thenovelisrichinpoetry,symbolismandmetaphor.itdoesnotfiteasilyintoadefinitepattern,beingneitheranovelof"manners"inthetraditionofausten,orastraightforwardgothicromanceinthestyleofmrsradcliffe.whatcharlottebrontedidwastocreateaworkwhichcleverlyblendselementsofthetwostyles,andwhichremainsuniquelyindependentofthematthesametime,sinceitaddressesissueswhichwereatthetimerathercontroversial.thenoveliswritteninthefirstperson,andthusmagnifiesthecentralcharacter-thereaderenterstheworldofjaneeyreandistransportedthroughherexperiencesatfirsthand.thisatoncemakestheworksubjective,especiallysinceweknowthatcharlottesbrontesownlifeandexperiencesweresocloselyinterwovenwiththeheroine's.aswellasthiswelearnonlyattheendofthenovelthattheeventsarebeingrelatedtoustenyearsafterthereconciliationwithrochester-thusthenarrativeisretrospective(lookingback).cbiscleverinblendingthenarrativesothatattimesjaneseemstobespeakingasanadultwithadulthindsight,whileatothersshesheis"inthemiddle"ofthem,asachildoryoungwoman.theindecisionwhichisacentralissueinthebook,isheightenedbythisdevice.weneverknow,asreaders,whethertobeentirelytrustfulofjanesactionsandthoughts,becauseweareneversurewhehersheisspeakingimpulsivelyormaturely.thisintensifiesthereadersdilemmaastowhatis"right"and"wrong"inthedramaticrelationshipswhicharepartofje'slife.canwebelievewhattheheroinesays,orisshedeceivingherself?thenovelisprimarilyalovestoryanda"romance"wherewishescometruebutonlyaftertrialsandsuffering.thesupernaturalhasitsplace,asdodreams,portentsandprophesies.theheroinebeginspoorandlonelyandendsuprichandloved;theorphanfindsagoodfamilytoreplacethewickedone;allthebasicingredientsofclassicromanticfairytalearepresent.theromanticelementispresentintwoformsinjaneeyre;the"family"aspectisdealtwithinthegateshead,lowoodandmoorhouseepisodes,whichinvolvetheexchangingofthewickedreedfamilyforthebenevolentriversone;andtheloveromanceisdealtwithinthethornfieldandferndeanepisodes.bothaspectsare,ofcourselinkedandinterwoventhroughoutthenovel.thereisalsoastrongelementofrealisminthenovel,which,marriedtotheromanticaspect,enhancesthenovel'sstrength.thesenseofplaceisverystrong;weareabletoexperiencebothexteriorandinteriorsettingswithstartlingclaritythroughoutthestory,inaseriesofvividdeivepassages.thecentralcharactersarealsorealisticandtheirconfrontationsandsufferingschangetheminabelievableway.eventheunlikelyismadeplausible,withauniqueblendofhighdramaandperceptivelowcomedy(theattackonmason,forinstance)themorefantasticromanticaspects;thecoincidences;thesecrets;thesupernaturaloccurrences,arebalancedbytherealism,andthisisofcourseamajorstrength.thegothicinfluencecannotbeignored,althoughcbhasrefinedthetechniqueconsiderablyfromthe"authentic"gothicofthe1790's.intheoriginalgenre,theheroinewouldtypicallybeabductedandthreatenedwithseduction,orworse!.therewouldbealover-arespectable,well-bredyoungman-whowouldendeavortorescuetheheroineandwouldsucceedaftermanytrial.theseducerwouldbeabrigand"knowthatiadorecorsairs!"andhewouldlockthegirlupinaremotecastle.the