Books Quote by Ian Gregor
““The first unanalysed impression that most readers receive from Jane Eyre is that it has a very violent atmosphere. If this were simply the effect of the plot and the imagined events then sensation novels like Walpole's The Castle of Otranto or Mrs Radcliffe's The Mystery of Udolpho ought to produce it even more powerfully. But they do not. Nor do they even arouse particularly strong reader responses. Novelists like Charlotte Brontë or D. H. Lawrence, on the other hand, are able quite quickly to provoke marked reactions of sympathy or hostility from readers. The reason, apparently, is that the narrator's personality is communicating itself through the style with unusual directness.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, 1847
The novel’s style conveys intense emotion, making readers feel strong sympathy or hostility, unlike other sensation novels.
In simple terms: The narrator’s personality makes the story emotionally powerful.
Key Takeaway
Notice how narrative voice shapes emotional impact.
Themes
literature
emotion
narrative voice
reader response
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
critical
interpretive
When to use this quote
- reading classic literature
- writing workshops
- literary criticism
- teaching English
Key Concepts
psychology of perception
stylistic analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- How does narrative voice affect your engagement?
- Can style override plot in evoking feelings?
A Different Perspective
Style alone may not guarantee emotional depth without skilled narration.
