Characters in Jane Eyre

What literary form does 'Jane Eyre' exemplify, which follows a protagonist's development from childhood to adulthood?

A Bildungsroman.

What is John Reed's justification for Jane not being allowed to read 'our books'?

He calls her a dependent with no money who ought to beg rather than live with gentlemen's children.

How does John Reed's repetition of the pronoun 'you' in his taunts to Jane serve to highlight their social dynamic?

It illustrates his hatred for Jane and emphasises the difference between her (the outsider) and them (the family).

What specific names from Roman history does Jane use to condemn John Reed after he throws a book at her?

She compares him to the Roman emperors Nero and Caligula.

What event does Jane experience in the red-room that makes her faint from terror?

She sees a gleam of light that she believes to be the ghost of her Uncle Reed.

The use of 'red' and 'black' to describe the red-room symbolises what two concepts, creating a supernatural and terrifying atmosphere?

The colours symbolise death and hell.

What is Mrs. Reed's reaction when Jane confronts her, saying, 'you treated me with miserable cruelty'?

Mrs. Reed looks frightened, rocks back and forth, and tells Jane she is mistaken and passionate.

When Jane forgives a dying Mrs. Reed, what does she realise about her aunt's feelings?

She realises that Mrs. Reed's hatred is habitual and that, even in death, she must still hate Jane.

What crucial information does Mrs. Reed confess to have withheld from Jane on her deathbed?

She admits to concealing a letter from Jane's uncle, John Eyre, who wanted to adopt her and make her his heir.

Which of the Reed sisters becomes the Mother Superior of a convent in France?

Eliza Reed.

How is Mr. Brocklehurst physically described when Jane first meets him, making him appear ominous?

He is described as a 'black pillar' with a 'carved mask' for a face, large features, and prominent teeth.

What hypocrisy does Mr. Brocklehurst demonstrate regarding his principles of plainness and austerity at Lowood?

His own daughters are splendidly attired in velvet, silk, and furs with elaborately curled hair, directly contradicting the rules he imposes on the schoolgirls.

Mr. Brocklehurst orders that Julia Severn's naturally curly hair must be cut off because he desires the girls to be 'children of _____' and not 'conform to nature'.

grace

By what false accusation does Mr. Brocklehurst publicly humiliate Jane at Lowood School?

He accuses her of being a liar, based on Mrs. Reed's report.

What Christian doctrine does Helen Burns practice that Jane strongly disagrees with?

Helen practices a doctrine of Christian endurance, which involves loving her enemies and accepting her suffering patiently.

In response to Jane's passionate desire for retaliation, Helen Burns advises her to read the New Testament and follow Christ's example, specifically citing the command to '_____ your enemies'.

love

How does Brontë use personification to describe the prevalence of sickness at Lowood school?

She describes disease as an 'inhabitant' and death as a 'frequent visitor' to the school.

What is the cause of Helen Burns's death at Lowood?

She dies of tuberculosis (consumption).

What Latin word is inscribed on Helen Burns's gravestone, and what does it mean?

The word is 'Resurgam,' which means 'I will rise again'.

The character of Helen Burns and the trauma of her death are based on Charlotte Brontë's own loss of which sister?

Her sister, Maria.

Who is the kind superintendent at Lowood who publicly clears Jane's name after receiving a letter from Mr. Lloyd?

Miss Temple.

Thornfield Hall, a key setting in the novel, represents a 'field full of thorns,' symbolising what for Jane?

It symbolises the difficulties and trials she will face there, including jealousy, temptation, and mystery.

Who is the housekeeper at Thornfield Hall who is initially kind to Jane but later shuns her for overstepping her position?

Mrs Fairfax.

What is the name of Jane's young pupil at Thornfield, and what is her nationality?

Her name is Adèle Varens, and she is French.

Mr. Rochester is depicted as a _______ ____, a character type named after a Romantic poet, known for being dark, moody, mysterious, and rebellious.

Byronic hero

What pseudoscience, involving the study of skull and face shapes to determine character, does Jane use when analysing both Mr. Rochester and St. John Rivers?

Phrenology.

What is the 'insuperable impediment' that stops Jane's wedding to Mr. Rochester?

The revelation that Mr. Rochester is already married to Bertha Mason, who is still alive.

Bertha Mason's action of tearing Jane's wedding veil in two is an example of what literary device?

Foreshadowing, predicting that Jane's dreams of marrying Rochester will be destroyed.

How does Jane describe Bertha Mason's face when she sees it in the mirror, comparing it to a creature from German folklore?

She compares it to 'the foul German spectre—the Vampyre'.

Bertha Mason's 'goblin laugh' and confinement in the attic are key elements of which literary genre that Brontë incorporates into the novel?

The Gothic genre.

What does Mr. Rochester ask Jane to do after the failed wedding, which she refuses on principle?

He asks her to become his mistress and live with him in the south of France.

In her famous declaration of self-worth to Rochester, Jane states, 'I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free _____ _____ with an independent will'.

human being

What vision prompts Jane to flee Thornfield Hall?

She sees a vision of her mother's spirit, who tells her, 'My daughter, flee temptation'.