Jane Eyre 4

• "He has again and again explained that it is not himself, but his office he wishes to mate. He has told me I am formed for labour -- not for love: which is true, no doubt. But, in my opinion, if I am not formed for love, it follows that I am not formed for marriage ... If forced to be his wife, I can imagine the possibility of conceiving an inevitable, strange, torturing kind of love for him." (p. 423)

For Jane Eyre, marriage is a confusing, controversial concept as she is faced with two men who have very dissimilar ideas of what marriage is. After turning away Mr. Rochester's proposal, Jane undergoes an unexpected request from Mr. St. John. However, instead of being naive to the situation, Jane recognizes the significant difference between love and marriage. In this excerpt, Charlotte Bronte creates an instance where Jane questions Mr. St. John's genuine love. She realizes that love would certainly not accompany this marriage, as Mr. St. John is merely using her "as a useful tool." Here, Jane is able to compare her current situation with her past connection with Mr. Rochester - a bond where authentic and passionate love was evident.

Photo Credit:
Marriage4. Photograph. Same Day Marriage. Web. 29 Nov. 2009. http://www.samedaymarriage.com/marriage/images/marriage4.jpg.

Jane Eyre 3

• "'What would uncle Reed say to you, if he were alive?' was my scarcely voluntary demand. I say scarcely voluntary, for it seemed as if my tongue pronounced words without my will consenting to their utterance: something spoke out of me over which I had no control." (p. 27)

Throughout the novel, Jane Eyre is portrayed as a strong-willed, forceful woman who is never afraid of expressing what's on her mind. This excerpt captures Jane's habit of blurting out her most recent feeling. Her blunt personality may lead her to occasional trouble, but she continuously remains honest with herself and others. Unlike the lack of communication in books such as "Mrs. Dalloway" and "The Hours," where the characters emotions are locked up, Charlotte Bronte allows Jane to be direct and frank with whomever she speaks with. By doing so, Bronte emphasizes the importance of being true to yourself, following your intuition, and communicating your feelings.

Photo Credit:
Photograph. Career Faqs. Web. 29 Nov. 2009. http://www.careerfaqs.com.au/images/articles/1323/large/Facebook_hand_covering_mout.jpg.

Jane Eyre 2

• "Thank you, Mr. Rochester, for your great kindness. I am strangely glad to get back again to you; and wherever you are is my home -- my only home ... This was very pleasant: there is no happiness like that of being loved by your fellow-creatures, and feeling that your presence is an addition to their comfort." (p. 250)
  

Over the course of the novel, Jane Eyre has never experienced the feelings that accompanies having a permanent home. Her memory of the places she has lived are not warming or comforting by any means. Jane tends to associate where she lives with the people she lives with, not the actual place. Charlotte Bronte intends for Jane to determine her home based on who is associated with it. Jane begins to feel that sense of belonging upon living at Thornfield Hall because of her connection with Mr. Rochester, Adele, and the various other characters who reside there.

Photo Credit:
Home Sweet Home. Photograph. Photobucket. Web. 29 Nov. 2009. http://media.photobucket.com/image/home%20sweet%20home/itcha17/home-sweet-home.jpg.

Jane Eyre 1

• "'But I apprised you that I was a hard man,' said he; 'difficult to persuade.' 'And I am a hard woman, -- impossible to put off.' 'And then,' he pursued, 'I am cold; no fevour infects me.' 'Whereas I am hot, and fire dissolves ice.'" (p. 390)
  

Charlotte Bronte incorporates some of the reoccurring symbols throughout the novel, fire and ice, to describe Jane Eyre and Mr. St. John's character. Here, Mr. St. John is perfectly described as he is shown to be a cold-hearted, cruel person. He claims nothing can affect him, yet Jane states that "fire dissolves ice." Jane is truly a passionate, determined, and fiery young woman. She accomplishes what she is after and has no problem expressing her opinion. In the excerpt, Bronte implies that Jane has the ability to break down Mr. St. John until she obtains what she wants, much like fire is capable of melting ice.

Photo Credit:
Fire and Ice. Photograph. Google. Web. 29 Nov. 2009. http://ladyfi.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/fire-n-ice.jpg.

Mrs. Dalloway 17

• "But she's extraordinarily attractive, he thought, as, walking across Trafalgar Square ... Straightening himself and stealthily fingering his pocket knife he started after her to follow this woman, this excitement." (p. 52-53)
  

During this excerpt, Peter Walsh follows a woman who is a complete stranger. Within this scene, Peter creates a made-up relationship between him and this anonymous woman, often comparing her to Clarissa. Obviously Peter is still in love with Clarissa because even now, after all these years, is dwelling on her rejection. Woolf displays the major themes of communication and privacy within this scene as Peter obtains private thoughts, rather than communicating actual conversation and emotion.

Mrs. Dalloway 16

• "Death was defiance. Death was an attempt to communicate; people feeling the impossibility of reaching the centre which, mystically, evaded them; closeness drew apart; rapture faded, one was alone. There was an embrace in death." (p. 184)

Throughout Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf enhances this piece of literature by incorporating significant themes within the text. Communication and the fear of death define this novel's main messages. In this excerpt, Clarissa is preaching her view on death; expressing that she thinks death is bold, suicide was a way to escape/go against society. Death was a way to try to get your point across, a call for help, or an opinion to be heard. This clearly was difficult for many of the characters in the novel. However, there was an acceptance in death; even though the concept scared Clarissa, it was one that she had to overcome and knew would eventually happen. The suicide of Septimus was a turning point in the novel for Clarissa; this incident helped her become more at ease with the idea of death.

Mrs. Dalloway 15

• "How extraordinary it was, strange, yes, touching, to see the old lady ... that old lady, she meant, whom she could see going from chest of drawers to dressing-table. She could still see her." (p. 127)
  

Throughout the novel, Virginia Woolf creates a minor character, the old lady, who, despite her role has a significant impact on Clarissa. Clarissa thought it "was fascinating to watch her, moving about, that old lady, crossing the room, coming to the window." (p. 186) Clarissa respected the woman for her independence, but also felt sympathetic as she believed the old lady was very lonely. During various scenes in the novel, Clarissa intently watches the old woman and notices the privacy of her character. While Clarissa is hosting an extravagant party, the old woman is tinkering around her house all by herself. The old lady has significance in the novel as Virgina Woolf intends for Clarissa's character to picture herself in the future. Although Clarissa claims she is fascinated, deep inside she is most likely very frightened of the concept of getting older (eventual death) and the loneliness that accompanies age.

Photo Credit:
Old Woman by the Window. Photograph. Flickr. Web. 30 Sept. 2009. http://farm1.static.flickr.com/136/375075892_f285827fdf.jpg?v=0.