Shawalter:

• Jane is two-fold projected onto Helen (the angel) and Bertha (the devil). This represents the combat between conventional expectations of women and their sexual desires.

• Lowood destroys individuality, which represents sexual repression

• Jane and John Reeds relationship is emblematic of her rebellion and autonomy.

• Red room represents transition from childhood to adulthood.

Rigby:

• Said Jane Eyre had a ‘un-Christian composition‘.

Gilbert and Gubar:

• Novel is a bildungstroman - follows Jane’s life journey.

• Jane escaped from St John’s grasp way easier than Brocklehurst or Rochester, a show of how far she has matured.

• Jane and Rochester can be seen as spiritual equals at the beginning as they both challenge each other, or as master and servant.

• Bertha political symbol of feminine rage against patriarchy.

• Bertha appears and does whatever Jane wishes to do, such as when she rips Jane’s veil. Jane wishes to be equal to Rochester, and Bertha is nearly his equal in size.

• Every woman in a patriarchal society must overcome oppression (Gateshead), starvation (Lowood), madness (Thornfield) and coldness (Marsh End).