Jane Eyre Research Paper

The coming-of-age novel has been a literary fixture for time immemorial. The genre first coined as the “bildungsroman” by an Estonian university professor in the 1820s (Swales 9) is said to be a novel driven by the development of the story’s protagonist. These stories are universal, appeal to a wide range of audiences, and are understandably popular with young readers. One of the more well-known examples, Jane Eyre, was first published in 1847 by Charlotte Brontë under the pseudonym of Currer Bell. This thrilling tale of forbidden love, dark secrets, and female empowerment has lasted the ages and charmed readers to the present day. Another bildungsroman by the name of Buttermilk Hill was published in 2004. Despite its marked similarities to
Charlotte Brontë’s messages were heard by the public then, and continue to be relevant today. Brontë is considered by many to have given contemporary feminist literature its genesis in the pages of Jane Eyre (Schorer 80). The author’s pen has long been a tool with which to air grievances of the modern world, to call for a change, and Charlotte Brontë undoubtedly used it as such: not all writings, of course, are meant to act as such an inflammatory invocation. Buttermilk Hill, by contrast, is quite “safe”: its themes; divorce, family, and adolescent difficulties, are well-accepted by the times in which it was published. This is not to discredit their inherent value: the examination of current society in literature is frequently as important as the introduction of new liberalist philosophies. The novel is not without its analysis of society’s behavior. Through the character arc of Denver Berry, the main character’s father, White criticizes the patriarchal nature of the traditional American family (White 15). White’s scrutiny, however, is not out-of-place in modern literature. Her censure is shared by many of her peers, which dilutes the individual impact of her specific work. While White’s themes are relevant to the modern reader, they
With its social impact removed, Jane Eyre remains an extremely well-written, well thought-out novel, one that still garners praise today. Critics continue to laud Jane Eyre as a “masterpiece”, declaring that it is as striking to readers now as it was when it was originally published (Beaty 619). The novel is layered with a rich complexity of text, so much so that a reader can hardly afford to ignore any seemingly trivial passage or bit of information. Every word has purpose. Symbolism, motifs, metaphors, and imagery contribute to an intricate work of literature that has earned its place among the beloved works of the English language. Ruth White is not without her accomplishments: her 1996 novel, Belle Prater’s Boy, was the recipient of the Newbery Award, denoting accomplishment in contributions to children’s literature (Knoth). When comparing White’s quality of writing, however, to Brontë’s, Buttermilk Hill’s weaknesses are made quickly apparent. Simplistic sentences and brief, literal story sequences leave no ulterior meaning for a reader to interpret. In contrast to Jane Eyre’s introspective protagonist, who only yet begins her contemplation with “Why was I always suffering, always brow-beaten, always accused, for ever condemned?”