What we learn of the central character is considerable. Throughout the novel her dealings with those around her reveal her characteristics. As a child at Gateshead Hall we see that she is impulsive, often alarmingly so, but that she also can be sullen and withdrawn. Thse around her do not find her an easy child – she gives very little of herself away, especially to the Reed family, although there is a slight intimacy with the servant, Bessie. She is intelligent and precocious, preferring the make believe world of books to the harsh and often unsympathetic world of reality. She is also perceptive; knowing that the Reeds dislike her, yet not being quite sure why it should be so.She feels her social position as an outcast very keenly; ironically being unable, because of her breeding to form an attachment with Bessie. She is occasionally very angry, as when she lashes out at John Reed, and when she rounds on Mrs Reed after the Red Room incident. She is also afraid and insecure, but tries very hard not to let anyone see this side of her character. it is only at times of great stress that she gives way to fear (Red Room), but note that usually she has, even at the early age of ten, great self-control for most of the time.
A different side of her character is revealed at Lowood school, when we see the tender and trusting nature in her dealings with Miss Temple and with Helen Burns. It is obvious that she has a great desire to be shown love, and when this is given, she is perfectly happy to return it in kind. There is still, however, anger and resentment, especially on behalf of injustice. She cannot take Helen’s advice to submit to chastisement and to be submissive and patient, to heart, eve…
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…nd herself to do what is right, and leave Thornfield, despite the enormous temptation to stay and become his mistress.This conflict continues – she is torn between desire and duty until she returns to Ferndean at the close of the novel, but inner strength and determination carry her through the time at moor house and her relationship with the Rivers family.
Generosity is a characteristic which manifests itself in the division of her legacy between the Rivers cousins, and we also see that the need for a loving family and jane,s ability to return affection wholeheartedly have not departed from her character, in her relationship with Diana and Mary Rivers.
Pride is also a characteristic which she possesses. She is proud of her education, and of her independence, but she also shows a balancing humility, being able to acknowledge her failings, when necessary.
Psychological Analysis of Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown
Psychological Analysis of Young Goodman Brown
There are many approaches that you can take when analyzing literature. In Young Goodman Brown there are many layers to read through. By using the psychological approach to literature, you can see many levels that you may not have noticed while just reading the piece. When using the psychological ideas, you become more intuned into the subtle details produced by the work. Most of the points that reveal themselves, Freud explained through his ideas about consciousness and human sexuality. Using the psychological approach to reading literature, Young Goodman Brown’s layes unfold and the parts better understood.
The opening paragraph to Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown is a prime example of how Freud’s ideas apply to literature. The first and most obvious of the implications is the wife’s name. Because her name is Faith, the first connection that immeadiatly forms is religion. In the beginning of the story the relevance vaguely presents itself, but as you read on the religious connection fits with the rest of the work. Strict Puritanism ruled te way of life through the time that the book emerged. The mention by Hawthorne to the ” pink ribbons of her cap” reach far from appropriate for the time. These ribbons suggest that Faith lacks purity and that she presents herself in a frivolous manner. Later in the writing, more references to Freude’s sexual bases show themselves. The lone lady that Goodman Brown sees standing in the woods turns out to be his Sunday school teacher. She makes some leude comments about Brown’s traveling companion ” being her master”. However these layers contain more than just sex. In the paragraph that Goodman Brown exclaims:
“My Faith is gone!” cried he, after one stupefied moment. “There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come devil; for to thee is the world given.”
This passage examplifies how his wife’s name contains two meanings. First, he becomes upset because he lost her. However, if you apply the psychological approach to the quote, you can see that he also referrs to the fact that he lost his faith in a religious sense. He realizes that because he strayed so much on this night of evil that he can no longer be pure.
The story of Young Goodman Brown contains more than just what you read.