REPBLICA BOLIVARIANA DE VENEZUELA UNIVERSIDAD PEDAGGICA EXPERIMENTAL LIBERTADOR INSTITUTO PEDAGGICO DE CARACAS Departamento de Idiomas Modernos Maestra en Enseanza

de Literatura en Ingls

Student: Jolexis Melndez Professor: Audy Castaeda Jane Eyre and Great Expectations as classics and mirror of society Literature, as it is a way of expression using language in a creative and aesthetic way, has always been useful to depict, criticize and/or assess certain aspects of society or humanity itself. Those pieces of literature whose artistic quality and universal appeal can move our senses despite the passage of time are generally determined as classics (Lombardi, 2013). Throughout this paper it is intended to analyze some aspects that can be taken as evidence to state that Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre and Charles Dickens Great Expectations can be considered classics as well as pieces of art that mirror society and humanity. Both stories, using a 1st person singular narrator, begin with the early moments of the life of an adult, who tells us about their misfortunes and sufferings through the use of sophisticated and elaborated language. These narrators express their ideas through the use of detailed description through images, refined language to use examples, etc. When comparing Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre to Charles Dickens Great Expectations in terms of language, it is easy to realize that both authors imprint what T.S. Eliot claims to be maturity of language (1944, p. 10); being this a particular characteristic of classics, as he states:
A classic can only occur when a civilization is mature; when a language and a literature are mature; and it must be the work of a mature mind. [ ] To define maturity without assuming that the hearer already knows what it means, is almost impossible: let us say then, that if we are properly mature, as well as educated persons, we can recognize maturity in a civilization and in literature, as we do in the other human beings whom we encounter. (p.10)

Eliot (1944) explains the intrinsic connection between literature, language and society. Literature encompasses the combination of language and aesthetics to illustrate certain aspects, whether good or bad, of a particular society. For instance, In Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre the depiction of a little girl from the Victorian era whose behavior is rebellious and undisciplined and therefore questionable for the time, in which women were expected to be disciplined and submissive. Great Expectations, is set in the 19th century during the industrial revolution, tells the story of Pip, a young, poor orphan who longs to become a gentleman after he is rejected by a high-class girl. Both novels comprise descriptions of aspects that reflect the standards of these societies, using a mature and refined language. From the outset, there seems to be strong similarities in Jane Eyre and Great Expectations regarding plot structure. They coincide in the representation of their main characters as orphan children undergoing misfortunes, being unwillingly fostered by a member of their families, and being abused physically and psychologically. Although these negative aspects in their early lives, both seem to have the same adventurous spirit and go on quests searching for wealth and love. In Brontes story, Jane, the protagonist, being under the yoke of her aunt Ms. Reed and her son John Reed (and occasionally also mistreated by Miss Abbot, Ms. Reeds maid) finds her way to escape Gateshead to attend school in which she learns the value of friendship and education. In Dickens, Pip meets a similar fate, as he lives with his bad tempered sister Mrs. Joe Gargery and his kind-hearted brotherin-law. In contrast with Jane, Pip does not enjoy a wealthy living and constantly fancies becoming a gentleman when he discovers he dislikes his state of common after being rejected by Miss Havishams niece. It is important to mention that at the same time as certain events are developed, in both novels a variety of themes appear; some of them being the importance of wealth in society, class, friendship, innocence and love. Pips realization of his social status after going to Miss Havishams house and Jane being disturbed by the idea of living with relatives less privileged than the Reeds show how (even from the perspective of a child) wealth and a good position in society are to humans in general, regardless of time or location. Additionally, the importance of friendship is shown as both characters find or enjoy having a companion (Janes first friend being Helen and Joe being Pips first comrade and helper) during unfortunate moments that would always influence and teach moral-like lesson to these characters. And also, innocence and

love found through the beginning of the novels and the learning that outcomes both as the characters grow up. The universal nature of the themes developed in these novels generates some appealing and, maybe, creates a feeling of compassion toward the main characters. Moreover, using contrasting themes such as wealth versus poverty, happiness and misfortune, love and hate, friendship and rivalry etc., make every reader relate to the situation of these characters in spite of gender, time or location; because the reader has either been through something similar before or the opposite. Such themes make the reader feel identified with the story while being taken through a path in which he/she learns something along with the characters. These leaning and appealing could be considered as well distinctive traits of classics. In addition to the previous, Sainte-Beuve (1909), one of the first literary critics to analyze the definition of a classic in regards to this area, expresses that A true classic [] is an author who has enriched the human mind, increased its treasure, and caused it to advance a step; who has discovered some moral and not equivocal truth indicating that way the pedagogical role of classics, as in the case of Jane Eyre and Great Expectations. As a conclusion, it can be stated that a classic is not only a quality text that transcends through time, but also a piece of art that takes into account the maturity and aesthetics of language to represent and assess aspects of a particular society, conveys topics and themes of universal appealing, and encompasses a pedagogical role in society. Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre and Charles Dickens Great Expectations essentially fulfill all of these characteristics and therefore can be considered classics.

References and Bibliography Eliot, Thomas (1944, October 16). What is a classic?. Retrieved December 15, 2013 Available: http://bracchiumforte.com/PDFs/tseliot.pdf Saint-Beuve, Charles (1909). What is a classic?. Retrieved December 15, 2013 from http://www.bartleby.com/32/202.html Shmoop Editorial Team. (2008, November 11). Jane Eyre Analysis. Retrieved December 15, 2013 from http://www.shmoop.com/jane-eyre/literary-devices.html Shmoop Editorial Team. (2008, November 11). Great Expectations Setting. Retrieved December 16, 2013 from http://www.shmoop.com/greatexpectations/setting.html