· Jane deeply resisted as Miss Abbot and I escorted her to the red room. I could not help but to pity the child, I myself would have dreaded being locked in that haunted old room. But, what was I to do? I could not refuse the Madam’s orders. It was wrong of Miss Eyre to strike the young master and I must admit I was rather shocked by the child’s rebellious nature. However, knowing the young master I am inclined to believe that it was not purely Miss Jane’s wrong-doing which caused the argument. We struggled for quite a while before we finally managed to force her into the room indicated by Mrs. Reed. Miss Eyre has always been difficult, but never before have I seen her so beyond herself. The child must have been really afraid. I could see it in her eyes as we pushed her onto a chair in the room. It was more than just not wanting to sit still and be quite. The girl was really scared. Nevertheless she behaved disrespectfully and had to be punished accordingly. Miss Eyre refused to calm down out of desperation I asked Miss Abbot for her garters to tie Miss Jane to the chair. She begged of me not to do so and promised not to cause any more trouble. She then attached herself to the chair by her hands. I let go of my firm hold of Miss Eyre as she regained her sanity. I stood there for a moment simply looking at this girl and wondering what could possibly be going through her mind. She had never behaved in such an aggressive way. I felt inclined to have a talk with Miss Jane. Although I knew that her behavior was not without reason, she was depended on Mrs. Reed for her survival and had to learn to control her emotions or the madam would have her go to the poorhouse. I tried to soften Miss Abbot’s harsh words and told the child that what we tell her is for her own good. We then left and locked the door behind us.
I heard a cry coming from the red room and ran to check on Miss Eyre. I asked her if she was ill and if she had seen something again. Miss Jane looked really spooked as she grabbed hold of my hand. I really pitied the girl and wanted to calm her down. Mrs. Reed came rushing into the room and scolded Miss Abbot and myself for entering the room without her consent. I tried to explain to her that Miss Eyre’s screaming frightened us and that we were concerned about her health. The Madam would hear nothing of it; Miss Abbot and I retreated as she continued screaming at Jane.
· I do agree with Rich’s argument that the activities which took place on that day when Jane Eyre was locked in the red room played a big part in forming her as a person. Even though we are given the idea that things have been difficult for Jane in the Reed’s household ever since her beloved uncle passed away, that day is when all her built up emotions and anger reaches a climax and is released. She is driven to the point of insanity and admits that she felt “out of herself” that day. Jane is treated like an animal by everyone in the household, except for Bessie who tries to calm Jane down. She is locked in the room where her uncle died, which is believed to be haunted. She is almost like a wild animal locked in a cage. While locked in the room Jane’s anger, bitterness and hatred of her aunt and of John Reed builds up. She wonders why no matter how hard she tries, she is always the one to suffer and why she is never able to please anyone. This shows how the way the Reeds treat Jane has led her to believe that she has no worth. She also thinks about how unjustly she is treated and considers running away or to stop eating and let herself die. During the time she spends in the red room Jane’s mind is in turmoil as she thinks about how she has never been and will never be part of the household. Jane’s extreme anger, loneliness and frustration towards her unjust treatment shape her as a person who never wants to feel like that ever again in her life. She will strive to live with dignity, integrity and pride – all of which she has never been able to have while living under Mrs. Reed’s authority.
· The book, Jane Eyre, opens in a very dramatic way with the “red room” scene. In “A Dialogue of Self and Soul: Plain Jane’s Progress”, Sandra M. Gilbert argues that this scene serves as a warning sign of more drama to come. Charlotte Brontë immediately creates suspense through this scene, which causes the reader to want to read more in order to see what happens to Jane. It is an example of what will follow in the rest of the book. This is made clear through the fact that the scene is the opening scene of the book and also because she recollects her feelings of that day every time she finds herself in a difficult and crucial position. Jane and also the reader is reminded of her orphaned position, her ridiculing role in the houses and her attempts to escape through various ways. These are feelings which are relevant almost throughout the book, for example the night she decides to leave Thornfield manor. Every time Jane makes a crucial decision it is driven by the same emotions which she felt that day while being locked in the “red room”. This is functional, because it shows that the events which took place in Jane’s childhood will continue to haunt her for the rest of her life.
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