In the gothic novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, there are many references to the imagery of fire and ice in the plot. The images of fire and ice alternately provide positive and negative implications and connotations. For example, these implications depend on a character's mood, the state of situations and their actions. Through Jane's character development, Brontë maintains the right balance between these images while preserving the character's thoughts. Bronte's use of fire and ice imagery describes not only Jane's emotions, but also the correlation between society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The imagery of fire creates multiple nuances in this novel. Some readers often associate fire with passion, rebellion, and anger, while others think of it as the warmth and comfort of home. Bronte uses exceptional fire imagery throughout Jane's development. This symbolism begins at Mrs Reed's house in Gateshead. Jane first describes Mrs. Reed, who is her aunt, and her family. The Reed family gathers around the fireplace, and then she even describes them as perfectly happy. However, Jane is isolated from the rest of the family and the warmth of the fire, "...she was lying on a sofa by the fire, and with her darlings around her." Furthermore, the Reed family considers Jane too wicked to benefit from this privilege: "she really must exclude me from privileges intended only for contented and happy little children." Bronte describes the panes as “protecting, but not separating…”. This winter landscape and the Reed family represent the cold, emotionless views of society. While fire is figuratively involved in illustrating rage over mistreatment, ice imagery is used to symbolize loneliness and desolation. Other relevant images of fire and ice are evoked in the scene where Jane is locked in the red room. The red piece is described as dark red and crimson, which are known colors of fire and heat. Jane describes the red room as very cold, saying, "I gradually became stone cold." When Mrs. Reed locks Jane in the red room, she also locks Jane's passionate nature with the cold emotion that tempers Jane's rage: "My heart beat hard, my head grew hot: a sound filled my ears...". Society wants people to act “normal,” and anyone who steps outside the box is considered “abnormal.” The piece represents Jane's passion and symbolizes how Jane's fiery personality stands out from society. Jane believes that if she were to follow society's norms by acting emotionless and cold, it would destroy her passion. So this scene illustrates the way society thinks how people should behave. Throughout the story, Bronte develops physical evidence that symbolizes Jane's struggle to balance fire and ice in order to survive, as the fiery nature that fuels Jane's passion is portrayed as repugnant in society. The first evidence is Mr. Rochester, who embodies the fire, which has the potential to burn and destroy Jane's life. After his first meeting with Mr. Rochester, many images of fire appear: "...they should have been avoided as one would avoid fire, lightning, or any other bright but unsympathetic thing." Rochester is not only the fire that creates heat but also represented as a temptation. Although Jane realizes the fire burning within her, she refuses Rochester)