Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre †A Story of One Abused Child :: Jane Eyre Essays

Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre A Story of One ill-treat ChildAccording to Alexandrias daily newspaper, The Town Talk, approximately 34,910 cases of pre 10d child holler were reported in Louisiana alone deform year (Crooks). Charlotte Bronte tells of one victim of child wickedness in her unexampled Jane Eyre. In Jane Eyre, Bronte chronicles the life of Jane, a notoriously plain female in want of love. After being roastd, Jane portrays many characteristics which other victims of abuse ofttimes portray. Throughout the novel, Jane is reclusive, pessimistic, and self-deprecating. Although Jane does display such traits through most of her life, she is finally sufficient to overcome her past. By facing her abusive aunt, Jane rises above her abuse to become truly happy. In his essay Jane Eyre The Quest for Optimism, Frederick L. Ashe writes, It is hard to imagine anyone learned enough to read Jane Eyre who would consider her first ten years emotionally healthful ones (Ashe). Ashe, wh ose criticism appeared in Novels for Students, Volume 4, is correct in his opinion. Janes abuse first begins in her own home. Her life until age ten is filled with abuse from her cousin John beating-reed instrument, the mockery of the household servants, and the physical and mental abuse of her Aunt Reed. Johns first abuse of Jane comes when he throws a heavy book at her head. Bronte writes in Janes voice, I saw him lift and poise the book and stand in act to hurl it, I instinctively started aside with a let loose of alarm not soon enough, however the volume was flung, it hit me, and I fell, striking my head against the door and cutting it. The cut bled, the pain was terse (Bronte 13). Johns physical abuse of Jane is not the only abuse she receives, though. After Jane recovers from the abuse bestowed upon her by John, Miss Abbot, a servant, says of Jane, If she were a nice, exquisite child, one might compassionate her forlornness but one genuinely cannot care for such a little toad as that (Bronte 28). Although this abuse pains Jane, it is the abuse of her Aunt Reed that hurts Jane the most. Aunt Reeds first maltreatment of Jane is on the first page of the novel. Aunt Reed gathers her children around her for a happy family moment. Jane, however, is left alone. Jane says, Aunt Reed regretted to be