-Sunshine
-Love
-Color
-Perfection
-Friend
-Journey
-Luck
I had already brainstormed ideas for my top words (the ones listed in colors above). If I chose "friend," when we did an art project I would use a picture of a dog. And If I chose "luck," I would use the story of my late grandfather. However, in the end I chose the word COLOR. My table group and I agreed that it suited me well (after all I still love to color and do arts and crafts). So now it's time to connect it with Jane Eyre...
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| My cousin's dogs and me in Illinois during Summer 2010. |
One would think that connecting Jane Eyre with the word COLOR would be a little difficult. While reading Jane Eyre tonight, I decided to take a break and comment on other teams' blogs. Then the idea just hit me. So here I am, being an overachiever and writing my blog one day early. Haha. Anyways, I only thought about my idea for about five minutes before I decided to turn it into this blog. At Lowood School, the school Jane attends and where she eventually teaches, Mr. Brocklehurst emphasizes conformity. All of the girls must look and dress the same. In addition, throughout the book Jane compares her plain clothing that she has from Lowood to the elegant "crimson velvet robes and shawl turbans of some gold-wrought Indian fabric" (Chapter 17) of the Eshton and Ingram families. However, in Jane Eyre, color is also important in the detailed descriptions of Gateshead, Lowood, Thornfield Hall, and Morton. One of my favorite descriptions in the novel occurs in Chapter 9 when Jane describes the garden at Lowood during the spring. I can almost see "the borders of the little beds that were gay with pink thrift and crimson double daises." In addition, color is also important in the description of the red room at Gateshead in Chapter 2.
My word, COLOR, also had more of a connection to literature than I originally thought. I knew of color symbolism from English I and II but the concept skipped my mind when I picked my one little word. Here is a website all about color symbolism:
Color Symbolism Website (Scroll down a little to find the "Color Symbolism Chart" on the left side of the page)
-Shelby F.
I am reading Tess, and have found a good amount of significant color imagery. The main colors I have seen are red and white, red meaning sin and sexuality and white being purity and innocence.
ReplyDeleteThe first time these colors show up are at the very beginning of the book. Tess is wearing a white gown with a red ribbon in it. Though she looks innocent, the red foreshadows possible wrongdoing in her future, which evidently transpires.
At the end of the novel, the colors come up again at the scene where Tess kills Alec. Mrs. Brooks looks up to the white ceiling and sees a read dot on it, soon finding out it is blood. The white innocence is stained with red sin, implying guilt and a misdemeanor. Color symbolism in "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" adds to the meaning of the novel, as it does in "Jane Eyre".
-Taylor C.
Great post Shelby!
ReplyDeleteI can also see how color is a symbol in Jane Eyre, seeing as though the girls at Lowood School were, in a way, prevented from having any color in their individuality. I definitely agree with you that color is an important word!
Oh my gosh! What an awesome post Shelby! You definately topped everyone with your OWL. It can have so many meanings, both on the surface and beyond. As for relating it to Jane Eyre, you've done quite a good job. HAving not chosen to read it, and only knowing a little background info on the plot, this has given me a bit more insight into the deeper meanings and comparisons made by Bronte. As Taylor stated above, color references arise in Tess as well. This is just one more thing that I can use in comparing the two novels.
ReplyDelete-Meredith K.
I think that the red/white color symbolism is Tess is very interesting. I think it is almost like going from a life of innocence to a life of sin. Though Jane never really became corrupt in the end, she lived in a corrupt household in the beginning and through schooling and interactions with people such as Mr. Rochester and Mrs. Fairfax became more gentle and less stubborn in the end. Could that possibly be another way the two novels are related?
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks everyone. :)
-Shelby F.
Shelby,
ReplyDeleteYou and your word always makes me smile.
And I believe the lack of vibrant colors in Tess adds a lot of depth. I know that sounds a little corny, but the colorless aspects of the story makes it a tragedy, creates an depressing and dark aura, and ultimately adds to the Victorianisk about it. Haha. But the colors that are present, like the shades of black,gray, and white give a deeper spiritual meaning. In the way Tess baptized her baby in complete darkness in the middle of the night with her jet black hair and the gray glow around her face, to the white dressings and almost holy effect takes the book to a different level of immaculate .
-Vaness C.
I really enjoy your word and how you connected it to literature! COLOR does have a big impact on everything now that i think about it. Jane at first, especially at Lowood, seemed to lack any color and with it her happiness and individuality, having always to be ridiculed and conform to the dull rules set by those around her. She seemed happier once she had some more color in her life. Color also affects the mood of literature as well. The description of the Red Room Jane was locked in at the very beginning was much more vivid and causes the reader to have a more emotional response because of the color.
ReplyDeleteChad L.
When I think of Jane and Tess, I tend to not think about color. However, you make a good point about its importance in Jane and that made me think about its importance in Tess. Color has a great affect on the tone of any situation in literature, as well as in our on lives.
ReplyDeleteRyan L.
Shelby,
ReplyDeleteyour dogs are really cute. i think your word will help you a lot.
-Karissa C.
I am reading tess and I really think that color symbolism played a major role in the novel. Tess is really supposed to be looked at as a heroic christ figure. She is always described kind of translucent like shes to good to be true. In one part its describing her eyes its says their neither blue green or gray but all three. I think that was an interesting point in the novel.
ReplyDelete- Talor T.
I really like the word you chose. You relate it to Jane Eyre very well. Color is an important word. I agree that it affects many things in literature.
ReplyDelete-stephanie k
Great post! I did not really think about the color in Jane Eyre before! Now that I think about it, however, it is an important part of the novel. Although Jane, herself, is plain she is surrounded by color!
ReplyDelete-Erica W.