Ch.16

Jane realises she loves Mr Rochester.

• In the chapter we can see Jane battling with emotions; jealousy at Blanche Ingram, denial that she does in fact love him, and struggling with the fact that she isn't allowed to love him.

• "Ere long, I had reason to congratulate myself on the course of wholesome discipline to which I had thus forced my feelings to submit..." (p.161)

This is similar to the teachings of Helen all those years ago to not react angrily to injustice, and when she held her emotions in check when she was unfairly called a liar by Mr Brocklehurst.

Ch. 15

The fire in Mr Rochester's room.

• We learn a bit of Rochester's past, and about his affair with Celine Varens. Interesting how open he is with her, friendship of a sort has been established.

• Grace Poole now seems more dangerous after the fire, worried for Jane's safety- will she be next?

• Relationship between Jane and Adele grows stronger once Jane knows that Adele is parentless too, common bond which unites them.

• Rochester's past is so beyond what Jane has ever known, fascination of who Rochester is, and what there is in the world.

Ch. 14

The second evening with Mr Rochester.

• We notice now that Rochester actually enjoys Jane's company, "...I ought to be at liberty to attend to my own pleasure. Miss Eyre, draw your chair a little farther forward..." (p.131) He talks very roughly to her, ie. he isn't polite and asks blunt questions.

• Jane doesn't yet enjoy his company, but it is the most amusement she has had for a while. Chapter is entirely focused upon Rochester, rather like Jane is, because having her as narrator means we have to follow her actions and thoughts.

Ch.13

Dinner with Mr Rochester

• This is when we learn of the abrupt, blunt, and seemingly rude nature of Rochester. Jane responds by being more outspoken than a woman was thought to be in that period. Basically, she is herself with him.

• It is mostly dialogue throughout the chapter, which suggests that Jane isn't thinking anything contrary to what she is saying to Rochester- feels she can be honest with him, or perhaps sees she has nothing to hide, or still remembers being called a liar from childhood.

• Dialogue also means we are left to form our own opinions about Rochester rather than using Jane's, which means we are making judgements of Rochester as Jane would have done, which gets us more involved in the story.

Ch. 12

Jane meets Mr Rochester for the first time.

• Beginning of chapter shows she's settling in and enjoys life at Thornfield. Cliffhanger with who Grace Poole is and why there is so much discretion and secrecy about who she is.

• Interaction between Rochester and Jane shows up just how naieve Jane is to the outside world, "I think he was swearing...," "I had hardly ever seen a handsome youth..." We know this was because of where she grew up.

• "If even this stranger had smiled and been good-humoured to me when I addressed him...I should have...not felt any vocation to renew enquiries."(p.115)

This shows that her unhappy childhood has affected her in that she has only ever known how to deal with unkind or bad natured people. This is perhaps why she warms to Rochester so quickly, he's somebody she can relate to.

• The event was the first interesting thing that happened for Jane at Thornfield, so shows the distinct change Rochester brings to Jane's life- he makes it interesting, new and exciting.

Ch. 11

Jane begins life at Thornfield Hall.

• A change of place occurs, and Jane seems to relish it, asking questions frequently about Thornfield and Mr Rochester.

• Narrative style interesting at beginning of chapter;

"A new chapter in a novel is something like a new scene in a play; and when I draw up the curtain this time reader- you must fancy you see a room in the George Inn at Millcote..." (p.95)

Very informal, chatty style and tells us directly that she is trying to make us- the reader- feel within the story as an observer, following Jane wherever she goes.

Ch. 10

Jane advertises, and Mrs Reed calls for Jane.

• Within a page, 8 years are glossed over, which shows they were non descript. Means that the pace quickens dramatically, as if wanting to get to the next stage of her life as quickly as possible, to meet Mr Rochester.

• Again, when Jane comes across good fortune there is some calamity which happens soon after, in this case when Jane gets a reply to her advert Mrs Reed wants to see her again. Negative themes still going strong.

Ch. 9

Helen dies.

• The motif of weather is used again to show Jane's state of mind. "the frosts of winter had ceased...on a sunny day it began even to be pleasant and genial..." (p.77). Things seem to be getting better for Jane.

• Contrast to this idea is the fact that Helen dies soon afterwards. It seems Jane is not allowed to be happy for very long.

• Before Helen dies she says, "Jane your little feet are bare; lie down and cover yourself..." Caring for others comes so naturally to Helen she can't seem to ever focus on herself.

• Ending the ch. with the simple sentence, "Her grave is in Brocklebridge Churchyard...now a gray marble tablet marks the spot..." shows how Jane has come to accept bad things calmly, and how simple a life Helen led.

Ch. 8

Tea with Miss Temple.

• Helen's completely selfless character is elaborated upon. Jane notices that something is wrong with her, but still Helen only thinks of Jane and her humiliation.

• Helen's nature is almost the opposite of Jane's- opposites attract?

• Miss Temple obviously loves the pupils, and wants to give them as comfortable an experience as possible at Lowood. Jane's only other friend as well as Helen. Both have similar good, honest, selfless characters, all things which Jane has respect for, but can never emulate.

Ch. 7

Mr Brocklehurst pronounces Jane a liar

• Jane truly believes that she is a liar because she has been told enough times by Mrs Reed. She wants to start afresh, but Mr Brocklehurst won't let her. She is only a child- believes what she is told.

• Jane tries to be like Helen and doesn't protest at punishment- shows she has great respect for Helen and is learning to quash her emotions. Becoming a different person.

• Hypocrisy with Mr Brocklehurst's speech about attire and his guests. Shows how unreasonable his Christian ideas from the Bible are by showing that he doesn't actually act on his ideals.

• We learn that Miss Temple is on the children's side, "her brow settled gradually into petrified severity." while hearing Mr Brocklehurst speak. (p.65)

Ch. 6

Helen accepts punishment without complaint.

• Jane is in awe of the way Helen does not appear angry or feel any emotion when she is punished for something as trivial as having dirty nails. A martyr figure to Jane.

• Helen's idea of religion is different to Mr Brocklehurst's which appears in ch.7. Having Jane as narrator we see that Helen's faith interests Jane more, as she asks many questions (p.60), wants to know more.

• Jane suggests at end of the ch. that Lowood is not a 'proper' Christian institution, because they don't give Helen- a true Christian in Jane's eyes- the space to meditate and pray; "She was not allowed much time for meditation."

Ch. 5

Jane spends her first day at Lowood.

• Jane meets Helen, and is the only girl she speaks to, drawn to her because "her occupation touched a chord of sympathy somewhere" (p.51)
• She realises the school isn't as good as she thought.

• Weather is again commented on; "the wind rave in furious gusts, the rain fall in torrents" (p.47). Seems to be a recurring motif, could mirror her life- nothing positive, relentless hardships she has to face.

• The reader feels disappointment along with Jane, because we warm to her and don't like to see her have to cope with more difficulties.

Jane Eyre ch.1-4

Characters:

Mrs Reed
The benefactress of Jane. Dislikes her and excludes her from family life, is ashamed to have to look after her. Doesn't understand her, and does not try to.

Georgiana, Eliza and John
Adopted siblings of Jane. Follow their mother's example of shunning Jane, and John physically abuses her as he likes to exert what power he has over people ie. he's a bully.

Mr Brocklehurst
The owner of Lowood school. Fiercely Christian, so believes he is right in the name of God, although as a reader we disagree with his values because we see little compassion for the girls at Lowood.

Jane
Lonely child who has no one who really understands her, and hasn't been given much of a chance in life. Luck never really comes her way. She is reasonably intelligent, and very plain looking, which becomes to her disadvantage in her childhood, because she becomes less likeable.


Ch.1- Jane is accosted by John

Very negative language, "There was no possibility of taking a walk that day," "cold winter wind."

Establishing Jane as lonely, finds comfort in escaping from world to books. Language becomes more flamboyant, "scarlet drapery," "like a Turk."

Jane narrating, shows you through her eyes, like a film, "afar, it offered...near, a scene of wet lawn..."

She's in Gateshead.

Barrenness of scene is established very early on- extreme weather conditions and harsh climates, emulate emotions in Jane.

Ch. 2- Jane spends the night in the red room.

Description childlike- still believes in "tiny phantoms, half fairy, half imp." Her fear of these things are real, doesn't think reasonably yet.

Dramatic, high tension contrasts to the bleakness of first chapter. Jane's fiesty character which she usually suppresses comes out here.

Bessie is established as a friend of Jane's, her only friend at present.

Ch. 3- Mr Lloyd asks Jane if she wants to go to school

Bessie is again shown to be the only person to show Jane compassion, giving her the bird of paradise plate, and nursing her back to health.

Mr Lloyd shows how beauty is thought of in that period, "if she were a nice, pretty child, one might compassionate her forlornness." People think if she's ugly on the outside, she will be inside too.

Jane has a glimmer of hope which she clings onto. Shows how oppressed she feels in Gateshead.

Ch. 4- Mr Brocklehurst collects Jane

Preparing for new stage in her life.

Mr Brocklehurst talks of religion and we see how he manipulates the Bible to get it to say what he wants it to, eg. that Jane must be a 'bad' girl because she doesn't like the Psalms. Because Jane is author, we are made as reader to doubt how genuine a Christian he is.