Narration and conversation in Jane Eyre Throughout her life, Jane Eyre, the heroine of Charlotte Bronte's novel, relies heavily on language and narration to communicate your thoughts and emotions. Not only are good storytelling skills important to Jane Eyre as a narrator, but they are also important to Jane Eyre as a character in her novel. From the beginning of the novel we learn of Jane's love of books - "every picture told a story" (40) - and her talent for telling her own stories. As a narrator, she ensures that the reader is fully aware of her thoughts, emotions, and the constraints placed on her as her life unfolds before us. In the opening scene of Jane Eyre, we immediately see how Jane is repressed by the Reed family. . She is often prohibited from showing expression in any form. After questioning her guardian as to why she has been excluded from the rest of the family, she is told, "Sit down somewhere, and until you can speak pleasantly, keep silent" (39). She retreats alone to another room in the house with a book to keep her occupied and is never allowed to explain. When John Reed finds her and throws a book at her head, she is forced to go to the "red room". Jane is immediately blamed without having the chance to give her account of the incident. Jane's frankness and honesty in relating to others are fundamental to her character; but it is only when Mrs. Reed accuses Jane of having "a tendency to deceit" (65), in the presence of Mr. Brocklehurst, that we see this attribute of her character emerge. Prior to this moment, Jane has successfully suppressed her anger and emotions towards the Reed family. In this scene, how...... middle of paper ......er character as a form of expression, but consistently uses communication skills and narrative ability as a measure of character. Jane evaluates each character's ability to communicate effectively and then proceeds to make judgments about that character based on these evaluations. Its favor, as has been repeatedly demonstrated, goes to those who are proficient in their storytelling abilities. Jane is the dominant narrator, but she likes to let other characters share the task. Our attention is continually shifted from one character's narrative to that of another. By allowing her story to be told through various characters, Jane not only emphasizes the high regard she has for these particular characters, but also emphasizes the reverence she has for eloquence in storytelling. Works Cited Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. 1847. New York: Penguin, 1966.