Analyzing Jane Eyre

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Analyzing Jane Eyre Chapters 1 "“ 5: 1. In the beginning of the novel, Jane Eyre is a little girl of ten years who is living with her cruel aunt, Mrs. Reed. The book states that she has no other relatives and therefore is unfortunately sent to the wealthy and greedy aunt. The other Reeds are unkind to her as well. Her youthful cousin, John Reed, is a selfish little boy who continuously causes Jane to be punished without provocation. She always has two female cousins named Georgiana and Eliza, who, according to their mother, are the example of ideal children. Both of which 'compete' in a way against Jane, who is put down horribly by her aunt for not living up to her ideal.

2. Jane finds solitude in her hiding-place behind the curtains of her room. There she has curled up with a book and quietly comforts herself.

When John Reed suddenly discovers her missing, he calls out for his sister, Eliza, who informs him that she is indeed behind the curtain, and when he pulls them back he sees her sitting with his book. The book that she is reading is his possession, and because of this he raises a tantrum and eventually psychically strikes her with the book. Upon realizing she is bleeding, she calls him "a wicked and cruel boy" and is severely punished for this. As she is dragged up the stairs, one of the maids snaps at her for striking the boy, although she never psychically abused him. Once inside she claims she has seen the phantom of the deceased Mr. Reeds and felt it floating above her. Mrs. Reed refuses to believe her excuse and claims that Jane was trying to trick her into letting her out of the room.

3. Mr. Brocklehurst is the bitter headmaster of Lowood institution, which is a school for "˜unfortunate orphans' such as Jane. When he first meets her he questions her as to where she would go should she die, and tells her sourly that she is to go to hell for being such a wicked and faulty child. Mrs. Reed states that Jane's worst fault is the tendency to deceit; Mrs. Reeds thought she was a cheat and a liar.

4. After Mr. Brocklehurst leaves, Jane gathers up the most of her courage and exclaims that she is not deceitful, and if she were, then she would say that she loved her aunt, for that would be a lie. To add to her aunt's intensifying fury, she states that Georgiana is the deceitful and lying one in the family. Jane continues on saying things such as "When people ask m e how I liked you I will say the very thought of you makes me sick". It seems she is taking this opportunity since she is permanently leaving the household. Mrs. Reed seems a bit stunned, watching a normally quiet child react so harshly to her. Jane feels both victorious and a bit ashamed with herself.

5. Bessie explains to Jane that if she dreads a person, they in turn will dislike her. She also tells Jane to be a bit bolder with her"¦a decent preparation for what is to come later in her life.

6. Jane's first morning at Lowood consisted of waking up in a cold room, washing her face, and quickly getting dressed and ready for the day. For breakfast that morning they burnt the porridge, and another girl quotes "The porridge is burst again!" meaning that it probably wasn't uncommon for the food to be inedible. Further throughout the day, she takes classes such as French and religion-based courses. Outside, she meets a girl who is reading a book, and confronts her to begin a conversation. She learns that Lowood is a "˜charity school' for unfortunate orphans who would like an education.

7. Miss Temple is one of the teachers at Lowood, and according to the girl she met outside, she is the kindest of the teachers there. That morning, after tasting the porridge they had for breakfast, she found it to be revolting and had a lunch delivered for the girls to eat instead. Jane immediately gains respect for her.

Interpreting Meanings: 8. I believe that the Reeds generally looked down on Jane because she was brought into their very rich family without money, which set her greatly apart from them. They most likely felt as though they owed her nothing, and neglected to give her decent clothing or food.

9. Mrs. Reed obviously did not want to partake in raising Jane, and gave her as little attention as possible. Her reasons for not loving Jane and taking good care of her were selfish, thinking only of her finances (which didn't seem to be a problem anyway) and her own greedy children.

10. Mr. Brocklehurst is a very, very strict man who punishes his children in unusual and immoral ways, and is often looking to discipline the girls despite their doing anything wrong.

11. Jane has had a lot of tension build up during the years she lived with her aunt, and all the hatred inside of her was released during her outburst. I believe that Jane won the argument against her because Mrs. Reed realized that she was probably right, and that she had treated Jane very wrong throughout the years, and a bit of guilt struck her.

12. The distinctive mood at Gateshead Hall is a bit of a dark and lonely one for Jane. It seems to be a colossal mansion with luxuries such as maids and housekeepers. Lowood appears to be a horrifying experience for young Jane, who immediately dislikes it. In the morning she describes the dormitories as freezing. The employees, besides Miss. Temple, are, for the most part, unpleasant and listen attentively to Mr. Brocklehurst's unfair orders. She uses the words "None of whom precisely please me" to describe the teachers of Lowood.

13. Jane sort of looks up to Miss Temple for her daring action to recover food for the girls after discovering their breakfast was burnt. This is a surprising action because she is going against Mr. Brocklehurst's regulations. I imagine Jane wishes she could be as bold as Miss Temple, and is pleased that there is at least one kind teacher at the school. She admires the girl she met in the garden because of her knowledge of the school as well as her ability to answer Jane's constant questions, and it seems she also respects the girl because she is so patient.

Chapters 6-12: 1. Miss Scatcherd treats Helen very unjustly during the lesson for countless unnecessary reasons such as stating "Burns, I insist on your holding your head up. I will not have you before me in that attitude," and the like. Helen was hurt by these actions, but did not reply and did not begin to think badly of the teacher. When Jane questions her later, she replies that she is at the school to get an education, and Miss Scatcherd was merely trying to teach her the etiquette of being in a classroom 2. In Chapter Seven, Mr. Brocklehurst complains to Miss Temple the ill state of the girl's clothing, particularly their stockings, which have been ripped. He also complains of Miss Temple's act of giving the children extra food, and declares that it ruins their "immoral souls" and that the school is in charge of making sure they do not get extra luxuries such as food and clothing. He also disagrees with the style of Julia Severn's hair, which is made up of red curls. Miss Temple argues that her hair grows in that manner completely naturally, but his final argument is that the lot of hair must be cut off.

3. After Jane accidentally breaks her writing-slate, Mr. Brocklehurst ultimately embarrasses her by announcing that she is careless. Furthermore, he continues to say that she is possessed by the "Evil One" and appoints her to a stool where she has to stand. He tells the student body to ignore her and exclude her, and to always be against her. Helen comforts her first by smiling, and later by bringing her food and stating that the students more than likely do not dislike her, rather pity her. Miss Temple later invites the girls to have a small tea with her, and they engage in a comforting and refreshing conversation.

4. During spring, Jane begins to relax a bit more at Lowood, and finds herself in a calmer state. She discovers that beyond the school there are mountains, and she likes to gaze at them from behind the gates of the school. In unfortunate diversity, the majority of the girls at the school become extremely sick, mainly because of hunger and the overlooked colds from the season before. A few of the girls manage to go home for the chance to get better, but several of the unlucky ones become so ill they eventually die. Among these who died was Helen Burns, and Jane grieves tremendously for her. Helen died, not because of the above reasons, but because of a lung disease.

5. The changes made at Lowood are fortunate for Jane. Mr. Brocklehurst remains tresurer of the institute, but two other men assisted him, who are, as Jane describes them, smarter and more sympathetic with the children. She grows to like the school more and felt she is learning more from her experience there.

6. Jane eventually decides to leave Lowood because she feels as though it has only been a system of rules and specific verifications. I believe she was bored with this routine and wanted more out of life than Lowood. She is very grateful when she receives a letter in the mail asking her to work as a governess for a little girl in Thornfield.

7. Mrs. Fairfax is a humble, agreeable lady who Jane immediately takes a liking too. She's very kind and treats Jane in such a manner that she did not expect, being a simple governess. She tells Jane that Mr. Rochester owns the house, and frequently visits but rarely stays. She also mentions that he's a bit unusual.

8. The Thornfield mansion seems to be elegant, but also has a pervasive lonely air to it. Jane describes it as "cheerless", as well as cold and empty. She seems to think it is a bit neglected but was beautiful in its earlier years. As Jane descends the stairway in Thornwood, she hears an eerie laugh echo through the hallways, which startles her, especially since Mrs. Fairfax has just finished telling her about the supposed ghosts and haunts throughout the house.

9. As time goes on at Thornwood, Jane becomes a bit restless and bored with her life there. She feels as though it is dull, and wishes to seek a more exuberant lifestyle.

10. Jane confronts a horseman, who she believes, at first, is a specific ghost known as "Gytrash", who is seen in the form of a horse, mule, or dog. She realizes it is not a Gytrash when she sees the face of the man, and remembers the fact that the Gytrash only rides alone. The man on horseback slides off his horse, and injures his ankle badly, and Jane aides him by standing to one side and helping him to stand. It is sometime in the evening, when the sun has just barely set. She learns later from Leah that Mr. Rochester has just rode in, and Mrs. Fairfax announces that she has called the surgeon for his ankle.

Interpreting Meanings: 11. In Chapter 6, Helen explains to Jane that she is a believer of Christian endurance, and tells her that she loves her enemies and accepts their harm with calmness. She seems she always wants self-improvement and takes the unjustified comments from Miss Scatcherd as aides in her growing intent to be educated.

12. Miss Temple and Helen Burns both had a very positive impact on Jane, and she greatly enjoyed the feeling of love they were generating towards her. She seems more acceptant of comments, no matter how uncivil, and has a growing respect for other people. She is bolder, as she most likely intended to be, and has found her place. She learned to cope with Lowood for all of those years and has grown fairly accustomed to the fact that some people are cruel and will treat her as an outcast, and that all she can do is to tolerate it.

13. The author of Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë, had created yet another lonely atmosphere in Thornfield. She makes it seem as though it is a very open hall, a bit dusty and gloomy. It also appears as if it had once been a very classy and glamorous manner, but in its age it has become a darker impression. Brontë uses very specific details through Jane to describe the house. Such examples as follows, "A very chill and vault-like air pervaded the stairs and gallery, suggesting cheerless ideas of space and solitude; and I was glad when finally ushered into my chamber, to find it of small dimensions and furnished in ordinary modern style." 14. Brontë has a very interesting character developing in Mr. Rochester. At first he is very mysterious, with such details as hiding his identity from Jane when she first encounters him. When she joins him for tea, he becomes a less concealed figure. He has a bit of a demanding presence, but it is easily apprehensible that Jane will begin to understand him.

15. Right off from the start of the novel, you can tell that Jane is in a bit of despair, in tough conflicts such as coping with her aunt and cousins. The author continuously describes the divisions Jane is residential to as being lonely, cold, and dark. It does relate to the Gothic novels of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, and it seems Gothic reasoning is used to fill in gaps in the plot, such as the illness among the children at Lowood. Also, many of the nineteenth century interiors were dim and downcast, relying only on a fire for light.

Chapters 13-24: 1. In Chapter 13, Mr. Rochester is very critical, but seems interested in the new governess, thus Jane. He questions her about her parents, Lowood, and her artwork portfolio which includes pictures and sketches she's drawn. When he asks her to play the piano, he seems very apathetic, and a bit sarcastic with how well she can play, and makes the very simple comment of "You play a little, I see; like any other English school-girl: perhaps rather better than some, but not well." Later, upon consulting Mrs. Fairfax, Jane learns that Mr. Rochester often has "painful thoughts", which are caused by the lack of his family, particularly his elder brother.

2. When Mr. Rochester asks her the question "Do you think me handsome?" she is astonished, and felt she should have politely replied, but instead answered negatively. His response is a surprised aspect of her, and tells her that she is very different, and not as simple as he had expected. She reacts by apologizing immediately, and he asks her which faults he finds in her. Even still, she denies the meaning of her first comment, "Mr. Rochester, allow me to disown my first answer: I intended no pointed repartee: it was only a blunder." 3. Jane soon learns that Adèle was the daughter of the opera-dancer, Cèline Varens, whom Mr. Rochester fell in love with. One day he awaited Miss. Varen's arrival, and noticed that as she stepped out of her carriage, she was followed by another gentlemen, who was, according to Mr. Rochester, her admirer. He goes on to tell her that he was extremely jealous. Quoting Jane, "He cast over them a glare such as I never saw before or since. Pain, shame, ire - impatience, disgust, detestation - seemed momentarily to hold a quivering conflict in the large pupil dilating under his ebon eyebrow." Continuing with his story, he tells that he came into his hotel room where Cèline and her lover were, shot the man in the arm, and carried her off. Later, it was confirmed that she was too have a child: Adèle. He states that she abandoned her family, and ran off to Italy, leaving him with Adèle. He took her back to England, and raised her. Jane warms up very much to Adèle after hearing her story, and treats her in a kind, motherly fashion.

4. After hearing the 'demoniac laugh' in the hallways, Jane wakes and heads to the hallway to look for the sound. She is alarmed when she sees Mr. Rochester's bed on fire, and fortunately puts it out with the aid of three water pitchers near his bed.

5. Jane Eyre sees Blanche as being "two-faced" and therefore creates two individual pictures: one of a beautiful and glamorous-looking lady, which Jane believes to be what Blanche wants people to see in her, and a more crude sketch of her, which is supposed to be who Blanche really is. Blanche had the social stature that Jane doesn't seem to possess, while Blanche lacks integrity.

6. Quoting Jane about Miss Blanche Ingram, "The noble bust, the sloping shoulders, the graceful neck, the dark eyes and black ringlets were all there." Jane realizes that she is, in fact, stunningly beautiful. However, she describes Miss Ingram's personality as having a false disposition, and of being rather a flirt.