What Does Ice Symbolize In Jane Eyre

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Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre depicts the life journey of young orphan, Jane Eyre. Beginning life with a traumatic childhood, Jane’s abusive aunt and cousins dispose of her to the all girls school of Lowood where she struggles with acceptance and the hypocrisy/abuse of her cruel headmaster, Mr. Brocklehurst. After the man is fired, Jane's life dramatically improves, leading her to the manor of Thornfield and subsequently causing her to meet Mr. Rochester. Throughout her new life, Jane finds love, friends, and family, but also experiences many horrific instances which help shape her into a socially aware, strong woman. Even despite Jane Eyre’s tough upbringing, in the end, the deserving woman is gifted with a blissful marriage and happy life with the man whom she loves. Throughout Jane and Rochester's …show more content…

In Jane Eyre's interrupted marriage scene, Brontë utilizes symbols, or an idea that means something more than its literal meaning to display the positive and negative influences on the girl through motifs of fire and ice. For instance, while Rochester waits for Sophie to dress Jane prior to the wedding ceremony, he roars, “my brain is on fire with impatients” (309). This excitement for Janes future is shown through Rochester's intense passion and eagerness to carry on with the next step of their joined life, creating similarities to the excited spirit of a burning flame. Jane further continues to point out Rochester's, “flaming and flashing eyes” (310) when he first sees her in her wedding gown, further demonstrating the optimism and kindred spirits both soon to be spouses hold for their upcoming future. Later in the novel, however, after Jane becomes aware of Bertha's existence and

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