Beginning of Essay
In the novel Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte recounts the story of Jane and her lovers, Mr. Rochester and St. John Rivers. Critics such as Adrienne Rich and Eric Solomon argue that Jane Eyre has to choose between the "temptation" of following the rule of passion by ma ....

Middle of Essay
.... of cool reason, without any trace of passion. Eric Solomon writes, "The fire is in Jane’s spirit and in Rochester’s eyes…St. John Rivers contains the icy waters that would put out fire, destroy passion" (Solomon, 73). As Jane wanders between these two points of temptation throughout the novel, the accompanying imagery of fire and water is most significant to the understanding of the themes and concerns of the novel. Bronte uses fire imagery to develop Jane’s character throughout the novel. As the novel progresses, the corresponding imagery changes to show different aspects of Jane’s nature. In the beginning, Jane’s overly passionate n ....