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1、1. IntroductionIn English literary world in the 19th century, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bront was a distinctive work. It has had a great influence on the society since it was published and gained a high fame for the writer. The most important factor of its success is that it successfully creates a vivi
2、d character of Jane Eyre, a new capitalist woman, who has been scolded as a dependent and has no rights to read books, but eventually she becomes a governess with broad knowledge; who is sent to a charity school, Lowood where is filled with strong religion beliefs, but she is totally refused to resi
3、gn herself to the God; who is in a low status in her society, but she can challenge the customs bravely for her love and happiness. Why does a little woman have a strong charm? How is her character formed? That is Helen Burns, Janes spiritual and intellectual friend at Lowood, who is important and i
4、nfluential to the formation of Janes character and her life. This paper will mainly focus on how Helen Burns influences Jane upon her intellect, religion beliefs and love values from the perspective of psychology.1.1 A Brief Introduction to the AuthorCharlotte BrontCharlotte Bront is the eldest one
5、of the three Bronte Sister, who are all literary, all talented and all dying young, that is one of the saddest pages in the history of English Literature. In 1824, Charlotte and all her sisters were sent to a charity school, a veritable prison where the poor children were cruelly treated. Soon after
6、 the two eldest sisters died there, Charlotte was brought home to be educated by her father. So she doesnt get much formal schooling in her young days.Charlotte and her sisters first contribute to a small joint volume. The volume was published in 1846, but only two copies were sold in that year. Cha
7、rlotte then starts novel writing. Her first novel The Professor is rejected by the publisher, but her next novel Jane Eyre, appeared in 1847, brought her fame and placed her in the ranks of the foremost English realistic writers.1.2 A Brief Introduction to the Novel Jane EyreJane Eyre tells the stor
8、y of an orphan girl, Jane Eyre, the daughter of a poor person, loses both of her parents shortly after birth. She lives at the household of her aunt, Mrs. Reed, an unfeeling woman, who is rude and unjust to the poor orphan. Mrs. Reeds children also find pleasure in teasing and mocking Jane. One day,
9、 unable to bear the ill-treatment any longer, Jane tells straight to her aunts face what she thinks of her. Mrs. Reed is furious and gets rid of Jane by sending her to a charity school for poor girls at Lowood. Maltreated by the authorities and leading a half-starved existence, Jane stayed here for
10、eight long years, six spent in studies, and the remaining two in the capacity of a teacher. Then Jane gets a position of governess in the family of Mr. Rochester, a rich squire. Rochester falls in love with Jane, and she with him. They are about to be married when Jane breaks the engagement on the w
11、edding day, learning that Mr. Rochester has a wife, a mad woman who is secretly locked in the house. Shocked by the news, Jane flees from the house. She goes through a lot of hardships. After a nearly perishing on the moors, she is taken in and cared for by a person, John Rives. He helps her to get
12、the job of a teacher in a village school. Meanwhile, a great misfortune befalls Mr. Rochester: he loses his sight during a fire in the house, set by his mad wife who dies a tragic death by jumping off the roof in spite of his attempt to save her. Hearing that Mr. Rochester is penniless and disable,
13、Jane Eyre hurries to his and becomes his wife. She finds the burnt-down Thornfield Hall and its master, now a blind but free man. The two lovers are finally untied and live happily ever after.When Jane is a little girl, she is sent to the Lowood (a school for orphans). Though she has relatives, her
14、aunt Mrs. Reed still puts her there. However, the departure makes Jane very happy to some degree, because all her thoughts, ideas are oppressed by Mrs. Reed and her three children. She is often hurt by them. She is not treated as Human beings or a little child with emotions, but a dependant. The lit
15、tle girl loves reading books, but she cannot read them freely and happily. Her cousin John always looks for fun at the expense of striking little Jane. Gateshead, for Jane, is a hell with a series of terrible memories.The Lowood, though the living conditions are very bad, for Jane, it is does not ma
16、tter, for she can have her own freedom; she can be loved and welcomed through her own efforts; she can know some new friends; she can read, learn under her own minds. The most important is that she meets the little tutorHelen. Though Helen is not a perfect girl, she also has some shortcomings, the p
17、ower of her spirit, and her broad knowledge, her firm beliefs in God, her idea of living, her excellent communication with Miss Temple, all these leave a deep impression in little Jane heart.The obvious comparison of living environment and the strong Jane in future is impressive. When people are in
18、their childhood, the living environment and the people they meet are very important to the formation of their character.2. Literature ReviewJane Eyre is written by a famous British woman novelistCharlotte Bront. As soon as it was published on October 1847, the heroine Jane Eyre has become known to e
19、very household in the west world. It has brought a stir not only to readers but also to critics.“Such a strange book! Imagine a novel with a little swarthy governess for heroine, and a middle-aged ruffian for hero.” Such is the evaluation of one reviewer in Sharps London Magazine soon after the publ
20、ication of Jane Eyre. (Teachman, 2008:1) Some critics said, “Jane is a person who only pursues her own happiness and the supreme love. So the image of Jane lacks social significance”. (Fan & Wu, 1983:33)A famous critic Tailor once said, “When you read the first few chapters, you know that nobody can
21、 portray a child who suffered hardships and was enraged better”. (Wu & Qiu, 1999:50-51)Certainly, Jane Eyre like any successful masterpiece can be viewed from a variety of critical perspectives. Its themelove versus autonomy, the use of symbolismthe red-room, as well as the literary technique of the
22、 double have been explored throughout history for many purposes.2.1 The Study of the Novel ThemeLove versus AutonomyJane Eyre is a very much the story to be loved. Brain Phillips says, “Jane searches, not just for romantic love, but also for a sense of being valued, of belonging”. (Phillip, 2006:35)
23、 For Wu Jianping and Qiu Shifeng, “As to love, what Jane sought was cordial love without any additional conditions”. (Wu & Qiu, 1999:52) When she is in Thornfield manor, she cannot help falling in love with Rochester-a rich squire, not for his wealth, but his active, broad heart and the same kindnes
24、s and sincereness as hers. Her fear of losing her autonomy motivates her refusal of Rochesters marriage proposal. When she knows Rochester still has a wife, though she is mad, Jane feels that he has hurt her dignity, because she believes that marrying Rochester while he remains legally tied to Berth
25、a will mean rending herself a mistress and sacrificing her own integrity for the sake of emotional gratification. “Janes leave was a challenge to conventional patterns and it was also a common womans hard trek on the way of striving for character independence and respect”. (Wu & Qiu, 1999:52)2.2 The
26、 Study of Symbolismthe Red RoomAccording to Brian Phillip, “The red-room can be viewed as a symbol of what Jane must overcome in her struggles to find freedom, happiness, and a sense of belonging”. (Phillip, 2006:51) She recalls the room on the night that she decides to leave Thornfield after Roches
27、ter has tried to convince her to become an undignified mistress. “Her destitute condition upon her departure from Thornfield threatens emotional and intellectual imprisonment, as does St. Johns marriage proposal. Only after Jane has asserted herself, gained financial independence, and found a spirit
28、ual familywhich turns out to be her real familycan she wed Rochester and find freedom in and through marriage”. (Phillip, 2006:53) The red-room is the first in a series of literal and metaphorical imprisonments in the novel. “Although Janes imprisonment in the red-room is real, she will encounter sp
29、iritual, intellectual and emotional imprisonment through the bookAt the same time, the red-room is also symbolic of Janes feeling of isolation with respect to every community: she is locked in, but she is also, in a sense, lock out”. (Phillip, 2006:62-63)2.3 The Study of the Literary Technique of th
30、e DoubleIn Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bront uses the technique of the double in several ways. “Locations double one another (Gateshead and Thornfield as places to learn to be passionate and to indulge those passions; Lowood and Marsh End as places in which to learn and develop restraint of passion and sel
31、f-sacrifice), creating a structure of the novel that has its foundation on the effects of doubling”. (Teachman, 2008:6) Fire and ice appear through Jane Eyre. Brain Phillip describes “the former represents Janes passions, anger, and spirit, while the latter symbolizes the oppressive forces trying to
32、 extinguish Janes vitality”. (Phillip, 2006:45)From the above reviews, I have a deep understanding on Jane Eyre which can be undoubtly praised as a great masterpiece. However, I have found there is no enough research on Helen Burns influence upon Jane Eyres early life. Thus this paper will discuss h
33、ow Helen Burns influences upon the formation of Janes character and her life and so on. The purpose of this paper is to give us an enlightenment that every child is born in a state of purity, teenagers living and studying environment especially the peers they get on with are very important. Certainl
34、y, I hope this paper can make me better understand the novelJane Eyre.3. The Employment of Psychology on the Formation of Ones Character3.1 The Definition of the CharacterThe character is “the particular combination of qualities that makes someone a particular kind of person”. (Longman Dictionary of
35、 Contemporary English, 2004:292-293) Campell and Bond state that there are four major questions to be addressed when focusing on the development of ones character:What is good character; what causes or prevents it; how can it be measured so that efforts at improvement can have corrective feedback; a
36、nd how can it best be developed? (Campell & Bond, 1982:79-82)The development of character is very important. Everyones living environment is different, but how can the character develop well is what we concern.3.2 Important Factors Influencing on a PersonIn terms of what can influence ones character
37、 development, Campell and Bond propose the following as major factors in the moral development and behavior of youth in contemporary America:Heredity; early childhood experience; modeling by important adults and other older youth; peer influence; the general physical and social environment; the comm
38、unications media; what is taught in the schools and other institutions and roles that elicit corresponding behavior. (Campell & Bond, 1982:100)The primary factor that determines every persons character is their environment. The environment which will influence an individuals character consists of th
39、ree aspects: Physical Environment; Social Environment; Inner Speech. (http:/www.islamic- the effect of the environmental factors is colored by the individuals unique perception of their environment:Physical Environment (the material world around us); Social Environment (Interpersonal communication);
40、 Direct Human Interaction: Parents; Family; Friends; Teachers; Surrounding people; Indirect Human Interaction (Man-made communication media): TV, Video, Internet, Music; Inner Speech: Inner Speech refers to the things that we say to ourselves with our thoughts and feelings. (http:/www.islamic- child
41、ren, especially for the adolescence, friends are very important in the Direct Human Interaction. The increased intimacy of adolescent friendship reflects cognitive, as well as emotional development. Increased intimacy also reflects early adolescents concern with getting to know themselves. Confiding
42、 in a friend helps young people explore their own feelings, define their identity, and validate their self-worth. (Diane, Sally & Ruth, 2005: 448)Children should be encouraged to be well behaved through directed positive influence. We need to be consistent in encouraging positive values at every tim
43、e and in every place. The application of good moral values in raising our children is the best way to encourage the development of positive character. Good behaviors can be best developed through directed positive influence.This paper will analyze that how the environment influences on Jane Eyres li
44、fe, especially Helen BurnsJane Eyres intimate friend at Lowood, whose beliefs and behaviors have played essential roles in Jane Eyres growing progress.4. Helen Burns Influence on Jane Eyre in Some Aspects4.1 Helen Burns in Some Chapters of Jane EyrePeople who have read Jane Eyre may wonder why the w
45、riter does not tell readers directly about Janes love story, why the writer especially depicts Janes childhood for chapters. The author gives many chapters to the first ten years of Jane Eyres life, that is to say childhood is very important and influential to her. Helen Burns is the girl the author
46、 depicts the most in these chapters. Why she writes so much about the girl? There must be many reasons. In my opinion, Helen is important and influential to the formation of Janes character and her life. I dare say if there was not a girl like Helen Burns existing in her childhood, there would not b
47、e a great love story now.4.2 Helen Burns Influence upon Jane Eyre4.2.1 Helens Influence of Thoughts upon Janes Reading ExperienceJane has taken comfort from her new friendship with Helen, who impresses Jane with her expansive knowledge, especially her thoughts on reading books.For Jane, Gateshead is
48、 a place filled with disappointment. There she imagines brief moments of hopethat she will have some privacy to read a book, that her cousins will avoid her rather than tormenting her, that Mrs. Reed and the servants will be fair to herbut those hopes are inevitably crushed.As a dependant in her hyp
49、ocritical auntMrs. Reeds home, she has never been respected. John Reed believes he has right to bully her because of her dependent status in this family. He will inherit everything at Gateshead, and she has no right even to be there, let alone to touch the books or anything else in the house. Maybe reading is a way to relieve Jane from loneliness and the grim reality