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That weird debate about Jane Eyre and Bertha at our last meetup really threw me
I stopped by the Midtown Library book club last Thursday and someone argued that Bertha Mason was just a plot device and not a real character with agency. It got me thinking, is she really just there to advance Jane's story or is there more to her role in the novel? Has anyone else run into this kind of split opinion in your group about classic characters?
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robinp899d ago
Whoa wait, you're telling me your book club had someone argue Bertha is JUST a plot device? That's wild because the book literally has her set the house on fire, which is a pretty huge action with consequences that affect everyone. Plus she tears Jane's wedding veil, which is a major moment. Real plot devices don't usually get to do stuff like that, they just sit there being convenient. Like if she was a pure plot tool she'd just be mentioned as "the crazy wife" and that's it, but Bronte actually gives her these specific violent acts that shape the whole ending of the story. That last fire gets Mr. Rochester all burned and blinded, which is a HUGE deal for his character arc, and Bertha ends up dead from it. So yeah, I think labeling her as just a tool misses how much she actually DRIVES the plot, you know?
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Haven't people been arguing about this since like, high school English class though? Bertha's obviously a plot tool (she's locked in an attic, the author didn't give her much else to do), and that's fine - not every character needs to be a fully fleshed out person with their own arc. Seems like overthinking it to me, but then again, I read the book once and moved on.
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