Disparity Of The Upper Classes In Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre

In the early chapters of the book Jane Eyre, author Charlotte Bronte incredibly depicts the disparity of the upper and lower classes of Victorian England. During the first chapter, Jane describes the poor treatment she receives from her aunt and cousins who are taking care of her as they are much wealthier than her. Her cousin John Reed tells Jane that “[She is] a dependent… [she has] no money; [her] father left [her] with none; [she] ought to beg, and not live here with gentlemen’s children like us” (Bronte 6). Though it is not Jane’s fault she is poor, John believes himself to be better than Jane because of this. The poor treatment of Jane is purely because she is of a lower class, not because she is ill-tempered or another reason. A