Guiding Questions for Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - Chapters I-IX
Analyze the thought of a frightening childhood incident and its ability to imprint itself on a person’s long-term memory.
Review the following quotation: “I always took my doll; human beings must love something, and in the dearth of worthier objects of affection, I contrived to find a pleasure in loving and cherishing a faded graven image, shabby as a miniature scarecrow” (28). In your own words, what is Jane saying about the need for love?
Compare the religious attitudes of Helen Burns to those of Mr. Brocklehurst. With which views does Jane want her readers to agree or sympathize? Cite text to support your answer.
How do Miss Temple and Helen Burns affect Jane’s attitudes about life? Give examples to support your ideas.
Examine the harsh living conditions present at Lowood. What are some of the difficulties encountered by Jane and the other girls? What message does this send about the life of orphaned children? What statement does this make about those who are commissioned to run organizations that provide for the care of others?
Review the following passage: “If people were always kind and obedient to those who are cruel and unjust, the wicked people would have it all their own way: they would never feel afraid, and so they would never alter, but would grow worse and worse” (57). Do you agree with this philosophy? Why or why not? How might this be applicable in today’s society?
Jane’s appearance is alluded to in this section. How important do you think Jane feels that physical beauty is? While Jane may lack in physical beauty, what other qualities are emerging as her strengths?
Jane comments: “It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquility: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it” (111). Analyze her statement in terms of politics, women’s roles, and contemporary society.
How does Rochester treat Jane during their initial encounter? What might this foretell about how their relationship will develop?
Rochester comments, “Most things free-born will submit to anything for a salary” (137). Do you agree with his philosophy? Why or why not? From what you know of Jane, will it be true of her? Use text-based examples to support your views.
Rochester states, “Remorse is the poison of life” (138). To what extent do you agree or disagree with Rochester? Support your opinion.
Why might the events of Rochester’s life (143) have seemed shocking to Victorian readers?
When Mr. Brocklehurst first comes to see Jane Eyre at Gateshead, Mrs. Reed reminds him that "'should you admit her into Lowood school, I should be glad if the superintendent and teachers were requested to keep a strict eye on her, and above all, to guard against her worst fault, a tendency to deceit'"(30). Great, after a 50 mile coach ride, she still can't escape this Puritanical dictatorship! However, she isn't alone this time; Helen Burns is a frequent scapegoat herself. Ms. Scatcherd says things like "'Burns, you are standing on the side of your shoe, turn your toes out immediately.' 'Burns, you poke your chin most unpleasantly; draw it in.' 'Burns, I insist on your holding your head up; I will not have you before me in that attitude,' &c., &c"(52). But unlike Jane, Helen obeys without question, and dares not express any pain.
ReplyDeleteThey soon discuss this. Helen shows her gratitude for those who respect her, but she doesn't move against those who don't. She advises Jane to "'read the New Testament, and observe what Christ says, and how He acts; make His word your rule, and His conduct your example.' 'What does he say?' 'Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you and despitefully use you'"(58). Jane thinks this is rather counter-intuitive. By consulting the other woeful material I've read, I can somewhat see her point. If Elie Wiesel let the Nazis see him suffer, I doubt he would've lived to write any memoirs about it. The last Stephen King says of Carrie White is that she took most of her foes with her when she died, so unless I had time to explain my ludicrously complicated beliefs, I couldn't say anything in public that hinted at my faith in her. That being said, there are still cases where not doing anything is the worst approach you could take. And now, back to Jane Eyre. Though Helen doesn't encourage Jane in the vengeance department, she advises her not to give up hope either. Her theory is that a better place awaits her, and Jane "'will come to that same region of happiness: be received by the same mighty universal parent, no doubt'"(84). Jane wakes up the next day to find her dead, which is hardly surprising, considering the terrible condition of the school, but she left words of wisdom behind.
DeleteJane Eyre agrees with Helen Burns, not with Mr. Brocklehurst.
DeleteI meant by consulting the other woeful material I've read, I could see Helen's point. But Jane is onto something as well; In desperate times, you may find yourself kicking butt, and I understand that, too.
DeleteIn any case, I could see Tim Burton using this (or any Bronte stuff, for that matter) for an attempt at film noir.
DeleteMaybe Jane Austen could work her way into there, too.
DeleteI have a tendency to tie all sorts of stuff together.
DeleteAnalyze the thought of a frightening childhood incident and its ability to imprint itself on a person’s long-term memory.
ReplyDeleteThe beginning of the novel starts with young Jane being pushed around by her maternal family's 3 children. Being pushed around by the other children arguably hardened Jane to being a "criminal" in the Reed's eyes. Being borne to the Red Room (the room where her uncle died) and the room scared Jane to cry out: "Take me out! Let me go into the nursery!"(11). Even wishing herself to be "punished some other way!(11). The memory of something traumatic like the death of someone close to you can be brought back by the slight reference that one remembers of said person. Even after going to Lowood, she is struck by the sudden death of her friend Helen Burns of consumption. This time when "I was asleep, and Helen was--dead.(74)really shook Jane and once again brought back memories of her late uncle, which had once again surfaced as traumatizing events can last for a long time.
My Paternal Grandfather died when I was about 12 years old. However, between my birth and his death, we did many fun things together, and that serves as comic relief.
DeleteMy elaborate belief in the paranormal only induces further comic relief.
DeleteYou should know what I'm referring to.
DeleteNothing particularly traumatizing has ever happened to me so far, but that doesn't hinder my understanding or my sympathy.
DeleteSympathy is a social construct. Yes, the passing of the loved one is difficult to cope with, but the point of the question is that something frightening in one's youth can be recalled later in one's life by the barest thing that reminds one of the incident, in this case, the room in which her late uncle passed.
DeleteI see. Well, these traumatic experiences to which you refer have no place for comic relief whatsoever, for they simply aren't laughing matters. I understand this too, hence my sensitivity.
DeleteI mean I dont think Jane was reminded of the her uncle's death specifically, but death does have a tremendous effect on her, to the point where sadly she is used to it.
DeleteIn the recent chapters of Jane Eyre, Jane's life is soon to change drastically. She is soon to be sent off to school. "I scarcely knew what school was; John Reed hated his school, and abused his master; but John Reed's tastes were no rule for mine...[Bessie] boasted of beautiful paintings of landscapes and flowers by them executed...Besides, school would be a complete change: it implied a long journey, an entire separation from Gateshead, an entrance into a new life. 'I should indeed like to go to school,"Before she leaves though she has a conversation in which Jane says I am not deceitful: if I were, I should say I loved you; but I declare I do not love you: I dislike you the worst of anybody in the world except John Reed; and this book about the liar, you may give it to your girl, Georgiana, for it is she who tells lies, and not I." Jane is actually quite upset about being called a liar.Aunt Reed tells Jane to speak highly of her after she leaves. To which Jane says "I am glad you are no relation of mine. 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." I really liked this part because it was really just Jane sticking it to her Aunt after all the torment she made her go through.
ReplyDeleteAt the school Jane makes a friend named Helen Burns who is the most obedient and kind hearted girl in the entire school. They have a conversation about this obediancy and Jane says "But I feel this Helen: I must dislike those who, whatever I do to please them, persist in disliking me. I must resist those who punish me unjustly. It is as natural as that I should love those who show me affection, or submit to punishment when I feel it is deserved". She says that it is not right to obey to those who cause harm to you and you should only love those who are kind and affectionate towards you.
DeleteEven though I know that these schools existed, it’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that adults would treat children in such a way. I literally can’t imagine how it feels to have your hair cut off since my hair is part of my identity. Although it’s such a minor thing, it shows a glimpse of what the conditions and expectations were like in that school.
ReplyDelete“I always took my doll; human beings must love something, and in the dearth of worthier objects of affection, I contrived to find a pleasure in loving and cherishing a faded graven image, shabby as a miniature scarecrow” (28). –– All humans need to love for multiple reasons, even if that love is towards an old inanimate object.
Also Mr. Brocklehurst reminds me of the Grinch with his greedy nature but his small heart doesn't grow three sizes.
The Grinch is more like Robin Hood.
DeleteThe mistreatment from the adults also confuse me too. Do they really think they are helping the children or do they just want to feel in control?
Delete"Probably, if I had lately left a good home and kind parents, this would have been the hour when I should most keenly have regretted the separation: that wind would then have saddened my heart;" This quote made me feel sympathetic towards Jane because she never experienced being in a normal home with loving guardians.
ReplyDeleteLike Gateshead, this school also operates with Puritan overtones, so with the exception of her buddy, Helen Burns, Jane's situation hasn't improved much.
DeleteThe environment Jane grew up in was definity a major influence on what kind of person she became. The red chamber made her “fearful lest any sign of violent grief might waken a preternatural voice to comfort me, or elicit from the gloom some haloed face, bending over me with strange pity”(16). The experience was so traumatic that she feels “reverberation to this day”. In my psychology class I learned that childhood is the most defining period of time in a person life. Bad upbringing can cause people to develop a negative view on the world and themselves. I liked how Jane can speak up for herself and say to her aunt “I am glad you are no relation of mine. 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”(34). Even though it may seem like everybody is against her, people like Helen Burns changes her attitude on life. When Jane was deemed a liar and no one is allowed to speak to her, Helen smiles at Jane. Jane describes it as “an extraordinary sensation that ray sent through me!” and it was as if “a martyr, a hero, had passed a slave or victim, and imparted strength in the transit”(68). Helen showed Jane that there were other people in the world that cared about her which allowed her to develop a sense of trust and friendship.
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading these couple of chapters, I never knew that abuse could be so descriptive. For a child with no parents and has been under someone who mentally abuses her is heartbreaking. I can’t even imagine if I were Jane, having to constantly endure abuse from relatives, the only people you have blood relations with, and not be able to get out because you don’t know if you have anywhere else to go. As a young girl, Jane is not only a force to be reckoned with, but also stands strong with her beliefs and knows what she believes is right and wrong. She has such a strong character that it would be hard to break, yet she understands a lot of her emotions when she was little, saying that “children can feel, but they cannot [analyze] their feelings; and if the analysis is partially effected in thought, they know not how to express the result of the process in words.” (19) One of my favorite quotes that Jane said to Ms. Reed is when Jane had spoken up for herself and telling the audience that “[her] soul began to expand, to exult, with the strangest sense of freedom, of triumph, [she] ever felt,” (34)and “something of vengeance [she] had tasted for the first time.” (35) As Jane’s character has been unbreakable in Gateshead Hall, it continues as she goes on to school in Lowood. When she sees how her friend Helen is being mistreated and tormented by Mrs. Scatcherd for having a “sin” that is out of her control, she questions why Helen doesn’t fight back with her words or her actions. To Helen, although she thinks in a similar way to Jane, she said that “it would your duty to bear it if you could not avoid it,” and “it is weak and silly to say you cannot bear what it is your fate to be required to bear.” (55) Although Helen endures her punishments because of her beliefs and truths, in a way it teaches Jane to not be so spontaneous in her words and actions but to consider the situation at hand and then act accordingly to the circumstances. Because of Helen’s actions, it may affect Jane’s character as she grows up and starts the new chapter of her life as a governess.
ReplyDeleteJane Eyre is pretty legendary so far. I like the way it's written because it has action and wonderful descriptions and dialogue dotted throughout. Jane seems like a child prodigy with a feisty attitude and an IQ too high for her time period. She is oppressed on a sub scale with her family dynamic, and she spends the first 40 pages fighting back against her terrorist-like cousins and aunt. Jane delivers a pretty sick quote to her aunt before she is taken away to Lowood. The quote reads, "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 have no pity. I shall remember how you thrust me back—roughly and violently thrust me back—into the red-room, and locked me up there, to my dying day; though I was in agony; though I cried out, while suffocating with distress, ‘Have mercy! Have mercy, Aunt Reed!’ And 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 tale. People think you a good woman, but you are bad, hard-hearted. You are deceitful!” This quote really lays it all out. Her hatred and total demonization of Mrs. Reed and her children is totally out there for us to see, and for Mrs. Reed to bitterly digest. I have some suspicions that this may later impact Jane's trust and how she perceives other people. Because she clearly states that she has been left without any bit of love, I wonder how it will lead to her interactions with people who do show affection and love to her. Will she be naive or hardened because of this event? Later, when Jane goes to Lowood and becomes friends with Helen, they have an exchange regarding the learning and discipline of Lowood. "'A great deal: you are good to those who are good to you. It is all I ever desire to be. If people were always kind and obedient to those who are cruel and unjust, the wicked people would have it all their own way: they would never feel afraid, and so they would never alter, but would grow worse and worse. When we are struck at without a reason, we should strike back again very hard; I am sure we should—so hard as to teach the person who struck us never to do it again.'
ReplyDelete'You will change your mind, I hope, when you grow older: as yet you are but a little untaught girl.'” this exchange is important to me because it shows that Helen and Jane have something to learn from each other. Jane is very observant of people and she can comprehend people very well. Helen is sweet, but counters Jane's point with the fact that Jane is just a child. I think Jane can learn from Helen's growth mindset, and Helen can learn from Jane's confidence and self image. They are very dynamic because of how they counter each other in these aspects.
I think in a lot of ways Lowood is actually better for her than her home. At least at lowood she makes a friend and is able to make a friend. Albeit a short lived friendship considering that her friend dies shortly after they become friends but it's still a friendship. She is also able to befriend one of the teachers there which is wonderful. She has some islands that she can hold onto while she is in this sea of negativity in her life. I also find it funny how Mr. Brocklehurst tells all the other kids that Jane is a liar but no one believes him because they all hate him. So he kinda just achieved the opposite of what he wanted.
ReplyDeleteHaywood
DeleteJane's life is really sad, she has 2 friends. Only one of them is her own age. And she ends up dying. You can't help but feel really bad for her. I think it's super powerful what she put on her friends grave though. "I shall rise again" to do what? Make Lowood a better place. Do more with her life? What is she rising again to do?
Delete^also Haywood
DeleteHow Jane is treated through all this is quite terrible. She's constantly being called a liar when that is very much not true and is punished for things in which weren't in her control or that she wasn't even fully involved in. Though she is able to leave quite a lasting impression on Mrs. Reed when she states that she never and shall never love her or thing of her as family again. The way she delivered those lines were very strong and on point.
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