Fire And Ice
Charlotte Bronte, in writing the novel Jane Eyre uses a great deal of
symbolic imagery to convey various themes throughout the novel. The most
interesting type of imagery is Bronte's use of imagery to develop
the characters of the novel and show the struggle the character of Jane Eyre
goes through. Fire most commonly represents passions. While fire and
passion can provide warmth and comfort, they can also burn. Ice, or water,
symbolizes calm reason, devoid of passion. Ice and reason can provide calm
and soothing comfort, but they to can also burn. Throughout the novel, Jane
goes back and forth between these two temptations, trying to achieve the right
balance between the two, while still ...
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alienate her from society. A short while later,
John Reed, representing a male-dominated society, enters the room in search
of Jane. When John attempts to assert his dominance over Jane, she is unable
to control her passionate nature and retaliates. As punishment for giving in to
her fiery side, Jane is locked inside the red-room. Obviously, the color red is
of importance here. Red is the color of fire and heat, and represents passion
and fury. Jane describes the red room's, "massive pillars of mahogany, hung
with curtains of deep red damask"(15), which represents her very passionate
nature. At the same time, Jane also describes the red-room as being very cold,
having an icy chill. The cold room, devoid of emotion symbolizes the way
society thinks people should behave. When Aunt Reed locks Jane in the
red-room, she is locking Jane's fiery nature in with the cold emotion that
would temper Jane's passionate side. This very effectively demonstrates
society's response to a ...
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hall. Jane describes the change in Thornfield
saying, "a warm glow suffused both it and the lower steps of the oak
staircase" and there was "a genial fire in the grate"(120). Rochester's physical
appearance is described with imagery as well. Rochester is not only the fire
that warms the hall, but he is also the fire that beckons Jane's passionate side.
Rochester represents the temptation of passion over reason. To achieve
maturity, Jane must exert some control over her emotions. Rochester is a
threat to this. By stirring her emotional desires, he is encouraging her to
unleash the fire that is within her. When Rochester says, "Come to the
fire"(125), and begins to question her ...
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Fire And Ice. (2008, April 24). Retrieved October 31, 2025, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Fire-And-Ice/82581
"Fire And Ice." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 24 Apr. 2008. Web. 31 Oct. 2025. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Fire-And-Ice/82581>
"Fire And Ice." Essayworld.com. April 24, 2008. Accessed October 31, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Fire-And-Ice/82581.
"Fire And Ice." Essayworld.com. April 24, 2008. Accessed October 31, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Fire-And-Ice/82581.
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