Fire and ice are the central motifs of Jane Eyre, which Bronte first introduces us to in this passage. Bronte expresses fire as an emblem of Jane's passion which is "living, watching (and) consuming." Ice stiffens and restricts those it affects and throughout the novel is used in an attempt to control this fire, and in this excerpt symbolizes Mrs. Reed as she responds to Jane with coldness in an attempt to control her. The result of these two opposites is an explosion of feeling, passion and power that allows the reader to delve deeper into the character of Jane Eyre. The Red Room is the place that ignites Jane's passion. The Red Room is one of the great paradoxes of the novel because it parallels the ice in that it restricts Jane's freedom and imprisons her; However, this experience gives him the courage to stand up to his aunt. The fire that the Red Room lights in Jane allows her to jump the “containment lines”; break the bonds of her aunt that restrict her and achieve freedom. The Red Room becomes very symbolic of Jane's fight for freedom. Every time she suffers from there, Jane emotionally returns to the Red Room and adds fuel to the fire, as she remembers why she wants freedom from oppression. This passage shows how Mrs. Reed loses control of Jane. The passion born in Jane from her experience in the Red Room allows her to burn away the coldness and restrictions imposed by Mrs. Reed. Mrs. Reed still sees Jane through an "icy eye" at the beginning of this passage, and seeks to embarrass her by using a "tone with which a person might address an adult adversary (rather than one who is usually used towards a child). ". This is an attempt to remind Jane which of them is the adult, and so in the middle of paper......destroys Thornfield. While Jane lives in Thornfield, the place is consistent with a "lit, living, gazing, devouring heather crest" as her passion for love and kindness is fulfilled by Mr. Rochester. The place then dies when she leaves, and is still "the same crest, (just) black and destroyed after the flames die” when Bertha burns him In conclusion, the central motifs of fire and ice that shape the story are presented to the reader at the beginning of the play, through this passage. This gives real insight into Jane Eyre's character and her passionate nature, which is one of her natural strengths. This passion shapes many of her actions throughout the novel. Other characters who seek to dominate Jane react in s. Striving to control her with their emotional coldness Jane will not be controlled by anything that seeks to smother her fire...