Ms. Crandell
AP Eng Lit
Jane Eyre Character Analysis Essay
Name___________________
Period ________
Your essay on Jane Eyre will explore Brontë’s development of Jane’s character. In analyzing character
development, you may draw on your knowledge of reader response theory, formalist criticism,
psychological criticism, or feminist literary theory.
Directions:
1. Decide on a topic--you can draw from the list of possible topics below, or come up with your own.
2. Create a thesis proposal--different from a topic, in that it is specific, arguable, and strongly stated.
DUE: ______
4. Write a complete draft for peer review. Suggested length is around 3 pages. DUE: ______
5. Write a polished draft to turn in to Ms. C. DUE: _____
6. Write a final draft, upload to turnitin.com, and turn in (along with polished draft)
DUE: ______
1. For much of the novel, Jane Eyre holds an ambiguous role in society--not fitting neatly into a specific
social class. Discuss at least two instances where this is pertinent to Jane's development as a
character.
2. How is Jane’s search for autonomy throughout the novel important in her character’s development?
How was this important for Brontë’s Victorian readers?
3. Consider how Brontë employs the themes of sanity and madness in the development of Jane’s
character.
4. Consider how Brontë employs the themes of sight and blindness in the development of Jane’s
character.
5. Consider how Brontë employs the symbolism of fire and ice throughout the novel in the development
of Jane’s character.
6. Explain how the characters in Jane’s life influence her by their presence or absence. Consider the
absence and reappearance of any of these characters: Helen Burns, Bessie Leaven, Mrs. Reed,
Edward Rochester, and St. John Rivers. Also consider how these appearances are important to the
structure of the novel as a whole.
Other ideas:
--sexuality and identity
--nature and religion
--supernatural elements
--dreams
An example of a strong thesis sentence for a character analysis of Fanny Price, the heroine of Jane
Austen’s Mansfield Park:
Fanny Price has often been seen as a flawed leading lady because of her insipidness, her moral
rectitude, and the perspective that she does not change within the novel; however, through dialogue
and setting, Austen creates in Fanny a quintessential manners heroine because she gains insight about
her place in society, ultimately learning where she belongs.
Rubric:
A
Persuasive
B
Reasonable
C or below
Introduction and
Thesis
--Opening gives dramatic situation,
name of work, and author.
--Thesis guides the paper and will
usually be a complex sentence.
--Thesis is strong, specific, and
arguable.
--Opening gives dramatic situation
but does not identify author/name
of work.
--Thesis is clearly stated.
--Irrelevant or vague
lead sentence.
--Thesis is a simple
statement of fact.
--Introduction contains
flawed logic.
Organization and
Structure
--Well organized.
--Smooth transitions that lend a
sense of continuity.
--Coherent progression of ideas.
--Consistently deepens its
argument with details and
references to previous ideas.
--Generally organized.
--Some choppiness due to
elementary transitions or missing
transitions.
--Organization is clumsy
and not readily apparent.
--Very choppy and does
not flow well.
--Few or no transitions.
Evidence
--Smoothly integrates textual
evidence.
--Offers vivid and specific detail,
without quoting more than is
necessary.
--Evidence is integrated
somewhat haphazardly.
--Evidence may be general.
--Textual support, if any,
is clumsily incorporated.
--Relies on plot summary
or mere observation.
Content/
Commentary
--Persuasive analysis.
--Controlled reasoning.
--Identifies and analyzes complexity
and/or irony.
--Reasonable analysis.
--Some insight, with implicit
analysis.
--Adequate, plausible
analysis, but marred by
‘filler’.
--May not support the
thesis.
Voice/ Diction
--Clear, active voice.
--Uses literary present tense.
--Collegiate diction and appropriate
literary terminology.
--Mixed active and passive voice
to no rhetorical end.
--Diction is generally appropriate
but is limited.
--Uses some literary terminology,
but doesn’t explain the ‘so-what’
behind it.
--Limited or incorrect
usage.
--Limited or no literary
terminology.
Syntax
--Uses a variety of simple,
compound, and complex
sentences.
--Linguistic nuance.
--Some varied use of sentence
structure, but is repetitive.
--Little sentence
variation or poor
sentence structure.
Conclusion
--Provides a sense of closure.
--Restates thesis in a refreshing
way.
--Simple restatement of thesis.
--Summary of earlier points in
paper.
--No apparent
conclusion.
Mechanics and
Usage
--Virtually no mechanical and
grammatical errors.
--Generally free of mechanical
and grammatical errors.
--Many distracting
mechanical and
grammatical errors.
Overall
Workmanship
--Length is appropriate for scope of
thesis.
--Correct formatting, including MLA.
--Uploaded to turnitin.com in timely
manner
--Length is sufficient.
--Some small formatting errors.
--Uploaded to turnitin.com
--May be too short.
--Many formatting errors.
--Uploaded to
turnintin.com