Jane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte.

Jane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte

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Charlotte Bronte Lived at Haworth, a parsonage
Was born of Irish ancestry in 1816 Mother died of cancer when Charlotte was 5 years old.

Charlotte’s Religious Views
Father, Patrick Bronte, was an Anglican clergyman Due to her upbringing, she often wrote about religious hypocrisy—those who preach one doctrine but live by another

The Bronte Sisters Charlotte had four sisters and one brother.
After their mother’s death, Brontë and her sisters were sent to the Clergy Daughters’ School. The food was bad Discipline was harsh Disease was rampant Bronte’s two older sisters (Maria & Elizabeth) died of tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis Tuberculosis was a common killer during the Victorian era. Tuberculosis often destroys its victims’ lungs, resulting in a bloody cough. If untreated, sufferers may die of tuberculosis because their lungs are so badly damaged.

All in the Family Charlotte Bronte The Clergy Daughter’s School at Cowan Bridge would became the model for Lowood, the fictitious girls’ school in Jane Eyre. Charlote’s sisters Anne and Emily Bronte both became successful writers. In 1846, Charlotte & her sisters started publishing poems and began writing novels: The Professor was Charlotte’s attempt to fictionalize her love for a college professor she had met at Brussels. In 1847 Wuthering Heights was sister Emily’s first success. Charlotte followed with Jane Eyre. Charlotte’s brother, Branwell, was a gifted painter. Emily Bronte Anne Bronte Branwell Bronte

All 3 Bronte Sisters… Used a masculine pen name because women writers were not taken seriously at that time in Victorian England. Charlotte used the name Currer Bell.

Marriage Bells In 1854 Charlotte married her father's curate, Arthur Bell Nichols. The next year, she became pregnant, then ill. She died a month before her 39th birthday.

THE NOVEL Jane Eyre was published in London in 1847.

Key Facts All events are told in the past from Jane’s point of view.
The setting is early 19th Century England. Jane Eyre is classified as both a Gothic and a Romantic novel.

Jane Eyre Our protagonist Orphaned as a child
Becomes governess at Thornfield A feisty young child, who grows into a strong woman. Embodies the English working-class woman. Will marry ?

Edward Rochester Jane’s boss at Thornfield Gruff and rude
Made wealthy by family money Benefactor to Adèle Varens Very secretive and sometimes deceitful

Reed Family Jane’s family on her father’s side
Mrs. Reed is Jane’s cruel aunt who sends Jane to Lowood; she locks Jane in the “Red Room” for punishment John, Eliza, and Georgiana are Jane’s spoiled cousins; they are rude and selfish; they either torment Jane or ignore her

Rivers Family Jane’s caretakers when she leaves Thornfield – are her cousins on her mother’s side. St. John – Minister at Morton, tries to get Jane to be his missionary wife Diana and Mary – kind and independent women, serve as role models for Jane (we only see one of the sisters [Mary] in the movie) St. John Rivers

Bertha Mason Bertha is locked in the attic at Thornfield
Starts the bedroom fire, and eventually burns the house down Kills herself in the house fire Exotic, sensual personification of the Orient Why is she at Thornfield?

Mrs. Fairfax Housekeeper at Thornfield
Serves as a mother figure/role model for Jane Tells Jane about secrets of Thornfield and the Rochesters. Thornfield Manor

Other Characters Helen Burns – Jane’s friend at Lowood, teaches her character, dies in Jane’s arms Mr. Brocklehurst – cruel and dishonest master of Lowood School Miss Temple – Jane’s favorite teacher, positive female role model/mother figure Helen Mr. Brocklehurst Miss Temple

Other Characters (Cont.)
Grace Poole – Bertha’s mysterious keeper, serves as Bertha’s scapegoat Adèle Varens – Jane’s pupil, daughter of Rochester’s old mistress, Celene Richard Mason – Bertha’s brother, exposes the secret marriage Blanche Ingram – socialite after Rochester’s money, opposite of Jane Adèle Blanche Ingram

Charlotte’s Gothic Influence
Jane Eyre displays some characteristics of the gothic novel: Imprisoned women A heroine who faces danger Supernatural interventions at crucial moments in the plot A romantic reconciliation

Jane Eyre’s Romantic Heritage
The Romantic Movement Came into play in at the end of the 18th Century. Championed for the rights of the individual over the demands of society. Believed that humans were inherently good Valued imagination over reason Inspired by nature

Introduction Jane Eyre is an orphan in 1800s England.
Jane’s parents died of typhus when she was a baby. Mrs. Reed, her aunt, has agreed to raise her, but she and her three children treat Jane cruelly. Yet, Mrs. Reed expects Jane to be thankful.

Jane Eyre: Introduction
When Jane tries to stand up for herself, her aunt is furious. She calls Jane an ungrateful child and sends her away to a boarding school called Lowood.

Jane Eyre: Introduction
At Lowood the girls . . . sleep two to a bed, get up before dawn, bathe in ice-cold water, get burnt porridge for breakfast, and are taught to suffer in silence.

Typhus Jane Eyre’s Lowood suffers an outbreak of typhus, a disease that is spread by fleas, ticks, and lice causes headaches, chills, rashes, and fevers that last up to three weeks Both tuberculosis and typhus are diseases associated with crowded, unsanitary conditions. The threat of catching one of these diseases is a major concern for the characters in Jane Eyre.

Life at Lowood The superintendent of
Lowood School is Mr. Brocklehurst. Jane immediately makes friend with a girl called Helen Burns. She also admires her head teacher Miss. Temple. As a consequence of bad conditions, typhus breaks out. Many girls die, including Helen, Jane’s best friend Jane stays at Lowood eight years as a pupil and then two years as a teacher.

Thornfield Hall After posting an advertisement in a local paper, Jane becomes the private governess at Thornfield Hall. Her pupil is a young French girl named Adele. Thornfield Hall belongs to a Mr. Rochester Jane does not meet him for months. Finally, Mr. Rochester returns home and stays longer than usual at Thornfield Hall

Role of the Governess With the new stress on female education, governesses were in demand. Pay was poor, but it was one of the only jobs available to educated, yet impoverished young women. Employers & other servants often shunned the governess because they felt they were “putting on airs.” Their employers would often ignore them, too, because they had a superior education, which intimidated many people – especially men.

Important Quotes “I am glad you are no relation of min. I will never call you Aunt again as long as I live. I will never come to visit you when I am grown up; and if any one asks me how I liked you, and how you treated me, I will say the very thought of you makes me sick, and that you treated me with miserable cruelty… You think I have no feelings, and that I can do without one bit of love or kindness; but I cannot live so: and you back… into the red-room… An that punishment you made me suffer because your wicked boy struck me—knocked me down for nothing. I will tell anybody who asks me questions this exact ta. ‘Ere I had finished this reply, my soul began to expand, to exult, with the strangest sense of freedom, of triumph, I ever felt. It seemed as if an invisible bond had burst, and that I had struggled out into unhoped-for liberty…” This quotation, part of Jane’s outburst to her aunt just prior to her departure from Gateshead for Lowood School, appears in Chapter 4. In the passage, Jane solidifies her own orphanhood, severing her ties to the little semblance of family that remained to her “I will never all you aunt again as long as I live,” She tells Mrs. Reed). Jane asserts her fiery spirit in her tirade, and she displays a keen sense o justice and a recognition of her need for love. Along with familial liberation, the passage marks Jane’s emotional liberation. Jane’s imprisonment in the red-room has its psychological counterpart in her emotional suppression, and it is not until she speaks these words to Mrs. Reed that she feels her “soul begin to pxand.” Lastly, the passage highlights the importance of storytelling as revenge and also as a means of empowerment. Jane declares that she will “tell anybody who asks me questions this exact tale”– Jan asserts her authority over and against her tyrannical aunt.

Themes Religion Social Class Gender Relations
In the novel, Jane struggles with her moral duty. Many of the characters throughout the novel mentor her in Godly ways. However, she rejects the forms of religion and forms her own throughout her own experiences. Social Class Jane wants to fit into the high social class and she does so by becoming a governess. However, she is known as penniless and powerless. Gender Relations Jane tries to overcome the “women are inferior” role. Males seem to hold all power at this time and she does not thing that it should be this way. Love, Family, and Independence As an orphan at Gateshead, Jane is oppressed and dependent. For Jane to discover herself, she must break out of these restrictive conditions and find love and independence. Jane must have the freedom to think and feel, and she seeks out other idenpent-minded people as the loving family she craves (

Themes Social Class and Rules (continued) Religion (continued)
Life in 19th-Century Britain was governed by social class, and people typically stayed in the class into which they were born. Both as an orphan at Gateshead and as a governess at Thornfield, Jane holds a position that is between classes, and interacts with people of every level, from working-class servants to aristocrats. Jane’s social mobility lets Bronte create a vast social landscape in her novel in which she examines the sources and consequences of class boundaries ( Yet the novel doesn’t entirely endorse breaking every social rule. Jane refuses, for instance, to become Rochester’s mistress despite the fact that he was tricked into a loveless marriage. She recognizes that how she sees herself arises at least partly out of how society sees her, and is unwilling to make herself a powerless outcast for love ( Religion (continued) Jane matures partly because she learns to follow Christian lessons and resists temptation. Helen Burns introduces Jane to the New Testament, which becomes a moral guidepost for Jane throughout her life. As Jane develops her relationship with God, Mr. Rochester must also reform his pride, learn to pray, and become humble. Bronte depicts different forms of religion: Helen: trusts in salvation Eliza Reed: becomes a French Catholic Nun St. John: preaches a gloomy Calvinist faith The novel attempts to steer a middle course. In Jane, Bronte sketches a virtuous faith that does not consumer her individual personality. Jane is self-respecting and rightious, but also exercises her freedome to love and feel.

Themes Feeling VS. Judgement The Spiritual and the Supernatural
Jane can be described as Jane’s quest to balance her contradictory natural instincts toward independence and submission, it can also be described as her quest to find a balance between passionate feeling on the one hand and judgement, or repression on those feelings, on the other ( The Spiritual and the Supernatural Bronte uses many themes of Gothic novels to add drama and suspense to Jane Eyre. But the novel isn’t just a ghost story because Bronte also reveals the reasons behind supernatural events. For instance, Mr. Reed’s ghost in the red-room is a figment of Jane’s stressed-out mind, while Bertha is the “demon” in Thornfield. In Jane Eyre, the effects of the supernatural matter more than the causes. The supernatural allows Bronte to explore her characters’ psyches, especially Jane’s inner fears. The climatic supernatural moment in the novel occurs when Jane and Rochester have telepathic connection. Jane considers that moment a mysterious spiritual connection. Bronte makes their telepahty part of her conceptions of love and religion.

Symbols Fire and Ice Eyes Fire is a symbol of emotion in the novel.
Mr. Rochester has a fiery personality St. John is associated with ice and snow, symbolizing his dispassionate character Jane draws arctic scenes in her portfolio that symbolize death. She wants the vitality that fire brings, but also to keep it under control. Bertha Mason, who has no control over her feelings, is a pyromaniac. The inferno at Thornfield illustrates the danger of letting the passions run wild. Eyes The eyes are the windows to the soul in Jane Eyre. Jane is especially attracted to Mr. Rochester’s black and billiant eyes, which symbolize his temper and power. After Mr. Rochester loses his eyesight in the fire, Jane becomes his eyes: metaphorically, Jane now holds the position of mastery Bertha has bloodshot eyes that match her violent nature. The novel also emphasizes the mind’s eye- an active imagination.

Symbols Food Portraits and Pictures
In Jane Eyre, food symbolized generosity, nourishment, and bounty, and hunger symbolizes cruelty and a lack of nourishment. Bronte uses food and hunger to reveal how people treat each other-who is charitable, and who is not. For Instance, the lack of food at Lowood reveals the school’s cruelty and religious hypocrisy. Mr. Temple, on the other hand, provides food and is compassionate and generous. Food has religious significance in the novel as well – physical hunger represents a deeper spiritual craving. Portraits and Pictures Through dreams and drawings, Jane visualizes her deepest feelings. Jane’s portfolio contains pictures that symbolize her life. Portraits can also stand in for people’s characters. Jane compares her portraits of herself and Blanche Ingram, which mirror the differences in the two women’s personalities and social class. Janes portrait of Rosamond Oliver is the closest that St. John ever gets to happiness on earth. In each case, the visual picture takes on a new reality. Bronte making her own picture of society in Jane Eyre.

Portraits and Paintings
Significance through art The most important references, however, are to Jane's own paintings and drawings. For Bessie, when she visits Jane at Lowood in Chapter 10 (Volume 1, Chapter 10), Jane's ability to paint and draw, as well as to play the piano and speak French and do fine needlework, are the signs that she has become a lady Much later in the novel (Chapter 30 / Volume 3, Chapter 4), Jane finds that this is the one respect in which her skills are greater than those of Diana and Mary Rivers. It is when she meets Rochester, however, that her art work takes on its deepest significance. During their first extended conversation, Rochester questions Jane about her skills and abilities and sees them as no more than average until he begins to look at the pictures in her portfolio. These pictures are created before Jane meets Rochester. Later in the novel we see her in the act of drawing and painting, choosing subjects drawn from her life and relevant to events at the time she creates them Art as self-discipline In Chapter 16 (Volume 2, Chapter 1), after Mrs Fairfax describes Blanche Ingram to her, Jane sets herself the task of making portraits of herself and Blanche Ingram: For herself, she chooses the simple material of chalk and tells herself that she must be absolutely realistic in her self-portrayal For Blanche, she chooses fine materials, paints on ivory and produces an imaginary ideal portrait This enables her to cope with the fact that, although she has allowed herself to believe that Rochester is fond of her, ultimately she stands no chance against someone who enjoys Blanche Ingram's advantages.

Portraits and Paintings
Art and desire In the final section of the book (Chapter 32 / Volume 3, Chapter 6), Jane makes a portrait of Rosamund Oliver: She is delighted to have ‘so perfect and radiant a model' and looks forward to completing the delicate colouring required to represent Rosamund's looks The painting also serves another function in that it causes St John to admit to Jane what she already knows – that he is in love with Rosamund – and it is while he gazes at the picture that he allows himself to give way to his feelings for a set period of time – ‘a little space for delirium and delusion', he calls it.

Chapter 1 The orphaned Jane Eyre has been taken by her kindly maternal uncle to live with him at Gateshead Hall, but when he later dies she is left in the care of her hostile aunt, Mrs. Reed, and her three spoilt children. Jane is constantly reminded of her dependent status and retracts into a world of reading and the imagination. After an angry confrontation with her bullying cousin John, she is ordered to be locked in a bedroom. Jane sitting and reading by herself, not allowed to play with her cousins, established her odd and lonely position at Gateshead Hall. Yet her willingness to find a book to read, rather than just moping, establishes her independence. Jane’s punishment is ironic – at the moment Jane asserts her independence, her freedom is taken away. The Reeds are tyrants and hypocrites, refusing to recognize Janes virtues and their own vices.

Chapter 1 The narrative point of view Bronte uses for this novel is first person point of view. Jane, the main characters is the narrator. The reader can expect that the novel will be subjective. The reader will learn what the main character, Jane, observes and things. The reader must be aware of possible bias, inconsistencies, or incorrect assumptions from the main characters. In chapter one the reader feels sympathy for Jane, as she lives with her aunt and cousins. Jane appears to be treated unfairly by Mrs. Reed and John looks as if she is treated like and outside in her home. The purpose of including descriptive passages of Berwick’s History of British Birds at this point in the novel is to that the reader learns that Jane gains comfort and happiness from studying the pictures and words; Jane imagines the places in the book to escape the discomfort of her home life. Readers learn that Jane is happy only by herself and that she has little opportunity for entertainment in her home, as she has no children with whom to play games.

Allusions Bewick’s History of British Birds contained two volumes. The volumes contained a series of scenes, mostly illustrating rural life but sometimes, as described in the chapters, was devoted to imaginary subjects. Pamela was a novel by Samuel Richardson, published in Told in the form of letters, it is the story of a young servant girl pursued by her employer. They are eventually married and the husband repents of his decadent former life. Henry, Earl of Moreland The subtitle of A Fool of Quality ( ), tells the story of the growth and education of Henry, guided by his uncle. Goldsmith’s History of Rome The Roman History 1769 was one of the best-known of many volumes on this subject published in the 18th century. Readers were especially excited by accounts of the most tyrannical, brutal and dissolute emperors.

Chapter 2 Jane is locked in the red-room, where her uncle died. She reflects on her position in the household and believed that she will never be accepted as an equal. She becomes afraid of the room and the possibility that it might be haunted by her uncle’s ghost. After screaming with terror, she has a fit and becomes unconscious. Janes’ behavior is seen by the servants as an offence against God as well as a challenge to authority of Mrs. Reed. Jane’s refusal to conform to their expectations of a young girl suggests to them that she is in some way wicked and affected by original sin. Like a tabernacle, the bed has curtains, and it reminds Jane of a tabernacle, a kind of tent which covered the portable altar, used by the Jews during their years in the wilderness.

Red Room The room at Gateshead where Uncle Reed died, and where Jane was locked up to be punished. This punishment haunted Jane for the rest of her life. Memories of the night in the Red Room occur when Jane is at a crossroads in her life. Symbolizes: The red-room symbolizes how society traps Jane by limiting her freedom due to her class, gender, and independent streak.

Chapter 2 Themes / Religion 18-21
Scapegoat: is one chosen to be sacrificed or expelled to atone for the sins of the whole flock, just as Jane is punished for her cousins’ actions. Leviticus 16:10 – ‘ But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness’. The scapegoat is also seen as a prophecy of Christ’s time in the wilderness and of his sacrifice for the sins of the world.

Chapter 2 The weather sets the tone for chapter two.
Outside, the wind howls during a fierce storm Readers can expect a chapter full of conflict to match the foreboding tone set by the weather. Inside, Jane is terrified that she is left in the red-room. Abbot and Bessie hold Jane down and threaten to tie her to the chair. Jane becomes more and more worried and frightened as night approaches. The “rain [is\] still beating,” and “the wind [is] still howling,” matching Jane’s intensity of fright. Jane screams, but Mrs. Reed does not permit her to go to the nursery. Jane faints. Jane holds an ambiguous place in the Reed home and in society. Jane is not a member of the immediate family, nor is she a servant. In fact she is “less than a servant” because she does nothing for her keep. The servants are not required to treat Jane with respect. Jane knows she is in an awkward position because if she is dismissed from Mrs. Reed’s home, she has nowhere to live and nowhere to go. The readers learns that Jane is strong-willed and opinionated. Jane resistes when Bessie and Miss Abbot take her to the red-room. She ponders her predicament and behavior, but decides she has done nothing wrong, thereby defying authority.

Chapter 2 Jane considers escaping Gateshead. What option does she ponder? Jane thinks about running away or ‘never eating or drinking more, and letting herself die.’ She feels death is her only escape from Gateshead.

Chapter 2 Describe how Bronte’s use of diction and sentence structure in the following sentence contributes to the overall meaning of the sentence. ”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 rushed to the door and shook the lock in desperate effort.” Bronte chooses the words “oppressed,’’ suffocated,” ”broke,” and ”desperate” to show Jane’s terrified state of mind. She also uses one long run-on sentence to illustrate Jane’s frantic state of mind; Jane is thinking so quickly that her thoughts run together in a panic.

Chapter 2 ”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 rushed to the door and shook the lock in desperate effort.” Bronte chooses the words “oppressed,’’ suffocated,” ”broke,” and ”desperate” to show Jane’s terrified state of mind. She also uses one long run-on sentence to illustrate Jane’s frantic state of mind; Jane is thinking so quickly that her thoughts run together in a panic. Bronte chooses the words “oppressed,’’ suffocated,” ”broke,” and ”desperate” to show Jane’s terrified state of mind. She also uses one long run-on sentence to illustrate Jane’s frantic state of mind; Jane is thinking so quickly that her thoughts run together in a panic.

Chapter 3 Jane falls ill and spends more time in the company of Bessie, the nurse, who shows her some kindness; but it is clear that she and the other servants prefer Jane’s more beautiful female cousins. Mr. Lloyd, the kindly local doctor, suggests that she should have a change of scene. Apothecary: A person allowed to mix and dispense medicines but not a fully qualified doctor. For her own children, Mrs. Reed would have hired a real doctor rather than an apothecary, Jane takes refuge in her imagination which, as with Mr. Reed’s ghost, can sometimes be too powerful and distort the truth. Education is necessary for an orphan girl like Jane to create a place for herself in society.

Chapter 3 Describe how the tone of the chapter changes from beginning to end.  

Chapter 3 Describe how the tone of the chapter changes from beginning to end.   The tone of the beginning of this chapter is sad, melancholy, and indifferent. Jane wakes up in the red-room and finds Bessie gently caring for her. Jane deems this care and nurturing as having come too late, and Bessie’s kindness does not improve Jane’s mood. When Mr. Lloyd, the apothecary, arrives, Jane politely answers his questions, but her mood only improves at his suggestion of school. Jane is seldom allowed to make a choice in her own life, and the tone of the chapter lightens somewhat as Jane ponders the possibility of going to school.

Chapter 3 Describe the irony in Jane’s thought: “[P]overty for me was synonymous with degradation.”

Chapter 3 Describe the irony in Jane’s thought: “[P]overty for me was synonymous with degradation.” The irony is that Jane is poor; even though she is allowed to live with wealthy relatives. She has no money and no prospects, yet she states that she “should not like to belong to poor people.” Even Jane makes an ironic distinction between being penniless and coming from a lower class.

Chapter 3 Explain how Jane suffers prejudice based on her appearance.

Chapter 3 Explain how Jane suffers prejudice based on her appearance. Abbot says: “[I]f [Jane] were a nice, pretty child, one might compassionate her forlornness; but one really can not care for such a little toad as that.” Readers assume that attractive children are generally treated more favorably than unattractive or plain-looking children. Bessie agrees with Miss Abbot and adds that they would feel sorry for Georgiana if she were in Jane’s position because of Georgiana is so beautiful with “her long curls and her blue eyes.” If Jane were a prettier child, readers believe she would have been treated with more care.

Chapter 4 After some months, there is a visit from Mr. Brocklehurst, Treasurer of Lowood School for orphans. Mrs. Reed describes Jane’s character in very negative terms, but Brocklehurst assures her that her niece’s behavior will be improved by the regime at his school. Encouraged by the prospect of leaving Gateshead, Jane accuses her aunt of treating her cruelly and carelessly. Mrs. Reed is all the more glad to be rid of her defiant and outspoken niece. Graven Image This phrase is used in the Bible to describe a carved stone image created to be worshipped. The second of the Ten Commandment prohibited this (Exodus 21:4-5). As is often the case with the biblical allusions in Jane Eyre, the verses are applied in a secular rather than a religious context, so that there is something sacrilegious about the.

Chapter 4 Mr. Brocklehurst: Religion:
This character is based on the Rev. William Carus-Williams, founder of the Clergy Daughters’ School at Cowan Bridge in Lancashire, attended by the Bronte sisters in He appears as an evangelical clergyman who believes in original sin and the need to treat children firmly, even harshly, for the sake of their salvation. Brocklehurst’s assumption of Jane’s innate wickedness is typical of a Christian argument about original sin being applied to children: they are vessels of sin who need to be cleansed and improved. Brocklehurst’s words are full of irony, since it is clear that, although his work at Lowood school may be the outcome of his idea of Christian duty, his harshness suggests a lack of grace and it is quite clear that both he and the daughter, whose words he quotes, are guilty of pride, as is Mrs. Reed. Religion: Notice that Jane tends to mention books found in the Old Testament.

Chapter 4 Analyze Jane’s shocking statements in this chapter. Considering Jane's place in society, explain why her statements are inappropriate.

Chapter 4 Analyze Jane’s shocking statements in this chapter. Considering Jane's place in society, explain why her statements are inappropriate. First, Jane dares to ask her Aunt Reed what her husband would say about the way Mrs. Reed treats Jane. For a moment, Mrs. Reed is absolutely stunned at Jane’s bold tongue, while the reader probably admires her courage. Jane is, after all, living among relatives in whose care she was placed. Second, Jan tells Mr. Brocklehurst that she does not like Psalms because they are boring. According to the social conventions of the time period, children studied scripture as part of their moral development. Third, after Mr. Brocklehurst leaves, Jane tells Mrs. Reed that she detests the manner in which Mrs. Reed spoke about her behavior. Jane tells Mrs. Reed that she is not a liar and that she does not love her: While it might seem inappropriate for a child to speak disrespectfully to an adult, the reader must also admit that Jane is speaking the truth.

Chapter 4 Analyze Bronte’s use of fire and ice in this chapter. Provide examples from the text to support your thoughts. What do these motifs represent in the text?

Chapter 4 Analyze Bronte’s use of fire and ice in this chapter. Provide examples from the text to support your thoughts. What do these motifs represent in the text? The color red, fire, and brimstone are used in several instances to represent evil, fury, and misbehavior. Bessie tells Jane: “You look quite red, as if you had been about some mischief.” More specifically, fire represents Jan’s passionate spirite, which is described as “a ridge of lighted heath, alive, glancing, devouring.” On the other hand, ice is used to represent any force that attempts to suppress Jane’s viatlity. For example, when the argument with Mrs. Reed is over, Jane feels a “chill of reaction” and feels as if “the flames are dead.”

Chapter 5 Jane travels by coach to Lowood Hall and arrives there late at night, to be greeted by Miss Temple, the head teacher. Miss Temple is a kind and gentle woman, but life at the school is very hard. It is very cold, the good is poor and the educational regime is based on rote learning and harsh discipline, which represses the girls’ natural inclinations. Lowood School. This section draws on Charlotte’s memories of the Clergy Daughters’ School at Cowan Bridge, attended by all four sisters in , and where her two elder sisters, Maria and Elizabeth, were taken ill, returning to Haworth only to die. Charity-children: Nineteenth-century England contained may establishments similar to Lowood School, some specifically for the children of members of a particular trade or profession, others catering for orphans, neglected and unwanted children from all sections of society. They were funded by alms giving or charitable organizations. Weather The barren winter landscape resembles the lifeless and stern environment that Jane will fid at Lowood. Bronte uses Lowood to satirize the donations in girls’ charity schools (two of her sisters died in such a school). Because it’s a charity school, Mrs. Reed didn’t pay anything to send Jane to school there.

Chapter 5 This chapter marks the first time the reader is addressed directly. Why is this important?

Chapter 5 This chapter marks the first time the reader is addressed directly. Why is this important? Is it important because readers realize that the novel is being narrated by an older woman—not the child Jane at Lowood. Instead of being written directly from a child’s mind, the novel is narrated by adult Jane remembering her childhood experiences.

Chapter 5 Examine how Bronte uses onomatopoeia in this chapter and discuss its effect on the text.

Chapter 5 Examples of onomatopoeia include:
Examine how Bronte uses onomatopoeia in this chapter and discuss its effect on the text. Examples of onomatopoeia include: “teeth chattered” “distant roll of wheels” “hollow horn” “wild wind rushing amongst the trees” “hum of many voices” “hum I had heard was the combined result of their whispered repetitions” “a distant bell tinkled” “the sound of a cough close behind me” The first few sounds help the readers to experience Jane’s travel by coach. Most of the onomatopoeia is used to illustrate the school setting. These sounds are all very new to Jane, the young orphan who has never been to school. With these examples of onomatopoeia, readers can better imagine Jane’s environment at the school. Readers are also aware because of the repetition of the bells and humming voices that the school is strict, orderly, and has formal rules.

Chapter 5 What do burnt porridge, distasteful food, and inadequate portion sizes at Lowood emphasize?

Chapter 5 What do burnt porridge, distasteful food, and inadequate portion sizes at Lowood emphasize? The scanty portion sizes and ruined food emphasize the poor living conditions at Lowood institution.

Chapter 6 Jane has made friends with her fellow-pupil Helen Burns, who shares her enthusiasm for reading. Helen is very untidy and is constantly in trouble with her class teacher, but has been identified by Miss Temple as a pupil of exceptional intelligence. Helen has a very realistic view of her deficiencies in the eyes of the school and thinks that Jane will find herself in a similar situation. Helen’s religious views help her endure her suffering. Helen’s optimistic faith will contrast with the stern Chistianity of characters later in the book. Helen is a Christ-like figure who endures unjust persectuion without complaint.

Chapter 6 Why does Helen Burns endure her harsh treatment at Lowood?

Chapter 6 Why does Helen Burns endure her harsh treatment at Lowood? First, she does not want to disappoint her family. Second, she tries to be good to everyone, including evildoers. Third, she believes her harsh treatment is her fate, which she is required to endure.

Chapter 6 Analyze the difference between Jane and Helen’s beliefs about Christianity.

Chapter 6 Analyze the difference between Jane and Helen’s beliefs about Christianity. Because Helen places so much emphasis on fate and the practice of enduring hardships, readers can assume that she follows strict Calvinist doctrine. Unlike Jane, Helen treats evildoers with love and kindness, as she believes this is what her religion and the Bible require. Jane, on the other hand, has limited knowledge of religion. She tells Helen that she would resist her ill treatment and rebel from her teacher.

Chapter 6 Evaluate Helen’s diction in her lesson to Jane about strength of character. Explain how Bronte uses Helen’s diction to exhibit her character.

Chapter 6 Evaluate Helen’s diction in her lesson to Jane about strength of character. Explain how Bronte uses Helen’s diction to exhibit her character. Helen’s diction matches her character; Helen is strong, but a conformist. She exhibits heightened self-discipline, but readily accepts reprimands from her teachers. Bronte has Helen speak using formal language, educated vocabulary, and complex sentence patterns to illustrate her strong, but conforming beliefs.

Chapter 7 This chapter contains a good deal about religion and the way it is applied to the education of the girls at Lowood School: What principal beliefs lie behind the regime of the school?

Chapter 7 Mr. Brocklehurst visits the school and reproves Miss Temple for having been too kind to the girls when she ordered extra food because that served to them was inedible. He also emphasizes his view that the girls are to be allowed no sense of luxury or indulgence: such ‘natural' features as curly hair are to be discouraged. Yet, when his wife and daughters appear they have curled hair and are dressed in the latest fashion. Jane attracts Mr. Brocklehurst's attention when she drops her slate. She is made to stand on a stool and is publicly branded a liar.

Chapter 7 the sufferings of the primitive Christians … take up their cross and follow him As so often, Brocklehurst's comparisons and citations from scripture or Christian history are not entirely applicable to the situation of the girls at Lowood, who are mostly concerned with cold and hunger. The attitude taken by the narrative towards the school suggests that, if the girls are suffering martyrdom like the early Christians, it is at the hands of Brocklehurst himself.

Chapter 7 the outside of the cup and platter A reference to one of Christ’s statements on hypocrisy, addressed to the scribes and Pharisees: ‘Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. .. First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.' Matthew 23: This also anticipates the arrival of Brocklehurst's wife and daughters, dressed in their finery.

Chapter 7 silk pelisses A pelisse is a long shawl. The detail adds to the impression of Brocklehurst's daughters as expensively dressed and fashionable young women, thus emphasizing the hypocrisy of his attitudes toward the dress and appearance of the girls at the school. God has graciously given her … the Evil One Brocklehurst suggests that, although Jane looks like everyone else, she has become the agent of the Devil.

Chapter 7 Using examples form Chapter Vii, examine Bronte’s use of light and dark.

Chapter 7 Using examples form Chapter Vii, examine Bronte’s use of light and dark. Bronte uses darkness and dark colors when describing Mr. Brocklehurst. He is again referred to as “the same black column” and ”the black-marble clergyman.” When Mr. Brocklehurst whispers in Miss Temple’s ear, Jane is afraid that he is telling Miss Temple bad things about her, and she fears she will see Miss Temple’s “dark orb turn on [her],” as Jane fears Mr. Brocklehurst’s influence on Miss Temple. Light, on the other hand, is used to describe Helen Burn’s effect on Jane when Jane stands on the stool for her punishment. Jane notes that Helen has a “strange light” in her eyes, and Jane compares her to an angel. When Helen smiles at Jane, Helen feels a boost of energy and strength coming from the brightness.”

Chapter 7 How does Bronte indicate that Mr. Brocklehurst is a hypocrite in this chapter?

Chapter 7 How does Bronte indicate that Mr. Brocklehurst is a hypocrite in this chapter? Mr. Brocklehurst demands that Julia Severn’s red, curly hair be cut, and that all girls’ braids be cut, as well. However, his wife wears elaborate, false French curls. Mr. Brocklehurst also remarks that he strives to teach girls plainness and modesty instead of vanity, yet his family members are elaborately dress in “velvet, silk, and furs.”

Chapter 7 Explain the purpose of the figurative language in this paragraph:   “Mr. Brocklehurst again paused—perhaps overcome by his feelings. Miss Temple had looked down when he first began to speak to her; but she now gazed straight before her, and her face, naturally pale as marble, appeared to be assuming also the coldness and fixity of that material; especially her mouth, closed as if it would have required a sculptor’s chisel to open it, and her brow settled gradually into petrified severity.”

Chapter 7 Explain the purpose of the figurative language in the prior paragraph:   Brontë employs the use of similes in this paragraph to emphasize Miss Temple’s strong feelings. She is certainly not allowed to disagree with her boss, so she cannot voice her concerns. Her mouth is squeezed tightly shut, so she will not speak against her boss and be red from her job. Further, her “pale as marble” face appears marble-like. She does not agree with Mr. Brocklehurst’s ideas, yet she cannot show him that she disagrees.

Chapter 8 Jane is comforted by Helen, and Miss Temple summons them both to her room for tea. Jane listens with delight to the educated conversation between Helen and the teacher. When they return to the dormitory, Helen is punished for untidiness. Miss Temple writes to Mr. Lloyd, who confirms that Jane is not a liar, and she is exonerated before the whole school. Jane resolves to apply herself to her school work. Theme / Religion Helen refers to God and states, “…sovereign hand created your frame.” Compare this statement with Brocklehurst's comments on Jane’s appearances in the previous chapter. Helen frequently refers to death and her belief in the afterlife when her faith will be rewarded in Heaven. Jane always finds it hard to share Helen’s views and places much more importance on the pleasures and rewards of earthly life.

Chapter 8 Contrast Helen and Jane’s views of solitude.

Chapter 8 Contrast Helen and Jane’s views of solitude.
Unlike Jane, Helen finds peace in solitude. She enjoys her own company and believes that self- approval is more valuable than friends. Jane is distraught at the thought of being friendless at Lowood and states that she would rather have her “arm broken” than be without friends.  

Chapter 8 How does the tone of the chapter change from beginning to end?

Chapter 8 How does the tone of the chapter change from beginning to end? In the beginning of the chapter, the tone is despondent and downhearted, as Jane is very upset that she has been accused of lying. She feels hopeless and miserable. By the end of the chapter, however, Miss Temple clears Jane of all accusations, and the tone changes to exaltation and elation.  

Chapter 8 What kind of role does Miss Temple begin to play in Jane’s life? How does this chapter contribute to the ideas of education developed in the novel? Find textual evidence.

Chapter 9 As winter gives way to spring, conditions at Lowood seem to improve, but then the school is struck by an epidemic of the deadly typhus. Many girls die, but Jane remains fit and enjoys the relaxed regime while the staff are busy nursing the sick. Helen Burns is also ill, but with tuberculosis, and she finally dies in Jane's arms. fog-bred pestilence … breathed typhus through its crowded schoolroom and dormitory Typhus epidemics were not uncommon in the nineteenth century and were especially lethal in closed communities, such as that of Lowood School. At this time, typhus was thought to be spread by a miasma, a kind of cloud of disease: hence the use of the term ‘fog-bred'. the drug and the pastille Typhus would be treated with aromatic medication and the school is fumigated by burning pastilles giving off aromatic smoke. going to God Helen regards her death as the last part of her journey to God.

Chapter 9 It is worth noting that there is one thing that the narrative of Jane Eyre very rarely does: Although the story is told retrospectively, future events are hardly ever anticipated Since she has already lived through all the events of the novel, Jane knows very well what will happen next, but although she will sometimes point out that something represents an especially important moment in her life, she rarely offers hints about what is to come of the ‘little did I know' variety Narratives which make frequent use of such hints – for instance Charles Dickens' Great Expectations – often use them to maintain tension and narrative interest, but Jane Eyre illustrates that their absence may have a very similar effect.

Chapter 9 Explain the symbolic meanings of the names of the places where Jane has lived so far in her life: Gateshead and Lowood. With the word “gate” in the name of Gateshead, readers can infer that this is the beginning of Jane’s life. Gates can also be closed, representing the limited control that Jane has over her own life. Lowood has the word “low” in its title, implying that Jane’s stay at Lowood will be a low point of her life.

Chapter 9 Analyze how the weather parallels and contrasts the tone and events of the chapter. Contrasting with the harsh winter conditions, April and May have arrived, bringing warm days and beautiful flowers, which match Jane’s happier lifestyle. Since so many of the girls are ill, Jane and the other healthy girls are free to roam the beautiful gardens and play together. In contrast, the tone of the chapter is ultimately sorrowful because Helen dies in Jane’s arms. Though the weather remains pleasant, Jane experiences great tragedy in the loss of her friendship with Helen.

Chapter 9 Explain the figurative language Brontë uses here: “[D]isease had thus become an inhabitant of Lowood, and death its frequent visitor.” In this quotation, Brontë uses metaphors to compare disease to a girl at Lowood and death to a visitor. Brontë makes the point that death and disease are now commonplace at Lowood; they are no longer shocking surprises.  

Chapter 10 After the typhus epidemic, an enquiry into conditions at the school leads to the exposure of its shortcomings and Mr Brocklehurst's authority is considerably lessened. Ten years pass and Jane has become a teacher, enjoying the friendship of Miss Temple. But when Miss Temple marries and moves far away from Lowood, Jane becomes restless and decides that she wishes to see more of the world. She advertises for a new job and obtains a post as a governess at Thornfield Hall, close to a large industrial town. Marriage interferes with women’s relationships, and Jane is “orphaned” again when Ms. Temple leaves. Now Jane feels isolated and restless and wants her freedom, to define herself. Yet at the same time she years for “sesrvitude.” Jane’s ad symbolizes her entrance into independ public life, though as a poor woman she must still serve others. As she is about to leave, she is visited by Bessie, the nurse at Gateshead, who brings news of the Reed family. She also reports that, seven years previously, a man called Eyre, Jane's father's brother from Madeira, called to see her, and was disappointed to find that she no longer lived with the Reeds.

Chapter 10 An aporia occurs when a character speaks directly to oneself or to the reader, especially when a character is trying to solve a dilemma or decide on a plan. Explain when and why Brontë uses aporia in this chapter. Brontë uses aporia when Jane is trying to decide what new course of action she should take. She has been at Lowood for many years, and she desires a change. Uncertain of what she should do, Jane talks to herself in her room and tries to formulate a plan to obtain a new job.  

Chapter 10 Explain the device that Brontë uses in this quotation: “I had had no communication by letter or message with the outer world: school rules, school duties, school habits and notions, and voices, and faces, and phrases, and costumes, and preferences, and antipathies: such was what I knew of existence.” What effect does the device produce? Here, Brontë uses polysyndeton, the repetition of the conjunction “and.” The device emphasizes Jane’s point that she has had enough of Lowood: The repetition of “and” seems to make the sentence seem monotonously never-ending, and this is also how she views her life at Lowood. The repetition of the word “school” further produces this effect.

Chapter 10 Explain how Brontë uses the supernatural in this chapter.
Having used the red-room as the supernatural element at Gateshead, Brontë uses a fairy here at Lowood. Jane believes that a fairy “dropped the required suggestion on [her] pillow.” In response to Jane’s dilemma, a fairy tells her to be a governess; she is to advertise in the newspaper and receive replies at the post of office.  

Chapter 11 Jane travels to Thornfield Hall where she meets Mrs. Fairfax, whom she assumes to be her employer, but who is, in fact, the housekeeper. Her employer is Mr. Rochester, the owner of Thornfield, and Jane is to be governess to Adèle Varens, Mr. Rochester's ward. She meets Adele and finds that her first language is French, which Jane herself speaks very well. After spending the morning giving Adèle her lessons, she joins Mrs. Fairfax in exploring the house. On an upper floor, she hears a mysterious laugh, which Mrs. Fairfax explains as belonging to a servant, Grace Poole. Jane’s arrival at Thornfield opens a new phase in her life: What are her first impressions of the house? Why do you think Charlotte Bronte offers the reader so much detail about the contents and decoration of Thornfield? What is the significance for the narrative of the reference to Bluebeard story? With its dark splendor, mysterious and absent master, and suggestive name, Thornfield hall has a Gothic feel to it. Jane, like Mrs. Fairfax, is a servant and dependent to the “master” of the house. These servants and dependents, it seems will be her new “family.”

Chapter 12 Jane settles into the routine of Thornfield Hall, but is still troubled by feelings of restlessness. While she is walking to the post office one day, she is alarmed by a large dog accompanying a man on horseback. The horse slips on the icy ground and Jane helps its rider, who has sprained his ankle, to remount. When she returns to Thornfield, she discovers that she has met Mr. Rochester. Anybody may blame me who likes … necessary for their sex another of the passages in which the always thoughtful and restless Jane reviews her situation and the possibilities open to her as an intelligent and self-respecting young woman, but one without any support from a family or any established position in the world, either financially or socially. Jane is a restless and curious soul who wants a purpose in life. Yet at the same time she still lets her imagination wander, and daydreams fantastical stories. Jane’s thoughts about women and confinement foreshadow the appearance of Bertha, a woman who really is imprisoned. The scapegoating of Grace Poole reflects Bronte’s belief that false appearances must be scrutinized to uncover hidden truths—the same view that Bronte presents in her Preface. In this chapter, Bronte blends Gothic style with realism. As jane carries a letter to the post one winter evening, she hears a horse approaching. The dreary scene and the noise make her think of Bessie’s ghost stories about “Gytrash,” a spirit creature, sometimes horse and sometimes dog, which pursues travelers at night. She makes it seem as if something supernatural is happening and then explain the causes behind those events. This approach is sometimes called the “explained supernatural.”

Chapter 12 Explain the function of the Gytrash and its effect on the text.

Chapter 12 Explain the function of the Gytrash and its effect on the text. When Jane sees Rochester and his large dog, she immediately things of the Gytrash, the supernatural creature who can harm or aid travelers. Bronte includes the idea of the Gytrash as a way of adding yet another supernatural element to the text. The inclusion reinforces Jane’s unconventional thoughts and character in that she considers life with the supernatural in mind.

Chapter 12 In this chapter, Jane experiences a rare moment of equality with the male gender. Explain this incident and its significance.

Chapter 12 In this chapter, Jane experiences a rare moment of equality with the male gender. Explain this incident and its significance. Jane unknowingly meets her employer, Mr. Rochester; when he falls off his horse. Unable to get up on his own, Mr. Rochester truly needs Jane’s assistance, which creates a temporary equality due to his dependence on Jane. Afterward, Jane is proud that she was able to help a man in need.

Chapter 13 The next day, Jane meets her employer, who has recently returned from Europe, more formally. He ignores his ward Adèle, questions Jane about her own past and is very impressed by her drawings. Mrs. Fairfax tells Jane some of Mr. Rochester's family history, including his quarrel with his father and elder brother, from whom he inherited Thornfield. In consequence, he has lived a wandering life and only lives in the house for very short periods. Her sources included fairy stories and folk tales, so that, at one level, her appeal was to a love of story-telling that might re-connect readers with their childhood. In many respects, for instance, Jane Eyre resembles the fairy stories Cinderella and Bluebeard Cinderella: A popular fairytale in which the poor, downtrodden heroine achieves status and wealth by outwitting her older sisters and marrying Prince Charming. The word 'cinderella' may be used as an analogy. Bluebeard: A French folk-tale about the wealthy nobleman Bluebeard who murdered his many wives when they defied his instructions not to enter a specific room in his castle. She was also influenced by the Bible and other Christian texts In particular, John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress helped to determine both the shape of her narrative and the way in which Jane is beset by dangers and temptations from which she is often rescued by the intervention of some providential event In the characterization of Rochester, she also makes use of John Milton's Christian epic Paradise Lost (1667) She had an interest in social issues that for many readers gave her novels an added urgency and contemporary relevance.

Chapter 13 – Jane Eyre as a Fairy Tale
The fairy tale master plots of rags to riches and good verses evil are recurring themes throughout Jane Eyre. The implication of these elements leads the reader to understand that the novel will most likely end with the traditional fairy tale ending of the characters living “happily ever after.” Many fairy tales, such as Cinderella involve main characters who suffer and in order to escape suffering they use their imagination as an escape. In Cinderella the signing birds and talking mice are all examples of how she uses her imagination to escape the workd that imprisons her. Jane’s experience in the red-room reminds the reader that imagination is very important to Jane, as it is a way for her to escape the realities of her everyday life. The narrative that Jane creates also has a mythological element to is as she mixes the realistic aspects of her life with fantasy. Red-room – imagines a gleam of light shining on the wall; for her this indicates a vision from another world (Bronte 25). Throughout the book occurrences of the supernatural typically occur before there is a big change in Jane’s life. When Jane leaves Lowood it has a fairy tale component. Jane takes the Bessie’s advice (kind fairy Godmother) who gives her specific advice to place an advertisement in a local paper (Bronte 101). Grimms, Jakob and Wilhelm. Little Briar Rose. Online Posting. Kelowna BC: U. British Columbia Okanagan.

Cinderella Jane’s relatives, the Reeds, treat her as step sister “less than a servant, for you do nothing for your keep” Jane longs to escape Gateshead Hall. Happy Ending: Jane becomes a wealthy heiress, finds new relatives, and finds her Prince Charming, Mr. Rochester. Beauty and the Beast Mr. Rochester is the Gothic owner of a Gothic estate. He is mysterious and frightening just like the Beast “Gytrash –”a lion-like creature with long hair and a huge head.” Mr. Rochester is a man of secrets just like the Beast. Jane is a moral person and will eventually provide the redemption Mr. Rochester needs to escape the beast. Beauty and the Beast – Belle is allowed to visit her dying father. Jane is allowed to return home to visit her dying aunt, Mrs. Reed. Grimms, Jakob and Wilhelm. Little Briar Rose. Online Posting. Kelowna BC: U. British Columbia Okanagan.

Bluebeard Thornfield Hall has a secret, forbidden chamber that reveals the terrible truth about Mr. Rochester’s previous wife. It may not contain dead bodies, but is has a ”bloody chamber,” The insane Bertha mason attacks and bites both Mr. Rochester and her brother, Mr. Mason. Jane flees Thornfield Hall In the original tale, Bluebeard’s new wife is saved by her brothers. In Jane Eyre, her cousin St. John Rivers wants to be her salvation. But Jane can only find true happiness in the arms of her true love, Mr. Rochester. Grimms, Jakob and Wilhelm. Little Briar Rose. Online Posting. Kelowna BC: U. British Columbia Okanagan.

Chapter 13 – Paintings Paintings Painting One
“The three of Jane’s watercolors that Rochester finds really fascinating are each of landscapes that she painted from her imagination; one is of a stormy sea and a shipwreck with a corpse, one is of a grassy hill with the Evening Star personified as a shadowy woman, and one is of an icy arctic scene with a strange, pale, despairing figure in the foreground” (Schmoop.com). More information can be found on the following website. Page 92 – 94 (Mrs. Dietrich’s Book - Version Penguins Classic Addition) Pages 149 – 151 Painting One Desolate shipwreck Portray a cormorant holding gold bracelet The cormorant is the key to the painting. The cormorant is an allusion to Leviticus, Chapter 11, verse 17. The cormorant is an unholy carrion dwelling amongst desolation and despair. This painting is Jane (and Bronte's) riposte (a clever reply or insult). Grimms, Jakob and Wilhelm. Little Briar Rose. Online Posting. Kelowna BC: U. British Columbia Okanagan.

Chapter 13 – Paintings Painting Two Painting Three
This is a painting about the Greek legend, Latmos. Latmos is where the goddess Selene first saw and fell in love with Endymion. She vowed to protect him forever. Jane sees to already have an emotional connection to Rochester. “It portrays the "Evening Star;" the "foreground only the dim peak of a hill leaves slanting as if by a breeze" "Rising into into the sky, was a woman's shape to the bust.”” Painting Three "I put on my righteousness as a garment and it clothed me; justice like a cloak or a turban (diadem) wrapped me round. I was eyes to the blind and feet was I to the lame” (Job Ch 24: verses ). This painting represents a foreshadowing of what will come at the end of the book – a so called prophecy in the paintings. Grimms, Jakob and Wilhelm. Little Briar Rose. Online Posting. Kelowna BC: U. British Columbia Okanagan.

Chapter 13 Explain why Jane’s paintings are atypical.

Chapter 13 Explain why Jane’s paintings are atypical.
Jane’s watercolors are not typical paintings that a woman would paint. Instead of flower gardens and scenery, as one would expect, she shows Mr. Rochester a painting of a dead body. Another painting includes a great head sitting on top of an iceberg. The pictures are all characteristic of a Romantic interest in the visionary and the sublime. They also suggest the isolation and turmoil of Jane’s mind. The coming storm image forecasts the emotional turmoil ahead.

Chapter 14 Rochester seems an odd and moody man, sometimes interested in Jane, but often preoccupied with business and entertaining guests. On the evening when Adèle's presents arrive, he puts Adèle in the care of Mrs Fairfax and again talks to Jane. He is clearly fascinated by her and tempts her into an enigmatic and challenging conversation about good and evil and his own behavior, particularly his relationship with Adèle's mother. A number of times in this chapter Rochester associates himself with Satan. What kind of image of himself is he trying to create?

Chapter 14 Explain how the weather contrasts with the mood of the chapter.

Chapter 14 Explain how the weather contrasts with the mood of the chapter. While a rainstorm occurs, Mr. Rochester and Jane have a lively conversation indoors by the warmth of a bright fire, and Jane notes that Mr. Rochester is cheerful. Unlike his usual reserved demeanor, he is “more expanded and genial” and generally friendlier than usual, which puzzles Jane.

Chapter 14 Examine how Bronte uses dialogue to illustrate the relationship between Mr. Rochester and Jane.

Chapter 14 Examine how Bronte uses dialogue to illustrate the relationship between Mr. Rochester and Jane. The dialogue in Chapter 14 is overwhelmingly formal, as it should be between an employer and employee. Mr. Rochester and Jane speak in long sentences, use large vocabulary, and discuss complex ideas; this formality mirrors their formal relationship of employer/employee.

Chapter 14 Judge Bronte’s use of fire and light in this chapter. Provide examples from the text and argue the effect of each.

Chapter 14 Judge Bronte’s use of fire and light in this chapter. Provide examples from the text and argue the effect of each. Bronte uses fire and light numerous times in the text when Jane arrives in the dining-room after Mr. Rochester’s summons. Here are some of the examples where fire and light are used in Chapter 14: “…filled the room with a festal breadth of light; the large fire was all read and clear…” “…receiving the light of the fire…” “He had been looking two minutes at the fire…” Readers will notice that Bronte continuously uses fire and light to describe the room. During this brief time where Mr. Rochester studies the fire, Jane notes that his mood is livelier than usual, and Mr. Rochester even seems cheerful. The excited fire seems to echo Mr. Rochester’s mood, and the brightness of the light further emphasized his uplifted mood.

Chapter 15 Rochester tells Jane about Adèle's mother, a Parisian dancer called Céline who was once his mistress. Some years later, after Céline has run away with another lover, Rochester takes responsibility for the abandoned Adèle and brings her to Thornfield. Jane is fascinated rather than shocked by his story. She enjoys her employer's company, but is puzzled by his belief that it is his destiny is to be unhappy, even when he is at home at Thornfield. Later that night, Jane is awoken by a noise. She goes to investigate and again hears the strange laugh she has heard in the house on many earlier occasions. She then smells smoke and realizes that it comes from Mr. Rochester's bedroom; the curtains enclosing his bed are on fire. She puts out the fire with water from his washing bowl. This wakens Rochester, who investigates the incident and gives the impression that Grace Poole was responsible for the fire.

Chapter 15 The Gothic mystery in Thornfield deepens, and becomes more dangerous. A fire in the bedroom suggests that the raging passion symbolized by the fire is connected to love and marriage.

Chapter 15 Explain the explain the literary technique that Bronte uses in this phrase: “I like this day: I like that sky of steel; I like the sternness and stillness…”

Chapter 15 Explain the explain the literary technique that Bronte uses in this phrase: “I like this day: I like that sky of steel; I like the sternness and stillness…” Here Bronte uses and anaphora, which is the repetition of words within a short passage. The reputation of the word “like” emphasizes. Jane’s optimistic mood and her new feelings toward Thornfield and its master.

Chapter 15 Assess how Mr. Rochester and Jane seem to become equals in social status in Chapter 15.

Chapter 15 Assess how Mr. Rochester and Jane seem to become equals in social status in Chapter 15. Mr. Rochester immensely enjoys talking with Jane, which is not common practice between members of different social classes, especially a highborn man and a lowborn woman. He con des in Jane about his relationship with Celine Varens, thereby sharing important secrets of his past. She questions him during the conversation, prying for additional information. Mr. Rochester advises Jane that by con ding in her, she can somehow cleanse him of his wrongdoings, as if she has a power over him. Jane “felt at times as if he were [her] relation, rather than [her] master.” When Jane saves Mr. Rochester from the re, he tells her he “[has] a pleasure in owing [Jane] so immense a debt.”

Chapter 15 Contrast the changes in tone caused exclusively by the supernatural elements that Brontë employs in this chapter.

Chapter 15 Contrast the changes in tone caused exclusively by the supernatural elements that Brontë employs in this chapter. Brontë includes many elements of the supernatural in this chapter: Jane hears a “demoniac laugh” and then refers to it as “goblin-laughter.” She wonders if Grace Poole is “possessed with a devil.” When Mr. Rochester awakes from his sleep, he calls Jane a “witch, sorceress.” After Mr. Rochester realizes that Jane has saved his life, he compares Jane to “good genii.” Readers will note how the supernatural elements create an ominous, suspenseful tone in the beginning of the chapter. By the end, the tone of the chapter is elevated, as Brontë uses positive supernatural gures like “good genii” instead of negative gures like “devil,” “witch,” and “sorceress.”

Chapter 15 Evaluate how the relationship between Mr. Rochester and Jane changes drastically in this chapter. Jane realizes she is in love with her employer. She now nds his appearance appealing and “his presence in a room [is] more cheering than the brightest re.” She imagines his absence and decides it would be “doleful.” At the end of the chapter, though Mr. Rochester knows Jane cannot stay in his room, he does not wish her to depart too quickly.

Chapter 16 Rochester has concealed from the other servants Jane's part in the events of the previous evening and claims that he accidentally caused the fire himself. Jane is surprised to find Grace Poole is still working at Thornfield, but when she looks for Rochester to question him about his servant, she is dismayed to find that he has left to join a house-party elsewhere. Mrs. Fairfax tells her about the beautiful Blanche Ingram, one of the daughters of the people Rochester has gone to visit, and Jane immediately assumes that Rochester intends to marry Blanche. She draws a self-portrait and an imaginary picture of Blanche, and cannot believe that Rochester could have any interest in her in comparison with Blanche.

Chapter 16 The significance of the following phrase: “Portrait of a Governess, disconnected, poor, and plain.” is: Jane is reminding herself of her place in society. Governesses are to be disconnected from the master of the house, as they are of a higher class. Compared to the master’s upper class, a governess is poor indeed. Also due to the fact that Jane is a governess, she is to dress appropriately for teaching in plain dress and with plain appearance—not in fancy attire.

Chapter 17 Mr. Rochester returns with a party of friends. Jane meets Blanche Ingram and realizes that she is inferior to Blanche in every way – socially, in beauty and in accomplishments. Observing the party in the drawing-room, however, she thinks that Rochester is superior in looks, intellect and behavior to his guests. At the end of the evening, Rochester seeks out Jane for a short private conversation.

Chapter 17 Rebecca Solomon, The Governess, 1854
Rebecca Solomon, The Governess, 1854

The Governess 1854 Rebecca Solomon ( ). The Governess — "Ye too, the friendless, yet dependent, that find nor home nor lover. Sad imprisoned hearts, captive to the net of circumstance." — Martin Tupper. Exhibited: Royal Academy No. 425. “Although the governess is a stock figure in Victorian novels, her appearance in a pictures is less frequent. The most famous example is Redgrave's Poor Teacher (Victoria and Albert Museum) and most other artists seem to share Redgrave's view of the governess as a downtrodden and oppressd figure. In this recently discovered picture by Rebecca Solomon the governess, attractive but dressed in black, reads to her pupil, and her lot is contrasted with that of her mistress who plays, the piano while her husband gazes adoringly at her. Rebecca Solomon's own career came to a tragic end. She seems to have shared in The disgrace of her i brother Simeon, and gave up painting after The DNB says 'she developed I ike Simeon an errant nature and came to disaster’”.[Christopher Wood, Blessed Damozel] References The Blessed Damozel: Women and Children in Victorian Art. London: Christopher Wood Gallery, No. 5. The Emergence of Jewish Artists in Nineteenth-Century Europe. Exhibition Catalogue. Ed. Susan Tumarkin Goodman. London: Merrell; New York: Jewish Museum, 2001.

Chapter 17 Richard Redgrave, The Governess, 1844
Richard Redgrave, The Governess, 1844

The Governess 1844 Collection: Victoria & Albert Museum, London Marion Amies notes the popularity of the governess theme in nineteenth-century British literature: “The nineteenth-century English governess novel could, in the hands of such authors as the Brontës, provide a vehicle to expose the plight of the governess. The governess proved a popular heroine although later novelists, lacking the Brontës’ reforming zeal, often produced stereotypical characterizations. The most common stereotype was the pathetic, downtrodden governess whose portrayal was consistent with the notion that she was outside the ideal of leisured womanhood.” Marion Amies, “The Victorian Governess and Colonial Ideals of Womanhood,” Victorian Studies, vol. 31, no. 4 (Summer 1988): 538.

Chapter 17 Argue how readers know Mr. Rochester has intimate feelings toward Jane.

Chapter 17 Argue how readers know Mr. Rochester has intimate feelings toward Jane. At the very end of the chapter, Mr. Rochester catches himself as he dismisses Jane for the night: “Good-night, my—.” He suddenly leaves her; readers infer that only a complimentary term would have completed his farewell.

Chapter 18 The house-party continues and the visitors enjoy evenings spent playing charades. One evening, while Rochester is away on business, Mr Mason arrives; he has travelled from the West Indies and describes himself as an old friend of Rochester's. Soon afterwards, the arrival is announced of a strange old woman who insists on staying in the house and reading everyone's fortunes. One by one the guests go to see the old woman and come back disturbed, because she seems to know a great deal about them. A message comes from the old woman, saying there is one person she has not yet seen: it is Jane herself.

Chapter 18 Summarize how Blanche Ingram insults Jane throughout Chapter 18.

Chapter 18 Summarize how Blanche Ingram insults Jane throughout Chapter 18. First, regarding the game of charades, Blanche remarks of Jane: “She looks too stupid for any game of the sort.” Second, Jane notices that Blanche tries to avoid Jane by not letting her dress touch Jane. Third, when Blanche realizes she is standing by Jane at the window, she makes a face and quickly moves to a different window. Fourth, when the arriving visitor is not Mr. Rochester, Blanche casts “an angry glance” toward Jane, as Blanche implies that Jane has given Adele false information about the visitor.

Chapter 18 Explain the symbolism of the answers to the game of charades.

Chapter 18 Explain the symbolism of the answers to the game of charades. The first answer is marriage, and the third answer is Bridewell, the name of a London prison. Here, Brontë compares marriage to a prison. The second answer references a story to a marriage of a random woman. With regard to Mr. Rochester’s apparent impending marriage to Blanche Ingram, readers imply that this marriage of conformity, not of love, will be similar to a prison for the spouses.

Chapter 19 Jane goes to see the old woman, who questions her about Rochester and his apparent plan to marry Blanche Ingram. She asks Jane about her own feelings and ‘reads' her face. Gradually, it becomes apparent that the ‘old woman' is Rochester in disguise. Jane tells him about Mr. Mason's arrival, news which disturbs Rochester deeply, and he asks Jane to tell Mason to come and speak to him in private.

Chapter 19 – Gothic Conventions
Brontë uses the gypsy woman, who is actually Mr. Rochester, to add a bit of mystery to this chapter. The gypsy appears to know private details about Jane; Jane feels as if an “unseen spirit [has] been sitting for weeks by [her] heart watching its workings, and taking record of every pulse.” Secrecy, another Gothic convention, is also used in this chapter. When Jane tells Mr. Rochester that the visitor—Mr. Mason—has arrived, Mr. Rochester starts to panic. Jane notes that he suddenly looks ill; Mr. Rochester later questions Jane’s faith in him. She vows to assist him in any way possible, which foreshadows an upcoming scene in the novel when Mr. Rochester will indeed need her help.

Chapter 20 Later that night, the household is awoken by a scream. Rochester pacifies everyone and then calls on Jane to help him. Mason has been attacked and injured, apparently by Grace Poole. Jane looks after Mason while Rochester fetches the doctor, who treats the wounds and then takes Mason to recover at his own house. It is now dawn and Jane and Rochester sit in the garden while he talks to her about a decision he must soon make. Jane assumes that he is thinking about proposing to Blanche Ingram.

Chapter 20 – Gothic Conventions
Chapter 20 is filled with Gothic elements. The chapter begins with a scream, and the guests rush out into the hallway. Mr. Rochester explains the disturbance as a servant’s nightmare: “She construed her dream into an apparition, or something of that sort.” Jane spends time soaking blood from Mr. Mason’s injury, and Jane fears the creature in the adjoining room. Madness is implied, as the doctor also finds teeth marks on Mr. Mason. Further, it is clear that Mr. Rochester does not wish to reveal his secret that lives on the third story: “I have striven long to avoid exposure, and I should not like it to come at last.”

Chapter 20 What effect does Brontë create in having Mr. Rochester refer to Jane as his “little friend” multiple times in this chapter? By having Mr. Rochester repeatedly refer to Jane as his “little friend,” Brontë emphasizes the close relationship between Mr. Rochester and Jane and how greatly Mr. Rochester depends on Jane for mental and physical support. By using the word “little,” Brontë stresses Jane’s innocence and the nurturing manner in which Rochester treats her. Contrast how Mr. Rochester and Jane view Thornfield in different ways. While Mr. Rochester refers to the house as a “dungeon,” Jane contrastingly calls it a “splendid mansion.” Jane is looking at the physical beauty of the house; Mr. Rochester is referring to the secret that lives inside the house and how the secret imprisons him.

Chapter 20 Mr. Mason has been seriously injured by the woman locked in the third story room. However, he obviously cares for her: “’Let her be taken care of; let her be treated as tenderly as may be: let her—‘ he stopped and burst into tears.” What can readers infer from his words and actions? From Mr. Mason’s words and tears, readers can infer that he somehow cares for the mystery woman. Even though she has bitten and injured him, he still wishes her to remain safe, implying that he has known her for some time in his life. Readers can infer that they are either relatives, old friends, or at least someone whom Mr. Mason is obliged to provide care. Consider Mr. Rochester’s comments at the end of Chapter 20. What statement does he make about class and society? Mr. Rochester wishes for happiness. He asks Jane if it is acceptable to shun customs and the rules of society and class in order to achieve happiness. He asks if rules are really important in life; he does not believe or approve of society’s rules and thoughts about class structure.

Mysteries . . . One night at Thornfield, Jane wakes up and hears evil laughter... Who could this be? What is going on in Mr. Rochester’s bedroom? One day Mr. Rochester gives a party for some fine guests. In attendance is a Miss. Ingram, a beautiful woman, who adores Mr. Rochester. During the party a Mr. Mason arrives. Who is this mysterious man? What is he doing at Thornfield? What will happen to him? One day Jane receives a letter regarding Mrs. Reed, her wicked aunt. Mrs. Reed is dying and wants to see Jane again. Why would she want to see Jane again? What secret does she possess? When Jane comes back to Thornfield Hall, Mr. Rochester is very happy to see her again. He gives Jane the news that he has decided to marry. Who will he marry? Will the wedding actually take place?

Jane Eyre: A Ground Breaking Novel
The heroine is small, plain, & poor The heroine is the first female character to claim the right to feel strongly about her emotions and act on her convictions This romantic ground had previously been reserved for males Such a psychologically complex heroine had never been created before

Byronic Hero Proud Gloomy Mysterious Passionate
This term is created by the famous poet George Gordon, Lord Byron. Characteristics are… Proud Gloomy Mysterious Passionate *Mr. Rochester is an example of this type

Love Jane is constantly in a search for love.
She is searches for romantic love in Rochester, motherly love through Miss Temple and Mrs. Fairfax, and friendship through the Rivers siblings, Helen Burns, and Rochester. Jane’s search for love might stem from the scorn she felt as a child

Social Class Jane often feels inadequate compared to many of the other main characters in the novel. Jane feels that her love for Rochester is wrong because she isn’t from the same class. Class segregates Jane from her cousins on both sides, although it is more obvious on the Reed side. Blanche Ingram is the class opposite of Jane.

Religion Religion plays a huge role in this novel.
Helen Burns taught Jane a view of faith and God that she could understand. Mr. Brocklehurst’s Evangelical view had negative effects on Jane, as did St. John River’s Empirical view. Even the once cruel Eliza Reed joins a French convent.

Mother Figures In her search for love, Jane also looks for the mother figure that she missed as a child. Jane finds the characteristics she is looking for in: Miss Temple Mrs. Fairfax Rivers sisters

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Jane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte.

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