Jane Eyre - Nature

Jane Eyre - Nature

Pathetic Fallacy is used throughout the novel to reflect different themes, moods and foreshadows events to come.

Birds

• Jane is associated with birds, Bronte uses bird imagery to reflect Jane's mood
• Birds themselves are associated with freedom, vulnerability, beauty and the need to soar/be free
• Rochester is also described as a bird in chapter 24 “a royal eagle, chained to a perch, should be forced to entreat a sparrow to become its purveyor” (pg 389) – the imagery here is used to reflect Rochester's injury
• In chapter 28 Bronte uses bird imagery to reflect Jane's broken heart “impotent as a bird with both wings broken” (pg 286)
• St. John describes Jane as being a “half-frozen bird” (pg 308) when they take her in

Weather

• In the opening of the novel there is a “cold winter wind” with “clouds so sombre, and a rain so penetrating” (chapter 1) –reflecting Jane's miserable and lonely mood
• At her arrival to Lowood there is “rain, wind, and darkness filled the air” – the weather both reflects Jane's mood and foreshadows events to come
• Jane even says…