Mrs. Reed Jane Eyre

In Charlotte Bronte’s, Jane Eyre, Bronte proves Mrs. Reed to be a cruel and cold-hearted woman towards her niece, Jane. Jane grows up under the care of Mrs. Reed when her father passes away. Therefore, Jane is not Mrs. Reed’s biological daughter, and is clearly treated poorly in comparison to Mrs. Reed’s other children. Jane’s aunt constantly looks down on her, and makes her feel as though she does not belong. For instance, when the family gathers around the fire, Mrs. Reed tells Jane she is not welcome and continues to “exclude [Jane] from privileges intended only for contented, happy little children” (Bronte 11). Jane often feels left out by her aunt, who makes no effort to help Jane feel like part of the family. Additionally, Mrs. Reed’s son, John, bullies Jane “not two or three times …show more content…
Reed [is] blind and deaf on the subject” (20). Mrs. Reed put her own children before Jane’s well-being. Furthermore, when John hurls a book at Jane, resulting in blood trickling down her neck, Mrs. Reed has her servants “roughly and violently thrust [Jane] back into the red-room and [lock] [her] up there, to [her] dying day” (81). Mrs. Reed does not think twice before punishing her, not even to consider Jane may not be at fault. Moreover, when Jane has the opportunity to attend school, her aunt sets out to ruin her reputation. Before Jane even has the chance to make an impression, Mrs. Reed tells the head of the school “to keep a strict eye on her, and, above all, to guard against her worst fault, a tendency to deceit” (74). Mrs. Reed’s cruelty towards Jane can be seen in how she wishes for her to fail. Overall, as Jane reflects on her time with Mrs. Reed, she becomes angry when she explains Mrs. Reed “thinks [Jane] [has] no feelings, and that [she] can do without one bit of love or kindness; but [Jane] cannot live so” (80). The lack compassion for Jane by Mrs. Reed is manifested in the way Jane feels about her