Chapter One

Pathetic Fallacy is used at the beginning of the chapter to express the bleak, depressing like that Jane lives, the "cold winter wind" and the "sombre" clouds reflects Jane's bleak outlook of life- there is no light to signify hope. The "penetrating" rain reflects young Jane's temper. All the language featured is extremely negative, again showing Jane's own bleak, negative outlook towards life.

The repetition of the pronoun "I" distances herself from the other characters, this reflects Jane's isolation from the Reed family. SHe continues this segregation when describing the perfect victorian family "clustered around their mama" with "her darlings about her" apart from herself. It is clear she is conscious of her alienation from the Reeds.

Jane goes on to quote Ms Reed talking over her, she expresses that she lacks "a sociable, childlike disposition" making it clear that Jane is not part of her perfect family.

Jane continues the theme of isolation when she sits herself behind the "red noreen curtain"/ This is significant as it presents a physical barrier between Jane and the outside world. The "red" curtain also foreshadows her being trapped in the red room later on.

Mist and cloud paragraph, motif of unknown. Blind? Future unseen, ghostlike?

Jane is attracted to the pictures of isolated structures within her book, the "solitary rocks and promontories". She is attracted to these pictures as it reflects her own isolated being. She becomes fascinated by a rock standing alone in the sea while "billow and spray" beat against it. We could infer that she see's herself within this image. She being the rock isolated within the sea that is her own world, an outsider and outcast, while resisting the "billow and spray" beating against her that is the Reed family's abuse towards her. She even makes this comparison herself " I formed an idea of my own: shadowy, like all the half-comprehended notions  that float  dim through children's brains, but strangely impressive." This making is clear that she is conscious of the fact she is making parallels between the book and her own life.

It is made obvious that the servants of the house must ignore the beatings Jack gives Jane simply because of his gender. He is their "young master", as he is the only male of the house, he will become the master of the house once he becomes of age. Simply because he is male, he has power over the other members of the household. This is a result of the male patriarchal system, the victorian women become oppressed by a society which is still dominantly male led. The maids at the house know that Jack will be their master eventually, so cannot interfere when he bullies Jane. Therefore Jack has power over every member of the household simply because of his gender.

In chapter one we are presented with a child with a fully developed self dependancy. It is clear she has come to turns with her isolation with the Reed family, but accepts this and even acknowledges her isolation from the family. We see a glimpse of her feisty nature when she attempts to overpower Jack, yet we can see her intelligence when she realises she has gone to far and accepts her punishment (sitting herself on the stool)