Chapters 1-3: Leader Tvishi

Discussion Sheet: 

Hello Everyone!! I hope y’all had an amazing weekend and also weren’t outside for too long because oh my gosh it was so cold ahh. But that means perfect conditions for reading so let’s jump right in. 

Chapter 1: 

•  To start right off, I’m finding it interesting how Bronte uses weather to kind of allude to the mood of the chapter. Obviously, I’m saying this after reading just that section, but I’m making a prediction that maybe this is a style she uses. Do we think that weather is being used as a way to describe the mood of the chapter?   

 

• As we know Jane Eyre is in the perspective of Jane herself, that said I’ve noticed how at least from page 1 that there is a usage of () and typically from what I remember parentheses are used for additional evidence or potentially additional thoughts. Is there a possibility that Bronte included the () as a way to reveal the way Jane thinks or reveal non-discrete characteristics on Jane that can be seen based on actions? Like, show not tell? 

 

• Lowkey, why does Mrs.Reed give me an evil stepmother vibe towards Jane?  Like I don’t like her already and it’s only the first page. Also, they’re probably not mother and daughter, but there has to be some family relation if she really is “caring about her” 

 

• On pages 9-10 Mrs.Reed tells Jane how “ ‘it’s truly forbidding in a child taking up her elders….until you can speak pleasantly, remain silent,’” (Bronte). Last week we had been talking about how women are seen by society. That got me thinking did Bronte have Mrs.Reed say this line as a way to reflect on how she feels as all children or women specifically and how girls are supposed to be quiet and not outspoken. What do you guys think of this? Do you think there are some underlying themes of women stereotypes seen in this chapter or throughout the book? What do you think the purpose of that was?

 

• Can anyone explain what Jane is trying to say on the last paragraph of page 10 going into pg 11?

  

• We can see Jane has a strong connection towards books maybe this is due to the lack of connection she has been her “family.”   

 

• “....the drear November day,” (Bronte 10). This line again is seen using weather as a way to set the mood. I feel like there are going to be heavy weather motifs to foreshadow the chapter’s overall theme. What do you think the purpose of the weather motifs throughout the reading was for? 

 

• I know already talked a bit about Jane’s connection with her book but on pg. 11 in the 6th paragraph, Jane says how, “With Bewick on my knee, I was then happy: happy at least in my way….” (Bronte). Now let’s dissect this. Knowing that Jane doesn’t have anyone to depend on nor feels any sense of belonging, is it possible to assume that Jane loves her books and has this attachment towards them because of how she’s able to have a better relationship with her books than her Aunt? What do you think the purpose of having the books be an integral part of Jane’s life is about? Does it have something to do with her belongingness within the Reeds’? 

 

• When we are introduced to John we are told how “[He] had not much affection for his mother and sisters, an antipathy to me. He bullied….” (Bronte 12). Now, this may be me overthinking, but I thought that potentially the way John is introduced reveals kind of how he views women and this could lead to a bigger metaphor that that could be seen. Like I felt that it was way lowkey misogynistic (seen later on) and potentially the character of John was the representation of how men viewed women. 

•  While on the other hand we then have Mrs.Reed who is seen to be ignoring any of the actions that John does towards Jane. Jane even calls Mrs.Reed “blind and deaf on the subject…” (Bronte 12). Just like John, I think Mrs.Reed’s character was also supposed to be representing how society acts when women are mistreated by men and how they are oblivious to it. So my question is what are your thoughts on this? Do you think that this contrast towards these characters was intentional or potentially just an accident that ended up creating a bigger meaning? 

 

• Then on page 13, we see John shaming Jane’s father by saying how her father had left her no money and therefore Jane is worthless and isn’t part of this family. Now correct me if I’m wrong but is John potentially implying that Jane is in this mess because her father wasn’t a man enough to not leave her? Similar to Beauty’s dad in Beauty and the Beast? Does anyone have any thoughts or clarify this?  

 

• OMG, WHY WOULD THE SISTERS NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT HOW JOHN HIT JANE FIRST??? WHY IS NO ONE TAKING HER SIDE AHHHH! 

Chapter 2: 

• Why is everyone so rude to Jane? It’s so mean I actually am getting pissed off and we haven’t even gotten to a super heavy story plot which probably means I’m going to really like this book!  

 

• So I’ve been recently noticing how often Jane has been described as an animal by those who are in her life currently and first of all that’s very rude. But more importantly, I think it’s a motif that Bronte is using because if I have learned anything it’s that when something happens more than once in a book it’s probably a motif. What I wanted to ask is what do you guys think the purpose of the motif is and why did Bronte include it within these first three chapters?  

 

• Personally, I feel that it’s used to help showcase not only their hatred towards her due to her class and history but potentially even women who are facing similar hardships within the social class. Thought on this? 

 

• The word “Master” is used a lot within this chapter to describe how Jane should be viewing the Reeds, specifically John. On page 15 Jane even states how “like any other rebel slave, [she] felt resolved, in my desperation, to go all lengths,” (Bronte). This is a repeated idea of how Jane is thought to be equivalent to a slave and I was just wondering why you guys think Bronte would do this? Now I’m focusing on the quote I used because I feel again it’s potentially alluding to the idea of how all women who are “rebelling” should be treated poorly as they are not following the social norms, but what are your thoughts on this? 

 

• “...’ but if you become passionate and rude, missis will send you away, I am sure,’...” (Bronte 16). This is what Jane is told by Bessie. Based on this it can be seen that Bronte is implying how women at the time are being scrutinized for being outspoken and breaking the rules set by society, however, could this also just be simply be said in regards to Jane’s behavior. Like do you think there is a bigger meaning behind this scene or not? Why exactly and what effect does this have from what we’ve already been talking about? 

 

• On page 17 the “jail” like room Jane is in is described to us and there is a Christian allusion in which Jane sees what “[she] thought, [was] like a pale throne,” (Bronte). Now the footnotes of this allusion revealed that Bronte was describing the Throne of Judgement. Potentially this is used to symbolize how the actions Jane “committed” are sin-like and therefore must be judged upon by God. However, I pass this question onto you. Why do you think Bronte included this Christian allusion and what could this allusion potentially be stating about women who misbehave or act out of the social norms? 

 

• At the top paragraph that went from the end of pg. 17 to 18, what was Jane seeing? 

 

• Okay, so I find it interesting that we have these two contrasting characters within the Reed sisters. Georgina is seen as someone who is described on page 18 as “a spoiled temper…. Was universally indulged” (Bronte) while Eliza was “headstrong selfish” yet respected as well. If both of these somewhat opposite women are to some extent respected what does that say about the standard of a woman according to Bronte? 

 

• Clarifying question: Does Jane hate her Aunt or does she sympathize for her because on page 20 she talks about she understands why her Aunt couldn’t properly take care of some “interloper” who isn’t connected to her? 

Chapter 3:  

 

• In the third paragraph of page 23, Jane talks about how she felt relief and felt protected by this stranger so what does that reveal about the trauma that she has faced from her “family?” Do you think this trauma might come back to haunt her later on in the book?  

 

• Even when the doctor leaves on page 24 Jane begins to feel extremely alone and sad. Besides the obvious of how this is probably due to how unsafe she feels with the Reeds do we think it might be something more underlying? This might be because of psych, but I know how when one has repressed childhood trauma it can cause them to act a certain way later on in life. Could that be happening here with Jane? 

 

• I’m confused by whether or not Bessie saw something while Jane was in the room because Bessie told Sarah how, “ ‘Something passed [Jane], all dressed in white, and vanished,’ “ (Bronte 24). However what was that thing? Did they actually see that?

 

• Another allusion towards Christ on page 25 

 

• I feel so bad for Jane she seems so abandoned and isolated by everyone. :/ 

 

• “Book acted as a transient stimulus” (Bronte 25) --- already mentioned above, but how does her relationship with her books have a greater effect on the overall plot?   

• Is she using books to escape from her reality? A coping method? Your thoughts? 

 

• Does the second song that Bessie sings to Jane supposed to represent Jane’s current situation? What was the purpose of it?  

 

• On page 29, Jane says how she will only be able to escape one she is “a woman.” What does that suppose to imply? Isn’t that contradictory considering how women at that time were never able to escape or have true freedom as long as they were under a man’s power and for Jane that would be John Reed?  How does being a woman make a difference? 

 

• Why would Jane prefer being rich but in a cruddy family over having a nice family, but poor family? She talks about how she thinks the poor aren’t nice on page 30, but why would she think like that? What would cause that thinking? 

 

• The chapter ends with Bessie and Abbot talking about how beautiful Georgiana is and her looks. What does that say about women as a whole in this society? How does this thinking hurt or help Jane? 

I feel like I wrote a lot and I probably did, but to be honest these were questions I thought about and I even wrote all over my book. So I hope you found these questions interesting, but I need to get sleep considering it’s pretty late and I started earlier than usual. Bye! :)