5. Reread the following passages and complete the task that follows:
“And, ma’am,” he continued, “the laundress tells me some of the girls have two clean tuckers in the week: it is too much; the rules limit them to one.”
“Julia Severn, ma’am! And why has she, or any other, curled hair? Why, in defiance of every precept and principle of this house, does she conform to the world so openly—here in an evangelical, charitable establishment—as to wear her hair one mass of curls?”
“Naturally! Yes, but we are not to conform to nature; I wish these girls to be the children of Grace: and why that abundance? I have again and again intimated that I desire the hair to be arranged closely, modestly, plainly. Miss Temple, that girl’s hair must be cut off entirely; I will send a barber to-morrow.”
“(T)hree other visitors, ladies, now entered the room. They ought to have come a little sooner to have heard his lecture on dress, for they were splendidly attired in velvet, silk, and furs. The two younger of the trio (fine girls of sixteen and seventeen) had grey beaver hats, then in fashion, shaded with ostrich plumes, and from under the brim of this graceful head-dress fell a profusion of light tresses, elaborately curled; the elder lady was enveloped in a costly velvet shawl, trimmed with ermine, and she wore a false front of French curls.”
Analyze the author’s use of irony in describing Mr. Brocklehurst’s family in the second passage. How does the author contrast this description with Mr. Brocklehurst’s lecture to Miss Temple to provide social commentary on perceptions of class during this time?
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Charlotte Bronte executes an excellent usage of irony when Mr. Brocklehurst lectures Miss Temple followed by introducing his own family. He deems that the girls will be greedy and lustful if they are given more than one outfit, and two good meals. While his own family obviously has been very well fed their entire lives and were dressed in extremely elaborate clothing. While he spoke about Julia's hair naturally curling he deemed that it was inappropriate despite it being natural, thus she would have to have her hair cut off completely, even though it was completely acceptable for his own family to wear "a false front of French curls."
He was certain that these poor girls receiving "luxuries" that did not fit their class would spoil them. At least he used that as justification during his argument, which in itself was clearly ironic. Bronte clearly contrasted this description with Mr. Brocklehurst's lectures in order to clearly provide a social commentary on the hypocrisies possessed within perceptions of class during this time. If anybody dared step out of the 'norm' of their class they must have been blasphemous, and be spoiled, despite the higher class having access to things of greater luxuriousness every day of their lives. Yet, they would not be perceived in the same manner, obviously, they must have already been suitable for society if they did not deserve that kind of treatment. At least that's how a biased person would view oneself.
In society nobody wants to admit that their views may be hypocritical, or that they were possibly wrong. While people can easily criticize those in completely different circumstances, circumstances of which they may never have encountered thus may never begin to completely grasp, they can still figuratively tear them and their actions to shreds. While it may have been more prevalent during this time frame thus the focus of the author's social commentary, it is still a very relevant issue within today's society as well.
