Torrey Hickel
Honors Freshman English 1
Dr. Cobb
14 February 2013
Major Maturity Imagine you are in an 1840’s time period, with the power of women greatly suppressed and with romantics at an all time high. Picture being in the heart of the Victorian era with marvelous architecture paired with rich culture. That is the setting that Charlotte Bronte’s novel, Jane Eyre, takes place. The character development of the novel’s main character, Jane Eyre, takes place in three major settings, Gateshead, Lowood, and Thornfield. The novel first introduces Jane in the setting of Gateshead. She is portrayed as a neglected and abused 10 year old girl with her opinion and existence completely ignored. Gateshead is the home of Jane’s aunt and cousins, the Reeds. Jane feels hatred for all of the Reeds but especially her cousin John Reed. He abuses her very frequently, usually around twice a day and Jane has no choice but to accept the abusement. If she even complains about her treatment she will be punished greatly. “I saw him lift and poise the volume… not soon enough the volume was flung and it hit me, and I fell striking my head against the door” (Bronte 13). This quote perfectly reflects the cruel and unusual punishment that Jane suffers at Gateshead. This quote shows only the physical punishment that she receives and not the mental aspect of her punishment. At Gateshead Jane is often put into solitary confinement in the horrifying red room. This following quote describes the red room from Jane’s perspective. “This room was chill…it was silent… it was solemn because it was known to be so seldom entered” (Bronte 16). The time that Jane spent at Gateshead was very unpleasant and she feels hatred for all of the Reeds. The next progression in Jane’s maturity occurs at Lowood institution. Here Jane meets someone who will become a great friend of hers named Helen Burns. She also grows to become more socially active along with more independence and self-reliance. “I saw a girl on a bench near; she was bent over a book in which I could see that the title was Rasselas” (Bronte 51). This quote describes the scene of when Jane and Helen first met. Their friendship over the next year or two would greatly increase to a point when Jane calls Helen the only true friend she had ever had. Miss Temple, a teacher at Lowood, is also a character in the novel that Jane Eyre becomes very fond of. “I can remember Miss Temple walking lightly and rapidly along our drooping line, and encouraging us, by precept, and example, to keep up our spirits” (Bronte 63). This quote shows the optimistic and positive personality that Jane and all of the students at Lowood enjoyed in Miss Temple. Jane not only finds friendship in Miss Temple, but also a