Ethnomusicology: Developments of Māori Music

Ethnomusicology: Developments of MÄ ori Music Music in Context A: Ethnomusicology Discuss some of the more recent social, cultural and technological developments that have informed studies in ethnomusicology Introduction For this essay I will be focusing on the MÄ ori people of New Zealand, and looking at the changes and developments in both their traditional music and that of their modern popular culture, much of which is adopted from American and European sources. I will include the work of several ethnomusicologists who have experience in the areas of MÄ ori music, modern New Zealand popular culture, and American rap music and its sphere of influence. The MÄ ori people Have had their own traditional songs since they first inhabited New Zealand. However, there have been changes to the cultural situation of the music and how it is received by both the white public and MÄ ori youth. In this essay I will focus on three points, the transcendence of MÄ ori traditional music, the changes made as a reaction to this and the influence of other modern genres and styles, specifically American rap, to discuss these changes and how they have informed ethnomusicology either positively or negatively. In doing so I hope to show that a vibrant musical continuum is working in New Zealand youth culture, informed by both their traditions and outside influences, and yet is making original new music because of this. Song loss and researching traditional music The MÄ ori have inhabited New Zealand since the 14th century when they arrived from other Pacific islands seeking new lands to migrate to and cultivate. It is hard for an ethnomusicologist to find or have found any songs surviving from the earliest parts of MÄ ori history, for several reasons. Firstly, as many MÄ ori songs are to do with traditions and practices, when those traditions or practices become obsolete or go out of use, then the songs will be lost with them.For example, when canoes started to be replaced with sail ships, all songs about canoeing were either lost, or modified to talk about sail ships instead. Secondly, because of superstitious beliefs, many songs have restricted performances, where only certain members of the tribe or community are allowed to attend and listen or join in. This also limits the number of MÄ ori who will learn theses songs, as they are taught purely by oral tradition. The teaching itself is a point of interest, as traditionally the folk songs of MÄ ori are taught in a very strict sense,as they are not meant to change organically or be re-interpreted, apart from if the community as a whole learns a new version in line with a new meaning, as with the canoe/sail ship example above. In most cases, the songs will be passed down through generations, preserved as accurately as possible, which would in fact make it easy for an ethnomusicologist to discover these antiques of folk song. However, these traditions were cut abruptly short by the intervention of European missionaries. The missionaries were accepted to a degree by MÄ ori curiosity, and arrived decades before the treaty of Waitangi in 1840,which signified the taking of New Zealand by the English under queen Victoria and the official surrender of the MÄ ori as a people (though conflict did continue for years). These missionaries took it upon themselves to educate the seemingly primitive MÄ ori tribes in every aspect of Christian and European ideals. This included their music, as the Europeans found their traditional folk chants ‘idolatrous, ‘indecent and even ‘lascivious.The missionaries set about their task quickly, so much so that by 1830, a letter sent from a missionary to his brother-in-law at home in England read; Quietness and good order has succeeded to their native wildness; we never hear anything of their songs or dances. In place of their traditional music, the missionaries taught them hymns and church music. In doing so, they also taught the rudiments of western music theory, which they encouraged the MÄ ori to adopt as their new musical language. This meant that many new MÄ ori songs were created, using traditional words and stories, but with diatonic harmonies that made them listenable and distinguishable to a European ear.Though this was widely acknowledged and followed through to the MÄ oris own teaching, some traditional songs were kept hidden and secreted in both MÄ ori text collections and those of curious westerners. One such was John McGregor, a guard of captured MÄ ori warriors held in a beached hulk at Auckland harbour. John ‘collected and later published a large number of songs written down by the captives.He could be said to have been one of the first to research and record MÄ ori traditional music, yet this white interest in the music did not start to reappear until t he twentieth century. This change occurred on a grand scale over the next century, and to this day MÄ ori music is seen as synonymous with hymns and European-based melodies. This view has been widely held by the white general public for all of the twentieth century, though many MÄ ori know it not to be entirely accurate. Ethnomusicologist Mervyn Mclean stated that among the public at large, however, such songs are a mostly hidden tradition.A revival of the MÄ ori culture began in the 1960s, dubbed the MÄ ori renaissance,and with it came both the technology and the motivation to record and preserve the traditional songs that were left among the populace. This made the job of collecting and studying MÄ ori music a lot easier for ethnomusicologists, as up until this utilisation of new recording technology, they had been hard pressed to source singers and songs out. Mclean mentions that ‘preparations for fieldwork took an inordinate amount of timein the late 1950s, and mentions that without th e huge advantage of meeting several willing MÄ ori Elders I would not have had the resources to survive in the field. Changes and modern learning The traditional MÄ ori song forms, as well as being non-diatonic as previously stated, were in fact completely incompatible with western tonal language. Though the melodies sung could be transcribed into musical notation, they were not in a fixed time signature or particular key as we would understand it. The lack of harmonic movement mystified witnesses to performances in the nineteenth century, as the MÄ ori music relied more on repetition, both rhythmic and harmonic, and different performance approaches by different singers, for the colour and variety in their music.

Last poem Essay

Dogen was greatly surprised by the fact that making a strong accent on the study of koan Chinese masters did not teach their disciples Buddhist sutras, which made the core study in Buddhist monasteries in Japan (Tanahashi, 5). Dogen’s discontent with the style of teaching became even a reason of his refusal to take Dharma transmission from one of the masters. In 1225 Dogen decided to leave Rinzai school of Chan Buddhism and started his journey in order to visit Ru-jing, whose style of Zen teaching differed from ones which disenchanted Dogen. Ru-jing was the thirteenth patriarch of Soto lineage of Zen Buddhism. During that time he lived at Tiantong Mountain in Nongbo. Soto school, presented by Ru-jing made an accent on sitting meditation, or zazen. In general it used much softer methods than Rinzai School did. Studying Zen with Ru-jing Dogen has finally reached enlightenment of mind and body. The legends state that he finally reached liberation after hearing the Master’s words: â€Å"Cast of body and mind† (Tanahashi). These words became especially meaningful for Dogen and he later used them in many his writings. As he states in one of his works: †To study the Way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be enlightened by all things of the universe. To be enlightened by all things of the universe is to cast off the body and mind of the self as well as those of others. Even the traces of enlightenment are wiped out, and life with traceless enlightenment goes on forever and ever† (Kim, 195). In 1227 Dogen received Dharma transmission from Ru-jing and finally admitted that he has reached the answer for the question of all his life. Dogen was greatly influenced by his teacher Ru-jing. All Dogen’s religious philosophy is marked by two major tendencies. The first peculiarity of all Dogen’s teaching is his attachment to Buddhism tradition and second one is a strong accent on individual search. These tendencies can be traced not only in Dogens’s books but also in his lifestyle. Dogen did not reject traditional Buddhism. He only wanted people to give critical evaluation of its doctrines and principles. Dogen criticized competition among different schools of Zen because they were tiring Buddhism to pieces. He proclaimed identity of faith and believed it could have been found in Soto Zen. He did not even want to apply the name Zen for his sect and did his best to follow his teacher’s lifestyle living without attachment to anything. In 1228, after reaching enlightenment, Dogen returned to Japan. He came back to ti Kennin-ji, a monastery where he spent several years learning from Eisai and his successors. After coming back he wrote a detailed description of sitting mediation called Zazen. The manual was called Fukan Zazengi, which can be translated as â€Å"Universally Recommended Instruction for Zazen. † His teaching appealed to many people and he gathered a lot of adherents around himself. After some time he had to leave Kennin-ji because of tension, which arouse inside the Tendai community. This tensions with caused by the desire of Buddhist leaders to suppress new forms of Buddhism, including Zen. Dogen left Kinnin-ji temple in 1230 and moved to empty temple situated to the south from Kyoto in the place called Uji (Tanahashi , 40). Dogen founded small temple in this place and soon this temple grew into Kosho-Hirniji Temple. The tension between Dogen and Tangai community did not stop, though. That is one of the reasons Dogen gladly accepted Hatano Yoshishige’s proposition to relocate to Echizen province, located far from Kyoto. After relocation Dogen’s disciples built a new center for Zen practice and called it Daibutsuji Temple. Dogen later renamed this center to Eihei-ji. This temple remains one of the most popular Zen temples in modern Japan. Dogen spent all his further life living and teaching in this temple. Shogun regent Hojo Tokiyori invited Dogen to come and teach him Zen in 1247. Dogen accepted this invitation and made a long journey to Kamakura in order to meet Shogun and retuned to Eihei-ji the next year. In 1252 Dogen became seriously ill and after realizing that he was not going to recover he gave his robes to his favorite disciple Koun Ejo. This way Koun Ejo became Abbot of Eihei-ji. After appointing Koun Ejo an abbot Dogen left for Kyoto looking for remedies from his illness. The remedy was not found and Dogen died in 1953. Soon before death he wrote his last poem.

Health and Social introduction Essay

The sector that I have chosen to write my report on is ‘children and young people’, I chose this sector because I am hoping to work with children when I am older. The client group is children who are 2 – 4 year old(Nursery age) the care setting will be nurserys in England. The work of the sector Nurseries provide full day care and education for children from as young as six weeks to pre-school five year olds. Day nurseries are different from nursery schools and can be privately run, community, council or workplace services. They all must be registered and regulary inspected by Oftsed though and must comply with the guidlines of how much staff there should be to children(for under two’s, one carer to three children; two to three year olds, one carer to four children; three to five year olds, one carer to eight children). All staff there must have or must be working towards the relevant qualifications in children. The care setting and client group The purpose of a nursery is to provide care for those under the legal school age(5). The care may be needed if the parents work or if the parents just want their child to get used to been around other children of similar age so they can get their confidence up. In a nursery there will usually be between 10 and 26 children in it depending how big or small it is. Nurseries are more likely to be in a rural area because families with children will more likely live there, any care setting for children in Urban areas will more likely be private care. Facilites in a nursery : Nurseries will have a lot of many factilites that are suitable for the children, there will be a mix of play areas which are an important part of the childs development in the nursery years. There will possible be a soft play area for younger children, plenty of toys(suitable for the ages) a sand pit and/or a water pit for them to, depending on the age the nursery accepts though. They may even have an outside area for play which would be best for the oldest children in the nursery, the outside area would have tricicles(maybe) and possibly Jungle-Jim equipment that the children can play on. Inside they are likely to have a small reading area(where the children will sit down on the carpet like they do in reception). Toilets, possibly a changing room depending on the ages the nurseries accepts. They may have a small kitchen or an upstairs caffeteria if connected to a school. The differet practicioners : Manager, deputy manager, room leaders(depending on how big the nursery is), workers, volunteers, special education needs coordinator(senco). If the nursery is big they will possible have a cook and maybe an administrator. The clients will only meet the room leaders, workers, volunteers(as these are the ones who look after/teach the children) and maybe the senco depending on if they need one. The manager and deputy manager are there to make sure that the nursery runs smoothly and that they keep to the standards expected of them(buying supplies, keeping in contact with parents). The room leader is there to be in charge of a certain room in the building, these are only needed for the bigger nurseries.

Symbolism - 1922 Words

All authors of famous short stories want their reader to be engaged in their readings. Most authors have their own unique and different ideas brought into their text. That’s what I think symbolism means in terms of English Literature. It is creating the background for us readers. The author wants us to connect the dots in the story. When the author makes the connection, we are more engaged and interested in what else he has to write. Most symbols used in literature are objects used to represent other things or ideas. There are several ways to recognize symbolism in literature. One of common ways is the frequency an object or character is mentioned in a piece of literature. If it is mentioned often, it is probably important. (Jones) Another†¦show more content†¦Charlotte began to understand her roles of wife and mother as the root causes of her depression. Subsequently, she separated from Charles and eventually divorced him. Charlotte published The Yellow Wallpaper, a fictional short story based on her experience with the rest cure, in 1892. Katharine Beecher Stetson, as she grew older, came to resent her mother for what she saw as her abandonment. Likewise, Charlotte was critical of herself for this decision as well, as part of her wanted to fulfill the motherly role successfully, to give Katharine all the love she had never received from her own mother. However, her aspirations as a writer and lecturer superseded any goal of traditional womanhood. â€Å"The Yellow Wall-paper† is about a woman who suffers from mental illness after three months of being closeted in a room by her husband for the sake of her health. She becomes obsessed with the room s revolting yellow wallpaper. The narrator in the story must do as her husband, who is also her doctor, demands, although the treatment he prescribes contrasts directly with what she truly needs — mental stimulation and the freedom to escape the monotony of the room to which she is confin ed. The Yellow Wall-paper was essentially a response to the doctor who had tried to cure her of her depression through a rest cure, Dr. Silas Weir Mitchell, and she sent him a copy of the story. Towards the end of Gilman’s life, she was diagnosed with Breast cancer. She then committedShow MoreRelatedThe Symbolism of the Birches839 Words   |  4 Pagestemporary channel of escape from the world and its harsh realities. The speaker uses his imagination to return to his innocent childhood. He hopes to relieve stress and prepare to face life and reality once again. Frost predominantly uses imagery and symbolism to emphasize the main ideas of the poem, but also uses other methods such as tone, figures of speech, rhythm, and poem structure. The entire idea of bent birch trees acts as a symbol representing life, the speaker s denial towards reality, andRead MoreSymbolism in a Rose for Emily1508 Words   |  7 PagesOctober 2015 Word Count: 1,305 Small Signs Symbolism in literature is using an object to portray a different, deeper meaning in a story. Symbols represent ideas or qualities that the author has maneuvered into his or her story that has meaning. There can be multiple symbols in a story or just one. It is up to the reader to interpret the meaning of the symbols and their significance to the story. In â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, William Faulkner effectively uses symbolism to illustrate the fading glory of the OldRead MoreSymbolism in â€Å"Cats† and â€Å"Shiloh†597 Words   |  2 PagesJill McCorkle, along with Bobbie Ann Mason often use the symbolism of a short story to further the meaning of the piece. In the short story â€Å"Shiloh†, Mason uses Leroy and Norma Jean to exhibit a further meaning of the story by effectively using symbolism. In addition to â€Å"Shiloh†, McCorkle also uses symbolism in her story â€Å"Cats† to symbolise how cats can be related to humans in multiple ways. McCorkle describes the relationship between two cats, Pumpkin Pie and Possum, and their two human counterpartsRead MoreSymbolism in The Lottery Essay802 Words   |  4 Pagessentence is written with a unique purpose often using symbolism. Her use of symbols not only foreshadow its surprise and disturbing ending but allows the reader to evaluate the communitys pervert traditional rituals. She may be commenting on the season of the year and the grass being â€Å"richly green† or the toying with the meanings of the characters names but each statement applies to the meaning and lesson behind her story. As far as symbolism in objects, the most prominent and often mentioned isRead MoreSymbolism In The Things They Carried1368 Words   |  6 Pagesevery day? Everybody carries things that symbolize who they are or where they are from. Those things may be heavy, light, or even things that you cannot see. In the short story â€Å"The Things They Carried† by Tim O’Brien, he introduces a lot of symbolism in every object mentioned, many of them you can see, some you can’t see. In this short story, the narrator tells of the burdens carried by each soldier and the meanings of these things to the men. The things they carried described in detail theRead MoreSymbolism And Symbolism Of Everyday Use By F. Scott Fitzgerald1686 Words   |  7 Pagesstory, in other scenarios things like a person’s personality or features can mean more than what they seem. For example, the dove is a symbol of peace. Also a red rose or even the color red stands for romance. This liter ary technique is called symbolism; symbolism is a form of communication used to convey information through the use of symbols. Often, symbols are embedded in larger images so one must read in-between the lines to better understand a deeper meaning of the symbol. The short story â€Å"EverydayRead MoreSymbolism in The Storm Essay624 Words   |  3 PagesSymbolism in â€Å"The Storm† â€Å"The Storm†, written by Kate Chopin in 1898, examines the uncontrollable desires of a young wife, lured into the arms of her past lover as her husband and son are caught in a storm. Bobinà ´t and four-year-old Bibi are running errands when the storm suddenly hit. Bobinà ´t’s wife, Calixta was at home sewing when she noticed the severe storm happening outside. When Calixta went outside to gather some clothing, her old lover Alcà ©e asked for shelter during the storm. ThroughRead MoreA And P Symbolism Essay877 Words   |  4 Pages Symbolism is the use of symbols that help represent ideas or qualities. In literature, authors use symbolism to illustrate a specific mood or emotion through the use of objects or characters. Symbolism helps engage the readers to predict and analyze certain meanings presented in the story instead of just reading it. The two short stories, â€Å"A and P† written by John Updike and â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† written by Nathaniel Hawthorne both showcase and convey symbolism throughout their writing. Read MoreSymbolism in the Secret Lion724 Words   |  3 PagesSymbolism in The Secret Lion The Secret Lion, written by Alberto Rios, is a short story rich in symbolism. The lion, or more specifically a secret lion, the arroyo, or river, and the grinding ball are all symbols used in the story to reinforce the theme of coming of age. The first and most obvious symbol in the story is the lion, or more specifically, the secret lion. It is not a literal lion. The lion of the story represents things that are big and the secret of it is that it is unexplainedRead MoreSymbolism in Whitmans Poem2611 Words   |  11 PagesSymbolism in Whitman’s Poems A number of influences operated upon Walt Whitman (1819-1892) from childhood which inspired him to become a poet. His father’s democratic ideas went a long way towards making him a poet of democratic ideals. He expressed his ideas about democracy, love, sex, mysticism and science in his poems. While expressing his ideas he used symbols from nature, such as grass, plants, birds and heavenly bodies, enabling readers to understand his ideas clearly. â€Å"Indirection is an

The Significance Of The Apostle Paul s Noteworthy...

Many people and events have helped bring Christianity to where it stands on a world scale. From Constantine to the roman crusades, Christianity has been evolved into one of the most paramount religions amongst the world today. While scholars debate the significance of the apostle Paul’s essentiality to Christianity, his noteworthy conversion, affiliation with the New Testament, and his missional mindset to evangelize, has had a considerable impression on christians for centuries. Paul’s conversion is pivotal because its the start of a transformation by the blood of Jesus Christ. The most influential portion of Paul’s life is his conversion from a persecuted to an evangelizing missionary. Paul, in his early life was remembered as religiously zealous, a merciless attacker, and an unyielding persecutor of the early church. It’s in Acts chapter 9 that one begins to see just how ruthless Paul truly was, â€Å"Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder agai nst the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest† ( New King James Version, Ac. 9.1) Before starting his travel, Paul had appealed for letters from the high priest to be sent to the synagogues in Damascus, requesting permission to imprison any Christians and to bring them back to Jerusalem. While on his way to Damascus, The Lord revealed Himself to Paul by a bright light. Paul response is crucial to the impact of this story, â€Å"So he, trembling and astonished, said, â€Å"Lord, what do You want me to do?†Ã¢â‚¬  ( Ac. 9.6). This

Global Assessment of Biodiversity and the Anthropogenic...

The global assessment of biodiversity and the anthropogenic impacts on them should be an urgent priority for conservation biologists. Though overhunting, introduced species, habitat destruction, trophic cascades and climate change (evil quintet) are known to be the potential anthropogenic threats that are likely to drive extinctions in the future (Diamond 1984, Brook et al. 2008), more frequently, conservation biologists have focused their attention on visible threats like habitat destruction, in comparison with invisible threats like overhunting (Galetti Dirzo 2013). Traditional biodiversity assessments often ignore hunting pressure though they are aware of its presence, or classify into ways (e.g., heavy, moderate or low hunting) that are unsuitable for auditing by other researchers (Galetti Dirzo 2013). For example, what might be classified as heavy hunting pressure by one biologist can be classified as low hunting pressure by another. Moreover, also within the hunting classific ations of a biologist, what is the difference between heavy, moderate and low hunting pressure? The use of different standards makes auditing of hunting pressure difficult. Here we ask how to measure the intensity of hunting pressure. Knowing this answer will help us better understand the effects of hunting on biodiversity loss and set conservation priorities more efficiently. Flight initiation distance (FID) is the distance between prey and the predator/hunter when animal begins to flee. IfShow MoreRelatedThe Debate On Global Climate Change1605 Words   |  7 PagesThe debate on global climate change argues that human-generated greenhouse gas emissions are too small to substantially change the earth’s climate and that the planet is capable of absorbing those increases. It is contended that warming over the 20th century resulted primarily from natural processes such as fluctuations in the sun s heat and ocean currents. But the theory of human-caused global climate change is based on questionable measurements, faulty climate models, and misleading science. InRead MoreSustaining Himalayas1694 Words   |  7 Pagesfeeding perennial rivers that are the source of drinking water, irrigation, and hydropower, conserving biodiversity, providing a rich base for high value agriculture, and spectacular landscapes for sustainable tourism. The Himalayan eco system is vulnerable and susceptible to the impacts and consequences of a) changes on account of natural causes, b) climate change resulting from anthropogenic emissions and c) developmental paradigms of the modern society. The Himalayas house one of the largest resourcesRead MoreClimate Change and Evolution Essay1060 Words   |  5 PagesClimate Change and Evolution The ecological consequences of global climate change are expected to be drastic although not much is known as to how individual species will react to these changes. Irrespective of the causes of climate change, whether anthropogenic or natural, it is imperative that we address these concerns, as they will have widespread impacts on the human species, both directly and indirectly through forcings on other species. The climate is not expected to shift evenly and theRead MoreClimate Change Is Caused By Human Activities1975 Words   |  8 PagesAccording to the new Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2013, in Southeast Asia, temperature has been increasing at a rate of 0.14 to 0.20 degree Celsius per decade since the 1960s while rainfall from extreme rain days has increased by 10 millimeters per decade. Both of these increments are caused by climate change. In addition to increase of temperature and extreme precipitations, climate change also increases landslides, exacerbates soil erosion, causesRead MoreThe Impact Of Multiple Actions On The Environment2123 Words   |  9 Pagesenvironmental impact from a single action is often insignificant, and in reality, it is the numerous minor impacts from multiple actions that cause the greatest environmental harm (Dales 2011, Franks et al. 2012, DNRM 2013, Finlayson et al. 2008, Neville 2009, Sonter et al. 2013). These are referred to as cumulative impacts, â€Å"the successive, incremental, and combined impacts of multiple actions on the environment† (Dales, J 2011). There are four characteristics of cumulative impacts as summarizedRead MoreThreats to Bioreserves4807 Words   |  20 PagesAbstract Eight global crises – human economy, climate change, exponential human population growth, ecological overshoot, biotic impoverishment and the reduction of biodiversity, renewable resource depletion, energy allocation, and environmental refugees – affect each other and affect and are affected by the biosphere. Some, perhaps all, are close to tipping points that, if tipped, will result in irreversible change. And yet, no sense of urgency is apparent. If any one of the eight interactive crisesRead MoreEconomic Impact Of The Fossil Fuel Industry1497 Words   |  6 Pagesemissions, allowing the use of domestically available supplies of fossil fuels . This can lead to huge cost savings. NETs such as bio char, AR, wetland restoration, SCS and BECCS are estimated to be more cost effective than mitigation methods; some of them being available at costs below $100/tC02 . These NETs being biological processes are also associated with lower risks as opposed to chemical process and earth system manipulations. Independence from source of emissions and energy infrastructure impliesRead MoreThe Ecologist s Guide On Habitat Loss2336 Words   |  10 Pageswhole has felt anthropogenic effects due to increased human presence and impacts such as habitat loss. Habitat loss is the process of damage and eventual destruction in some cases of ecosystems on a local and global scale which result in them not being able to systematically support the species present due to displacement or destruction which successively reduces biodiversity of endemic species. Habitat loss and fragmentation have been known to be the greatest threats to biodiversity worldwide. TheRead MoreClimate Change Is A n Undeniable And Unavoidable Reality1661 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction â€Å"Climate change will force millions of people to flee their homes over the coming century† (Docherty Giannini et al. 2010). Global climate change has become an undeniable and unavoidable reality. In its latest assessment report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the international body that provides the most comprehensive reports dealing with the science of climate change, has established that warming of the climate system is ‘unequivocal’. Additionally, it concludes thatRead MoreChallenges Of Biodiversity Conservation And Associated Ecosystem Functions3347 Words   |  14 Pages‘Challenges to biodiversity conservation and associated ecosystem functions’ Word Count: 2,821 1. Introduction As defined by the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) biodiversity is â€Å"the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and ecological complexes of which they are not part, diversity within species and of ecosystems† (IUCN, 2000). The continued growth of human populations and per capita consumption have resulted

Christianity Portrayed in Jane Eyre free essay sample

There is a difference between spirituality and religion, and Bronte presents this to readers through her novel. In times of despair and difficulty, Jane turns and relies on the God in whom she believes. As with any religion, Christianity is the faith of many people, sometimes labeled â€Å"good†, and sometimes labeled â€Å"bad† by society. Jane Eyre is a novel that portrays the genuine, as well as hypocritical aspects of Christianity and varying members of the faith. It seeks to honestly tell the story of a woman from childhood to adulthood as she encounters Christianity in different situations and environments, including the positive and negative aspects. Jane Eyre is as much of an anti-Christian novel as a pro-Christian novel, as it is a genuine representation of a frank experience with the Christian faith. While Bronte does promote the spiritual awareness of the protagonist in some situations, she does make a point to criticize some aspects of the Christian religion in other points. Brocklehurst, the headmaster of Lowood, where a young Jane attends school, acts as the epitome of religious hypocrisy and severity. Upon meeting the small Jane, Brocklehurst is already presented as a hard-hearted and insensitive man. After admitting that she is not interested in the book of Psalms in the Bible, Mr. Brocklehurst rebukes her and proclaims, â€Å"That proves you have a wicked heart; and you must pray to God to change it—to give you a new and clean one—to take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh† (Bronte 32). This harsh manner is the one Brocklehurst assumes the rest of the novel, as he oppressively resides over the all girls’ school whilst withholding vital resources he labels â€Å"comforts† and institutes general regulations of frugality even as he lives in a large comfortable mansion in an upper class lifestyle. His decisions for the school cause widespread illness and ultimate death, as well as many discomforts among the young girls in school. Mr. Brocklehurst is portrayed as a cold, uncompassionate and threatening authority figure. He relies on religion to belittle people in lesser societal roles than he, and to further his own appearance of a â€Å"good† Christian man. Upon his initial meeting and first discussion with Jane, he says to her, â€Å"Little girl, here is a book entitled the Child’s Guide: read it, with prayer, especially that part containing an ‘account of the awfully sudden death of Martha G, a naughty child, addicted to falsehood and deceit’† (Bronte 34). He intimidates her with religion and instills fear in her, even though she is very young and naive. This conversation and Brocklehurst are presented as cold and unnecessarily harsh, Brocklehurst acting as yet another severe aspect of Jane’s life instead of a loving one that religion could have the power to give her. Besides recognizing negative aspects of Christianity, Bronte takes time to exemplify the honest traits and actions of a heartfelt member of the Christian religion. Helen is a genuine follower of Jesus Christ through her actions and expressed thoughts. During a conversations about the Christian faith with Jane, Helen says, â€Å"I believe; I have faith; I am going to God†, to which Jane responds with the questions, â€Å"Where is God? What is God? † (Bronte 90). Once the conversation concludes, Jane thinks, â€Å"Where is that region? Does it exist? † regarding the hopeful afterlife Helen described in their previous conversation (Bronte 90). Helen plays an important role in Jane’s life. She is her one true friend at Lowood, and she is a person that holds the value of others much higher than herself. She acts as a somewhat of a spiritual leader for Jane. Before becoming close with Helen, Jane never had a personal confidant to guide her or share wisdom or genuine knowledge about Christianity, especially in the loving manner Helen assumes. Living a majority of her childhood and adolescence in Lowood, Jane looked to Helen as a role model in many ways, even after Helen’s young death. Jane admired Helen for her gentility, humility, and utter compassion for others. Helen acted as an accurate representation of loving Christians, a representation Jane had not experienced previous to her experiences with Helen, or with Miss Temple, a notable teacher who cared for Jane more than any other member of the Lowood faculty. These figures in Jane’s life play an important role in sharing the ideal roles of Christianity, not the skewed Christian values promoted by other characters such as Brocklehurst. After abruptly leaving Thornfield and the escaping romantic pressures from Rochester, Jane finds herself struggling for survival on her own during her travels to the unknown future and destinations. Yet in the struggle, Bronte writes, â€Å"I felt the might and strength of God. Sure was I of His efficiency to save what He had made†¦ I turned my prayer to thanksgiving; the Source of Life was also the Saviour of spirits. Mr. Rochester was safe; he was God’s, and by God would he be guarded† (Bronte 377). It should reveal a great deal about Jane’s awareness and relationship to God that she takes the time to thank God in times of perceived blessing, and that she seeks and finds comfort in Him. There seems to exist a level of comfort and assurance in the God she praises that she encounters nowhere else. One of the main lessons learned in Jane Eyre is to not settle one’s goals to comply with others’ expectations. Jane has opportunities to comply with others’ demands and to become someone she is truly not, exemplified by the instances of St. John demanding her hand in marriage to become his missionary companion and of Rochester’s offer for her to essentially become his mistress. She does not lower her standards, and trusts in God when her well thought decisions seem unwise initially. Jane, although she remains independent in her reasoning for actions and major life decisions, does turn to God in times of trouble and despair. She thanks the deity when inexplicable blessings or occurrences are bestowed upon her. Her religious tendencies during these times seem to reveal a great deal about her honest views towards God she holds in her heart. After Jane finds comfort and rescue with her unknown cousins, Bronte writes, â€Å"I thanked God; experienced amid unutterable exhaustion a glow of grateful joy—and slept† (Bronte 392). Clearly Jane holds a high esteem for God and does see him as a major working hand in her life. Bronte’s life holds many parallels to Jane’s life in the novel. She too went to a boarding school as a child, in an institution with low maintenance standards, as two of her sisters died due to illnesses received there (Cody). Bronte married, and although she â€Å"admired† her husband, she never fell in love with him (Cody). This relationship can remind us of her relationship with St. John, and how she loved him as a good man of God and as a familial cousin, but not as a husband. In her fictional novel, Bronte, perhaps temporarily living through Jane, escaped this type of marriage and found love with Rochester. Perhaps the novel is the life Bronte would have preferred, and viewed it as her escape into a life with an outcome she desired. Of the most well known critiques of Jane Eyre is the critical review by Elizabeth Rigby, published in the Quarterly Review in December of 1848. Rigby claimed, â€Å"Altogether the autobiography of Jane Eyre is pre-eminently an anti-Christian composition† (Rigby). This review harps on the â€Å"unregenerate and undisciplined spirit† Jane supposedly possesses, as well as Jane being â€Å"proud and†¦ ungrateful† (Rigby). Rigby affirms that â€Å"Currer Bell† (Bronte’s pen name) is a man, and criticizes the unknown author for his â€Å"total ignorance of the habits of society†¦ and a heathenish doctrine of religion† (Rigby). According to Rigby, Jane never undergoes a visible change from the grace savlvation of God. Yet is she not a compassionate human being, putting others before herself and making respectable life choices for herself? Does she not call to God in time of trouble, and of blessing? Jane possessed a quiet, and often detached outer personality in most circumstances of conversation and interaction with others; this does not equal to a hard heart or a sprit untouched by Christ. Jane Eyre could hardly be considered an anti-Christian novel from nearly any perspective. Bronte exemplifies some hypocritical and unappealing aspects of the Christian religion, such as Brocklehurst in his religious and oppressive plight over Lowood and the students, and St. John’s insistence upon the marriage and missionary service for Jane.