? How so?

Works Cited:

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Beth Newman. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1996.