Jane Eyre 2 Essay, Research Paper
Charlotte Bronte uses colour imagery frequently throughout Jane Eyre. In the novel Jane
Eyre, colour imagery is used to convey that there are two sides in every character and that the
temptation and enclosure of evil is always beckoning and binding. Red imagery, black imagery
and white imagery are used in Jane Eyre to emphasize the two different forces battling against
one another.
Red throughout the novel represents hell and evil and demonstrates the wicked side of
every human being. Frequently, red imagery alludes to the temptation of evil. During the
course of the novel Jane had many dreams which are parallel to her life, before me a terrible
red glare (pg12, Jane Eyre). The red is a symbol of hell and the devil and implies the beckoning
of evil towards Jane. The red glare alludes to the desire to be bad and the decision between right
an wrong. Secondly, the colour red demonstrates the fear of evil and the resistance of bad.
While Jane stays at Gateshed, her Aunt Reed continually scolds and punishes her, Take her
away to the red room, … Jane, resisted all the way (pg 5, Jane Eyre). The colour red, once
again is associated with evil and hell. Jane resists the bad place therefore escapes evil along with
its entrapments. Red is also associated with the bad side of Jane s personality. Towards the
beginning of the novel, Jane sits in the window seat in the drawing room with, the moreen
curtain nearly close… Folds of scarlet drapery. (Pg1, Jane Eyre) The red curtain symbolizes the
bonds of hell and its enclosure and the entrapment upon the human being. It is associated with
Jane to emphasize Jane s second character and the more demonic side of her personality. In
conclusion, throughout Jane Eyre red imagery underlines how every character has two different
distinct sides and that people are always living with the bonds of evil.
In this novel, black imagery demonstrates that all characters have inherent evil within
themselves. The colour black shows how sin can conform and restrict a person. After Jane has
been thrown back into the red room by Mrs. Reed, she suffers through a nightmare, crossed
with thick black bars. (Pg12, Jane Eyre) The black represents the evil closing in on Jane. She
must turn to evil because of the burdens society has placed upon her. Secondly, black imagery
demonstrates the monster like side of personality. Frequently, Jane reads books with colour
imagery pertaining to a parallel to her life, black-horned thing. (pg 3, Jane Eyre) Jane reads
about this terrible monster as it is a parallel to herself. Also, black is used in contrast with other
colours to make evident the different characters. One side, evidently is weaker then the other.
After Jane s first night at Thornfield, she proceeds to getting dressed in her simple outfit, black
frock, verses, clean white tucker. (Page 90, Jane Eyre) The two opposite colours in contrast
imply the two clashing sides of Jane. These two sides are demonstrated through the black, to
indicate the evil and wicked side, and the white, to indicate the angelic and pure side. As
shown, Charlotte Bronte uses black imagery to demonstrate the weaker side of a human being
and the restraint that side has on the character.
In Jane Eyre, white imagery demonstrates the good side of every person. White, the
colour, conveys Janes goodness. During Janes stay in the red room, she is convinced that she
sees something, Something passed her all dressed in white. (Page 13, Jane Eyre) This alludes
to the fact that Jane, at this instant, sees the good side of herself. The colour imagery shows that
Jane is overall good although she can be lead to evil. Also, in this novel, white imagery
communicates that Helen is a truly good soul and can be considered as a saviour figure. While
Helen is dying at Lowood, white imagery is used in the description of her room, white
curtains. (Page 73, Jane Eyre) The white, in this context, is used to symbolize purity and
heaven. Since Helen is dying, we can assume that she is proceeding to heaven and that her soul
is entirely good. Later, Bronte shows that the good part of Helen lives on in Jane. Lastly, white
imagery illustrates that the good side sometimes does prevail in a few characters lives. While
Jane gazes out a window one day, when she realizes that she has reached a certain point in her
life, when change becomes necessary, I traced the white road winding round the base of the
mountain. (Pg77, Jane Eyre) The road here parallels Janes life and her future. White imagery
conveys that Jane has part of her future which will be untainted by evil. In this piece of English
literature, Bronte has used white imagery to facilitate that the pure side, which is untouched by
evil, is evident in every person.
Charlotte Bronte has used a remarkable assortment of colour imagery throughout her
novel, Jane Eyre. With red, black and white imagery, she conveys the two very different sides of
a person. She has shown us, through black and red imagery, the devilish and monstrous side of
personality. These two colours illustrate the temptation and the desire to be bad. White has
been used throughout her novel, but more frequently towards the middle of the novel when Jane
encounters Helen and befriends her. This white imagery demonstrates the good and pure side of
Bronte s characters. These three colours, red, black and white have been used well to compel
the reader to distinguish the two very different forces inside the human being.