Does money make the world go round? To the romantic, it would be the most repulsive idea, but realistically, it kind of does. As exemplified in Jane Eyre, and even in today's society, personal material wealth is part of what defines a person at first glance, no matter how much one denies it. A harsher reality met Jane during the Victorian period of her novel, where she, as both a woman and a low-class orphan, is oppressed and meets little equality from her peers. Her intellect and academic proficiency is overshadowed by the fact that she is penniless and without parents, and is scorned by her foster family. This carries on through her adulthood and even in her love life, where she must carefully seek a balance of financial and statutory independence, and romantic love from her would-be husband. Going back to modern times, even though the stigma is somewhat removed, there is still an unspoken stereotype of rich vs. poor.
Personally, I don't think money is evil. It's good, just as the saying goes "Greed is good." It is how we choose to utilize money and greed that gives them their respective value judgments.
-Lian C.
I think money was and is still important in society because one can gain many advantages when he or she is economically stable. Even though being economically stable is an advantage, they are ways to become successful without needing much wealth. For example, Jane was able to earn and education at Lowewood and become an indepented women with multiple talents. She used this to her advantage, unlike John Reed who was a spoiled boy, he became someone worthless that only succeeded in spending the family fortune. Today, many low-income students can still earn an education by asking for financial aid and scholarships.
ReplyDeleteCynthia Navarro
I agree with this post Lian. All Jane's decisions are based on monetary stabilitt.
ReplyDelete-Karissa C.
Lian, I totally agree with you that throughout the novel, monetary values plays such a significant role. From what you are born into plays a great role on how you will be treat your whole life and also who you will become in life.
ReplyDelete- Amanda Chavira
Lian, I agree with the viewpoints that you bring up in this blog entry. Oppression of lower classes by higher ones is a sad aspect of our society. The only thing separating these two classes is the amount of money they have; however, the upper classes manage to suppress the lower ones. However, it isn't the money itself that is to blame.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this post you have here, especially in the way you apply it to Jane, however, it also depends on what your world becomes centered around. Should you be centered around success and temporal values, this is most certainly the case. On the other hand, if you spend your life devoted to helping others and advancing not only your own life, but that of others, money is not your primary concern. In the end however, money does, at least in the macrospect, make the world go around, even with some slight variances from the path. Those deviations do not effect the whole of the situation, but just their own small part.
ReplyDeleteScott C.
If Greed is Good, than these judgements are okay in society....No. One should not be judged by money. Character should be the factor we judge people by. Money shouldnt be a source of status or position. It is just an object. Jane was respectful to her foster family until she couldn't handle it anymore. But her character was good and fair while her Foster mother's was not. I think that money should play no part in how we see people.
ReplyDelete-A. Mouser
I agree that money is important and that it is needed to survive. People feel too often that money is a touchy subject because either you have it or you don't and I don't feel that should be so. Money is a common thing, just like greed is a common thing. Everyone has it, some just have a little bit more of it then others.
ReplyDelete-C. Rodriguez
Your analysis of the novel is honest and well-put. I like how u relate the situations to the world today and highlight the inevitability of inequality due to human nature.
ReplyDelete~Vanessa S
I totally agree with your view point. Money can solve so many problems of our lives, and could have helped Tess' social position. She took the trip to the d'Urbervilles to help raise the status of her family. If she had been born with money, a majority of her problems would haven been eradicated and she would have been able to lead a regular teenager's life, instead of being forced to become an adult at a young age because she had to take raise her siblings. Although money cannot solve everything, it definitely helps.
ReplyDelete-Jehan T
so true. money can cause a person to become greedy for which their true colors are visible for all to see. i agree with your viewpoint on how money defines who we are and cannot just solve someone's problems even though people try to everyday. money can either help or hurt a person and their loved one.
ReplyDelete-nikki l.
The world completely revolves around money. Look at every aspect of life and money factors into it. Not saying that it is a problem but it is just the selfish nature of all human beings. Richard H
ReplyDeleteMoney is important and it's necessary. It can solve a lot of problems for people just by having it, but it can also cause many problems, which makes me doubt the "power of money". Money can only provide simple solutions to greed and desire, but some people tend to forget that money is only a tool for exchanging, not something that holds key to every problems they have. So yes, we have to be careful how to utilize it and not to overvalue its power!
ReplyDeleteChloe K.
True, all of Jane's decisions were based on monetary stability. But aren't ours today? Isn't everyday dedicated to earning a paycheck so we can put food on the table, buy our nice clothes, etc.? Perhaps for some at this age, but for others this won't be until they're older. Money, whether we like it or not, is a powerful thing... to the point where it can make or break you.
ReplyDelete-Kaylynn B