Aminah Alhindi

March 31, 2018

AP Literature- Period 8

Critical Reading Journal Reflection & Analysis Essay

Throughout the novel Jane Eyre, I’ve learned how to develop my critical and analytical

skills in both writing and reading. I learned a lot throughout the CRJ Journals by reflecting and

fixing my mistakes and I believe that this strategy will help benefit me in college.

As I started writing my CRJ journals I struggled being a critical and analytical writer. I

was used to summarizing what I read instead of being a critical and a reflective writer. I

struggled to create themes, meanings, and symbols. My strength was being an analytical reader

at first. I was an analytical reader by stating logical information about the readings instead of

thinking outside of the box. I continue to summarize throughout chapter one till four. And I

wanted to become a better writer.

Then, I start to strengthen my writing skills by using imagery and supporting it with

quotes. Throughout the journals I used imagery to explain symbols and used quotes to support

them. For instance, I use the red room, the nasty porridge that the girls at in school, fire, portraits,

chestnut tree, and the madwoman in the attic. I support the imagery I used for the red room and

how it had an affect on Jane Eyre by quoting, “I lifted my head and tried to look boldly round the

dark room: at this moment a light gleamed on the wall. Was it, I asked myself, a ray from the

moon penetrating some aperture in the blind? No; moonlight was still, and this stirred; while I

gazed, it glided up to the ceiling and quivered over my head. I can now conjecture readily that

this streak of light was, in all likelihood, a gleam from a lantern, carried by someone across the
lawn: but then, prepared as my mind was for horror, shaken as my nerves were by agitation, I

thought the swift-darting beam was a herald of some coming vision from another world. My

heart beat thick, my head grew hot; a sound filled my ears, which I deemed the rushing of wings:

something seemed near me; I was oppressed, suffocated: endurance broke down I uttered a wild,

involuntary cry I rushed to the door and shook the lock in a desperate effort.” This statement

supports my prediction that the red room has a tremendous effect on Jane because her uncle died

in the red room, and she believes that there are supernatural activity in the red room such as

ghosts. I care about how I remain to use imagery throughout my journals. Moreover, Rochester's

"mad women in the attic" represents his authority over women and it's a symbolic meaning of

how a man controls a woman in a marriage, and that's what Rochester was planning to do to

Jane. Jane not following Betha's previous actions with Rochester's marriage, and not marrying

Rochester, proves that she is a feminist and doesn't desire to depend on a man the rest of her life.

After, I start to improve in chapter fifteen. I start to strengthen my skills by being a

analytical, critical, and reflective reader. I become a critical reader by reading and going beyond

just understanding a text. I start evaluating the readings and I identify the text’s strengths and

weaknesses. Additionally, I become a analytical reader by using my skills to understand the

choices that the speakers and author make. I start to understand and analyze the characters

conflicts and arguments. Furthermore, I learn how to evaluate the evidence and reasoning in the

text and then observe how the language is used in the text, and its meaning and structure. Finally,

I become a reflective writer by reflecting the character’s actions and the actions that occurred

happened in order for the character to learn and progress. For instance, Jane was a naive and

inexperienced young girl and that was proven by her actions. For example, when she decides to
immediately go visit her cruel aunt before dying which is 100 miles away. Readers understand

that Jane is a naive girl because if she wasn't she wouldn't go see the women that spoiled her

childhood and didn't care for her. After all the cruel information Mrs. Reed let Jane know which

was that she disliked her because she was jealous of the way her husband treated his sister, she

tore the letter Jane's uncle was going to send her, and she ignored Mr. Reed's last wish before

dying, she still stayed at Lowood to support Mrs. Reed's daughters. Jane's inexperience and naive

actions has to do with her character, she is a compassionate and caring woman, and that stops her

from thinking about the negative outcomes. However, towards the middle of the novel Jane

develops by becoming more confident. Over time she has progressed as a character by defending

herself and stating her beliefs. In chapter 29 page 391, Jane states "You are mistaken in

supposing me a beggar. I am no begar; any more than yourself or your young ladies." Jane

criticises Hannah for judging her and Jane previously didn't have the courage to defend herself

when others used to criticizes her. Readers noticed that throughout the recent chapters Jane

developed more confidence by not letting anyone control her. This proves how I strengthened

my reflective skills throughout the journals.

Finally, throughout the last 20 Journals I learned how to predict what would happen in

the character’s life or experience. For instance, I knew that St. John would either fall in love with

Jane or be her cousin, and both of my predictions were right. Even though St. John didn’t fall in

love with Jane and just wanted to marry her, it still proves that my predictions were somehow

right. To add on, when Jane thought that she heard Rochester's voice in chapter 36, I knew that

she would use that as a reason to go to Thornfield. Furthermore, I continually use comments to
express my feeling towards a characters actions or experience whether in a negative or positive

way.

I learn how to become a critical, analytical, and reflective reader throughout writing my

CRJ notes. I learned new writing and reading skills that I hope can benefit me in college. In

college, my goal is to discover new strategies like I did while writing and reading Jane Eyre in

order to become a better writer.