The essays provided in the book are helpful when reading the novel, “Wide Sargasso Sea” for the reader to understand the character well known as Bertha Mason. Who was first introduced in the novel “ Jane Eyre”. Bertha is portrayed as mysterious and mentally unstable person in “Jane Eyre”. However the essays provide clarity to her condition and how she ended up in England as Mr. Rochester’s hidden wife who he locked away and forgot. Before she was known as Bertha Mason, she was Antoinette Cosway born to French creole parents who lived and owned land/plantation in Jamaica. Her family was white and had ownership over many African Americans before the freedom of  slaves in 1833. Therefore she faced racism and violence as a child, along with isolation and family loss. Bertha/ Antoinette is no longer just Mr. Rochester’s mentally insane wife to the reader but a victim of the Victorian era. Being born and raised in Jamaica allowed her to identify with the culture of the land. Instead of the post English colonial culture she belonged. Bertha/Antoinette unfortunately faces exclusion throughout her childhood from her parents, peers, and servants and it continues with Mr. Rochester as her husband. This book is an inside description on the economical, emotional, sexist treatment women endured from society and love ones during the 1800’s.

Melissa got up Monday morning, made breakfast for her son and got dress. After taking ten minutes to think about her outfit, put it on and headed out the door. On her walk she remembered she forgot her glasses and pencil case, but it was too late to turn back. She  walked towards the corner of her residence which is Hegeman street and made a right toward the L train station, the stop is New Lots, Brooklyn. On her walk she remembered she forgot her seeing glasses and pencil case, but it was too late to turn back. As Melissa proceed toward the train, it was raining, she notices the same people walking with her almost every morning, rushing to the train as if they were late. Melissa noticed that she got to the train station in one song on her ITunes list, then noticed how long the train would take to get to the station, which was five min. On the L train going toward 14th street which is 13 stops, it was crowded but she managed to find a seat. While sitting Melissa decides to reads her book Mrs. Dalloway until her destination to board the six train to 23st. While on the train 3 stops from her destination, this Caribbean man asks her if she knows what ethnomusicology means, it was early she replied “the study of cultural music such as drums what they were used for like war, weddings, and rituals”. The man was surprised that she knew the answer and said “I asked you because of your hair, glad you know”. As the man walked to the other side of the train, he began to sing and talk about the importance of the drum while making beautiful cultural sounds with his drum. Melissa was happy and relieved she knew the answer to his question while on a crowded train. At her destination , Melissa decides to run inside Dunkin Donuts for a mocha coffee fix before entering class.

The structures of personality consist of many aspect during childhood. Cultural characteristics and mental maps comes from growth and self-fulfillment like pleasure seeking energies. Sigmund Freud’s views on human personality is agreeable, due to the preconscious thoughts an individual experiences during childhood stages, which follows throughout adulthood. Freud’s states that emotions and biological urges are often internalized creating conflict within a child. According to Freud, the thoughts, wishes feeling and memories that individuals are aware of come from the unconscious mind.  He believed that in order for individuals to not act on these ideas that powerfully influence expression, the person must become aware of these trouble some feelings. Relationships are not the only predictive aspect of development but it forms and emotional foundation into the continued development of a parent -child relationship for healthy social relationships throughout their lifespan.

Freud’s thinking and research is helpful when understanding children’s development in relation to their personality. How a child is raised and cared for can have a huge impact on their personality later on during their existence. As the brain and mind develops in children, so do their social, emotional and moral behavior. Freud speaks of children longing to be free from parents and replacing them with others of higher social standards calling it “ child’s envy”. This creates expression of ignorance and function for satisfying the (ID) gratification of physical desires right away. I observed these findings from Freud’s research throughout my son, brothers, cousins and nephews development. Freud’s findings of conflicting tendencies that children go through provides a manual for parents to take better care of their children’s need mentally and physically.

The lives of Jane Eyre and Emily Dickinson relate in many ways even though the eras they belong to we’re ten years apart. Dickinson and Eyre share a life of isolation and suppression.  In the poem “ The Soul selects her own Society” by Emily Dickinson she speaks of acceptance and privilege. Longing to belong and feel free and not oppressed by groups of class. Jane was worthy of changing her world of class and did not care that she was the governess of Thornfield. She fell in love with Mr Rochester and always wanted more out of her life as a women. In chapter seventeen, Jane is drawing a portrait of the known concubine to Mr. Rochester, Blanche, who is talked about often due to her arrival at Thornfield that’s   coming up. As she picks up chalk the thoughts of this woman Blanche could be a considered the opposite of how Jane sees herself. At the end of the second paragraph Jane states “ Blanche, an accomplished lady of the rank” giving the reader the feeling of discouragement according to appearance and social class. “The soul selects her own society, then , shuts the door” Dickinson’s words and poetry speak volumes when compared to Jane and the way she feels about her life. What’s she urges for which she never let go of her whole existence, even  through torment and extreme depression which started as a child. The poem that Dickinson wrote is duplication of the way Jane feels about her life socially.

Audre Lorde, writes of the importance of speaking up and not being silent to any aspect of a person’s life, especially women. Black women and the “submissive women” known in the Victorian era. These two women have many things in common, primarily oppression. Jane Eyre was forced into oppression and separation as a child. Jane understood the importance of her silence in society. Jane was constantly in fear; the red room, aunts and cousins that was abusive And living in an all girls school defined her dehumanization and torment.

Lorde’s silence was abusive to her, living with thoughts that want to reveal itself is very oppressive. We are too safe with the right of “ free speech”, it’s essential to speak up and face the power of conversation and debate. Lord states that knowledge is power, learning our own fears will create liberation and freedom within ourselves for security. The understanding of growth through life is connected to our childhood and experiences.

The separation from Helen and Mr. Reed was crucial losses for Jane to experience at such a young age. Jane also lived in poverty during her stay at the institution for young girls, she also developed a pattern of creating a cover for her emotions and bottled up thoughts to escape destruction. However, Lorde faces the challenge of being herself while using her voice to filter her feelings for self-revelation. As a child to experience no concern from family and to be abused physically and mentally created a blueprint for her adulthood. The fear is what we hold on to and the feelings oppress us as individuals to the extension of our character. In comparison to Jane, we create the comfort without speech to live on.

Melissa Derrick

Chapter 12 reflection:

Jane Eyre is comfortable at Thornfield, and her thoughts allow her to feel many emotions within her new residence. Jane strolls through Thornfield for clarity and relief of her reality. Imagination gives her the emotion she has yet to experience. And also reasoning with herself on her past and present.  Jane’s suffering stems from society’s take on her appearance , her gender and class of person. However her past experiences have oppressed her in a way of becoming nonexistent. She admiring when finding a way out of her demise by self education and imagination. Jane floats away from reality with the help of books and the views of nature that she’s surrounded by.  She is teaching a young girl named Adele to be intelligent and understanding. Jane also feels responsible for Adele’s welfare while Mrs. Fairfax is turning out to be just what she perceived.  Her state of confusion came from seeing Mr. Rochester for the first time and telling him, her position at Thornfield as a governess without knowing who he was.

Melissa Derrick

(This is a picture taken by Charlene Collins  of Jamaica, St Elizabeth Black River)

Looking at this landscape of Black River Jamaica, all I can think about is my culture and heritage. A sublime aspect would be emotions and advanced thinking on what’s before you in nature.  My river runs deep like the body of water that flows through my country and endless thoughts of progress cross my mind. This picture is inspiring to understanding my evolution of who I am, where I would like to go with my life. I was born in Brooklyn New York City. Both of my parents are of West Indian, Jamaican descent. My Grandparents migrated to NYC in the 1900 for a better living and a taste of the American dream.

This picture of my origin allows me to strive for more knowing that I’m capable of many great things. In the past, it was hard for black people to own houses or businesses,  however my grandparents managed to buy a house in 1969 and establish businesses such as a church, dry cleaners & tailor shop while working . I must say, my Grandparents did very well. That’s what I call an accomplishment, coming from a country with a few opportunities. They made my family’s future brighter working hard and overcoming diversity as Caribbean immigrants they were never held back. Growing up here was hard but exciting, they say “A tree grows in Brooklyn,” this city taught me a lot. Brooklyn New York is where my story begins, and just like the  Black River it doesn’t end here. When you step into the river, you never step in the same water twice. The river is constantly moving and the mind is always looking for understanding, we will never be the same do to progress. How deep does your river run ?

Melissa Derrick                                                                   Prof. Hussey

Feb. 02, 2017                                                                       English 2850

            The quest for understanding originated in the enlightenment era, due to the concern of rationalizing explanations and understanding nature. In the excerpt ‘The Enlightenment in Europe and the Americas”, the writing indicates a need to explore the evidence and provide rational explanations concerning nature. Individual thought, provided an upgraded pathway to education in science, math, economics and medicine. Uniquely, we are completely dependent on resources provided rather than finding out the truth, and going back in time, mind and thought has handicapped society. Modern values of truth should latch on to knowledge from the root and not the branch.

         In today’s society we will look for truth from professionals and not from ourselves. For example, individuals looking for spirituality turn to the churches and preachers for truth. Others turn to hierarchies instead of the discovery of oneself. The central aspects of enlightenment are the reasons we seek understanding for everything. The laws of nature, politics and the progress of human development, societies and culture are all central thoughts of enlightenment. Furthermore, enlightenment typically destroyed the ritual of unearthly kings and introduced democracy with human rights. In the eighteenth century religion was not important, it was implemented in society through politics. Enlightenment provided an outlet for individual thought about all-embracing intelligence and yet it destroyed unaware civilizations with abuse, slavery and misfortune.

       As a matter of fact, we acquire great knowledge and enhanced civilization because of the enlightenment era. By creating justice systems, educational opportunities, principles to follow within an effective industrial economy proven that thought is prosperous. This fluctuation of social class contributed to limitless women that exercises free verbalism to show their talents other than the submissive role society offered. Society gained branches of foundations for the way we think today, rooting from the enlightenment era and the people that contributed to this period in time.