- "'Never,' said he, as he ground his teeth, 'never was anything at once so frail and so indomitable. A mere reed she feels in my hand!' (And he shook me with the force of his hold.) 'I could bend her with my finger and thumb: and what good would it do if I bent, if I uptore, if I crushed her?'" (p. 323)
This excerpt is taken from the point in the novel where Mr. Rochester is extremely upset with Jane's decision to leave Thornfield. His tone of voice begins to get angry as he threatens Jane with violence. Disbelief angers Mr. Rochester, leading him to sound very demanding. As a reader, it's interesting to notice Charlotte Bronte's play on words from this passage. Mr. Rochester describes Jane as a fragile reed; something he could easily break or wear down. The word 'reed' associates with Jane's unpleasant childhood guardian, Mrs. Reed, whom she experienced violence, being neglected, and verbal abuse. Charlotte Bronte draws the connection between the occurring situation and Jane's past, where she was often controlled and vulnerable. (Qualities similar to a flimsy reed)
Photo Credit:
Reed Pen. Photograph.
Shepherds. Web. 1 Dec. 2009. http://images.nitrosell.com/product_images/3/609/thumb-reed%20pens.jpg.
nice
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