Literature Essay

Victor Andres Escudero Y12 English

Words: 750

Many works of literature involve a journey, either short or long, with reference to at least 2 works studied discus the importance of the journey to the plot and to the theme of each text. A journey its a time when someone can try to found himself, going away from your native town, will bring you more perspective, you can see other cultures and places. As well, you will most likely going to find you in new situations, which will make you more mature, things you thought, were totally normal could change. This is what happens to both Jane Eyre from Jane Eyre and Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby. On the one hand the whole life of Jane could be considered as a long journey which is incredibly important to her, in it she passes from being a little child to a mature and self-confident woman, of course this has a great effect on the novel. On the other hand Jay Gatsbys journey to the World War I military front was forced and had on him a counterproductive experience as opposite to Janes one. The war changed him. The Great Gatsby protagonist is Jay Gatsby, and therefore the plot focuses on him. The World War I its the origin to the whole book. While he was in there he met Daisy with whom he falls in dept love, however their different social status makes it impossible for them to marry, Jay cant afford her expensive lifestyle. Thats why when he becomes rich he throws these constant luxurious and extravagant parties he wants to let Daisy know that he has now all the money she could think off, but also, that his social status is high enough. This relation ships its what keeps the novel tempo, furthermore this love with Daisy will result onto Jay Gatsbys death.

According to Jane Eyre its whole plot could be considered pretty much Janes journey. We can difference between two journeys, the physical one, and his psychological journey. Jane doesnt belong to any specific place; she is always going from one place to another: i.e. Thornfield etc. At the same pace occurs a parallel journey on Jane, in it she matures, gets mentally stronger, and beats her insecurity. She psychologically evolves; she thinks that because she isnt as rich as Rochester their marriage would put her in a position of inferiority. Just as Fitzgeralds novel, a lot of it, if not all, of its plot has to do with these journeys occurring, the action usually sets in a place for some chapters and the bigger changes on it happen when a journey is done. This can be also applied to Rochesters and his guests journeys not only on those made by Jane. According to the impact of journeys to their themes they also have a close relation for both novels. On The Great Gatsby the decline of the American dream in the 1920s affects Gatsby when he goes to the World War I. This war changed the mentality of the population, social and moral values had vanished. This its why Jay throws so many parties and why they are so famous. But the reason for which he has these parties occurred because he met Daisy while on his forced journey to the war. Regarding to Charlotte Bronts novel the biggest theme affected by these journeys are social classes and love versus autonomy 1. Her inner thoughts about whether if a marriage with Rochester will make her less autonomic are the cause of her going away from Thronfield. As well during her several journeys manages to loose that fear and get more confident. Also there is a close relation between social classes and each of his journeys; in each journey she does her social status changes. While
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From Gateshead to Lowood School to

Obtained from: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/janeeyre/themes.html

she is on Gateshead she isnt much more than a servant, similar to Loowod School however there she finds the first person she can treat as an equal, on Thornfield ends while she could ended up having the same status as Rochester she doesnt believed, with St. John she finds people who share her social status because they are from the same family and acquires a higher social status also, due to the inheritance received. Last but not least when she returns to Thornfield she finds the first person which whom she shares the same social status and has a love relationship, Rochester.