Jane Eyre Analysis

 What does Mr. Brocklehurst’s analogy between the ill-prepared breakfast and the “sufferings of the primitive Christians…the torments of martyrs…the exhortations of our blessed Lord Himself” reveal about his character? How does this attitude contrast with that of Miss Temple to reveal the author’s social message? 

In the chapter I read of Jane Eyre, it is pretty clear to see that it follows a young girl and the trials she faces in a Catholic school. In this chapter, Mr. Brocklehurst, the headmaster of the Catholic school, shows up in Jane's class. Jane herself characterizes him as mean and strict and having a vendetta against her. However, the reader cannot just take a child's word on everything, especially when it involves a teacher, because during the time it was written, and even today, there is a stereotype revolving around young children's abilities to accurately characterize people as good or evil because they are seemingly naive. Thus,
Charlotte Brontë, the author had to provide some indirect characterization to back up the direct characterization of young Jane Eyre.

Charlotte Brontë does this through Mr. Brocklehurst's analogy comparing starving the girls to the glorious sufferings of members of the Catholic Church. In his analogy, he states people such as "primitive Christians", "martyrs", "our blessed Lord Himself", and "His disciples". This is truly significant because all of these people suffered in great ways. Through the reference of these people, he calls forward thoughts of how Romans outlawed Christianity and the persecution early Christians faced as a result. He calls to reference how almost all Jesus' disciples died in the preaching about God. He also calls to reference all the brave men and women who stood up for what they believed in and died believing in the teachings of Jesus. Finally, he calls to reference the Passion of Jesus Christ and the Crucifixion. The emphasis of death and suffering and relating it to seemingly starving sweet and innocent girls serve as indirect characterization of Mr. Broklehurt to the reader. Thus it can be understood that Mr. Brocklehurt believes suffering is an essential part of the Catholic Christian lifestyle. The emphasis of the suffering further makes him seem like a dark and twisted guy.

This differs greatly from the perspective held by Miss Temple, who prompted the outburst analogy of Mr. Brocklehurst because she gave her students bread and cheese sandwiches as the "regulation" food prepared was not good according to her standards. After the headmaster's scolding, Charlotte Brontë describes Miss Temple as "naturally pale as marble, appeared to be assuming also the coldness and fixity of that material". This simile is particularly important because it is here where Charlotte Brontë creates her social commentary via indirect characterization. As I said earlier this indirect characterization was crucial to get her point across because the stereotypes placed on children during this time and according to her time's social standards having a subordinate (especially a woman) disputing a superior (man) made an outright commentary obscene.

Miss Temple is described as marble, a stone commonly used in churches and thus signifies a certain holiness. This is the way Miss Temple appears on the outside. She outwardly displays conformity and reverence. Also, in the simile, the stone is referred to as cold and having a certain "fixity".  Charlotte Brontë does this, not to describe the holy silence Miss Temple has achieved, but rather her anger for Mr. Brocklehurst and her stubbornness in believing that suffering is in no way essential to the lifestyle of the Catholic Christian.

Charlotte Brontë chooses to sneak in her own social commentary on the Catholic Church here and is essentially saying how the direct words of the Bible do not need to be followed because times are changing. She thinks that the Catholic Church needs to change with the times and become less strict and more accepting of social norms to remain a constant in the lives of the youth. For the youth are the future of the institution and without them, the Church would seize to exist. Charlotte Brontë makes this claim entirely through the indirect characterization and juxtaposition of Miss Temple and Mr. Brocklehurst; where she comments on a major belief held by conservative Catholics during this time.