Jane Eyre - Significance of Colors

Jane Eyre - Significance of Colors

  • Submitted By: mpg181
  • Date Submitted: 03/11/2009 12:10 PM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 336
  • Page: 2
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The Significance of Colors in Jane Eyre

The Red room scene in the begining of the novel is a symbol through out the novel. Jane is locked in the room as punishment for something that she did not do. The room is described to be all red with bits of white, such as the white bed. It is also her uncle's death chamber. While Jane is locked away in this room she becomes frightened and thinks she see's her uncles ghost. This moment of hysteria of her pacing back and forth in the room screaming, repersents the red symbolism in the novel. Red symbolized one's inner fire, such as Jane's inner fire for her hate of mrs. reed and her ability to remain healthy in Lowood while 45 of the 80 girls there are sick.
Red and white imagery could also represent the reason why Jane and Rochester can’t get married. This is shown in Maggie Berg’s _Jane Eyre: _Portrait of a Life. At the wedding ceremony a stranger objects saying that Rochester is already married to a woman named Birtha Mason who Rochester keeps locked away in a secret room in the house. The relationship between Rochester and Jane is innocent in Jane’s eye’s, she knows nothing about his previous marriage, therefore it can be represented with the colour white. While the relationship between Rochester and BirthaMason can be represented by red because it is completely unethical, she was hidden in a room away from everyone, treated like an animal. This red and white contrast is the reason that Jane and Rochester’s wedding was ruined. There are many different interpretations for the red and white imagery in Jane Eyre, other than the red room itself. The red room helped contrast many aspects of Jane’s life, such as her relationship with Helen and her relationship with Rochester. Works Cited Berg, Maggie. Jane Eyre: Portrait of a Life. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1987. Spignesi, Angelyn. Lyrical-Analysis: The Unconscious through Jane Eyre. Wilmette, Illinois: Chiron Publications, 1990.

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