Jane Eyre Research Paper

The coming-of-age novel has been a literary fixture for time immemorial. The genre first coined as the “bildungsroman” by an Estonian university professor in the 1820s (Swales 9) is said to be a novel driven by the development of the story’s protagonist. These stories are universal, appeal to a wide range of audiences, and are understandably popular with young readers. One of the more well-known examples, Jane Eyre, was first published in 1847 by Charlotte Brontë under the pseudonym of Currer Bell. This thrilling tale of forbidden love, dark secrets, and female empowerment has lasted the ages and charmed readers to the present day. Another bildungsroman by the name of Buttermilk Hill was published in 2004. Despite its marked similarities to
Jane Eyre; a young female protagonist struggling against controlling forces in her life and seeking her sense of self, it has met with almost none of the former’s critical acclaim. Not many novels enjoy the staying power of Jane Eyre; this, of course, raises the question of what makes a story so timeless that it can survive so long. If these aspects can be quantified, they can be applied to other novels in order to assume whether or not they will experience similar longevity. Though Buttermilk Hill is far from an unsatisfactory novel, it does not possess as many of the exemplary qualities that have preserved Jane Eyre, and as such, will not continue to be relevant to the readers of the future.
One of Jane Eyre’s remarkable facets is the social messages and implications of ideology that pervade the text, which, now, are considered commonplace: in 1847, concepts such as feminism and sympathy for the lower classes were radical notions.
Charlotte Brontë’s messages were heard by the public then, and continue to be relevant today. Brontë is considered by many to have given contemporary feminist literature its genesis in the pages of Jane Eyre (Schorer 80). The author’s pen has long been a tool with which to air grievances of the modern world, to call for a change, and Charlotte Brontë undoubtedly used it as such: not all writings, of course, are meant to act as such an inflammatory invocation. Buttermilk Hill, by contrast, is quite “safe”: its themes; divorce, family, and adolescent difficulties, are well-accepted by the times in which it was published. This is not to discredit their inherent value: the examination of current society in literature is frequently as important as the introduction of new liberalist philosophies. The novel is not without its analysis of society’s behavior. Through the character arc of Denver Berry, the main character’s father, White criticizes the patriarchal nature of the traditional American family (White 15). White’s scrutiny, however, is not out-of-place in modern literature. Her censure is shared by many of her peers, which dilutes the individual impact of her specific work. While White’s themes are relevant to the modern reader, they
are not necessarily as progressive as Brontë’s were.
Quality of writing and its criticism are highly subjective mediums, but there is a certain point of comparison in which most readers can agree to an objective ruling, with regards to which book is technically the better-constructed of a pair.
With its social impact removed, Jane Eyre remains an extremely well-written, well thought-out novel, one that still garners praise today. Critics continue to laud Jane Eyre as a “masterpiece”, declaring that it is as striking to readers now as it was when it was originally published (Beaty 619). The novel is layered with a rich complexity of text, so much so that a reader can hardly afford to ignore any seemingly trivial passage or bit of information. Every word has purpose. Symbolism, motifs, metaphors, and imagery contribute to an intricate work of literature that has earned its place among the beloved works of the English language. Ruth White is not without her accomplishments: her 1996 novel, Belle Prater’s Boy, was the recipient of the Newbery Award, denoting accomplishment in contributions to children’s literature (Knoth). When comparing White’s quality of writing, however, to Brontë’s, Buttermilk Hill’s weaknesses are made quickly apparent. Simplistic sentences and brief, literal story sequences leave no ulterior meaning for a reader to interpret. In contrast to Jane Eyre’s introspective protagonist, who only yet begins her contemplation with “Why was I always suffering, always brow-beaten, always accused, for ever condemned?”
(Brontë 14), Buttermilk Hill’s Piper spends a sparse sentence or two to share her thoughts with the reader: “This was worse than before, I thought, because now everybody felt bad” (White 147). Piper does not elaborate on her feelings or impressions. When compared to Jane Eyre, Buttermilk Hill feels inexcusably shallow. A review of the latter in Publishers Weekly pronounces the book’s subject matter is “presented without…insight” and that the various plots are “not smoothly integrated into the narrative” (“Buttermilk Hill”).
Jane Eyre’s timeless themes and enduring style contribute to its longevity, but another of its crucial factors lies, undoubtedly, in its complexity. A clear amount of forethought and a tightness of text come through in Charlotte Brontë’s work. Buttermilk Hill simply fails to measure up to the same level of careful consideration exercised by the author in Jane Eyre. In writing Buttermilk Hill, Ruth White falls back on a habitual Southern setting, prevalent in all of her other novels, and one that utilizes stereotypical fixtures such as the “chain-smoking hairdresser [who] runs the ‘Curl Up and Dye’” (“Buttermilk Hill”). In fact, the book itself is a sequel to one of White’s earlier novels, Weeping Willow (“Buttermilk Hill”). Taking these facts into account, Buttermilk Hill begins to look lazier in its composition. In Jane Eyre, Brontë took enormous care in the meaning of the most mundane phrases; Buttermilk Hill fails to deliver the same level of attention to its text. Few books are able to stand up to Jane Eyre, but in attempting to compare Buttermilk Hill, the novel’s own weaknesses become quickly apparent.
Literary works must possess a certain combination of qualities to survive beyond their initial age. Laziness in composition or themes is certainly not one of them. When laid side by side, Charlotte Brontë’s intense intricacy, messages of tolerance, and all-inclusive story can and will endure better than Ruth White’s tired plot and indolent writing, which will alienate rather than attract readers in the future. Jane Eyre and Buttermilk Hill are both working examples of the bildungsroman, but when pitted against the test of time, Buttermilk Hill will be quicker to show its age.