JANE EYRE QUESTIONS
Chapters 1-4: Childhood; Gateshead Hall
SETTING
1. a. Describe the drawing room where Mrs. Reed and her children are gathered (Chapter 2)
b. Describe the breakfast room window seat where Jane is isolated.
c. How do the physical location and separation of the characters establish the relationships among them?
2. a. What are the major features of the furnishings of the Red Room? b. How are its past use and its current use related to Jane's recognition of injustice? (Chapter 2)
CHARACTERS AND CONTEXT
3. a. Describe the familial relationship between Jane and the Reed family. b. How did the death of Mr. Reed change Jane's status at Gateshead Hall? c. What other family may Jane have?
LANGUAGE AND LITERARY TECHNIQUES
4. The actions or statements of several characters center around a book or books. Books are viewed as a mark of privilege, an instrument of punishment, a means of escape, or the path of salvation. Notice how each character demonstrates a view of books in what he or she says or does. What (in a few words or phrases) is the significance of to each character?
a. Jane? (Chapter 1 and 3) b. John Reed (Chapter 1) c. Mr. Brocklehurst? (Chapter 4)
5. How does Jane's choice of books foreshadow journeys? (Chapter 1 and 3)
VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT
Each of the following words (1-10) is first given in the context of the sentence in which it appears in the book (A), then in a second sentence which gives some clues as to the meaning of the word (B). Read the two sentences; then select the best definition of the word from the four choices given.
1. Diffidence, (Chapter I)
A. “What do you want?' I asked, with awkward diffidence."
B. Timid among strangers, I entered the room with diffidence.
a. scatter widely b. dissimilarity c. lack of confidence d. nobility of manner
2. obligations (Chapter 2)
A. "You ought to be aware, Miss, that you are under obligations to Mrs. Reed: she keeps you: if she were to turn you off, you would have to go to the poor house."
B. Because the salesclerk gave me such careful, courteous, time consuming service, I felt obligations to make the purchase then and there, rather than to delay.
a. contradictions b. debts of gratitude c. experiences d. limitations
3. reverberation (Chapter 3)
A. "No severe or prolonged bodily illness followed this incident of the red room: it only gave my nerves a shock, of which I feel the reverberation to this day."
B. The reverberation of the sound of the explosion, rebounding from the surrounding hills, continued for several minutes.
a. echoing b. diminishing c. vibrating d. increasing
4. perused (Chapter 3)
A . "This book I had again and again perused with delight,"
B. To begin my search for a job, I perused the "Help Wanted" ads, item by item.
a. observed b. recordedc. watched d. studied
5. frame (Chapter 3)
A. "How difficult it was to frame any answer!"
B. As a witness, I had to frame my statement in carefully chosen words.
a. to shape; to give form b. to choose c. to watch; to observe d. to duplicate
6. intimidated (Chapter 4)
A. "I now stood in the empty hall; before me was the breakfast room door, and I stopped, intimidated and trembling."
B. When I stepped out on the stage to sing, I was suddenly intimidated by the size of the audience.
a. made angry b. made happy c. made afraid d. made strong
7. deliberated (Chapter 4)
A. I deliberated a moment; my answer, when it did come, was objectionable: 'I must keep in good health, and not die.'
B. I paused, thought, deliberated before making my choice.
a. carefully considered b. quietly ignored c. avoided d. reacted
8. judicious (Chapter 4)
A. " 'Your decisions are perfectly judicious, madam,' returned Mr. Brocklehurst."
B. The judicious student makes careful, prudent use of time.
a. wise b. careless c. tedious d. bright
9. retaliation (Chapter 4)
A. "What strength had I to dart retaliation at my antagonist?"
B. Deeply hurt, and wanting to strike back, I waited for the chance for retaliation.
a. intrusion b. revenge c. exception d. question
10. brooding (Chapter 4)
A. "Bessie's presence, compared with the thoughts over which I had been brooding, seemed cheerful; even though, as usual, she was somewhat cross."
B. His sullen face as he sat in the corner of the room showed that he was brooding.
a. clever b. devious c. moodily thoughtful d. pleasantly hopeful
JANE EYRE QUESTIONS
Chapters 5-10 Education at Lowood
SETTING
1. Describe the weather outside LowoodSchool during Jane's first few months there. (CH 5)
2. How does the weather parallel the routines of living inside LowoodSchool?
a. Daily routine (CH 5) b. Sunday routine (CH 7) c. Food (CH 5 and 7) d. Play hour (CH 6)
3. a. How is the "philosophy" of improvement of the spirit through deprivation of the flesh demonstrated in the routine at Lowood? b. What is Mr. Brocklehurst's justification of the restrictions regarding clothing and food? (CH 7) c. What is Mr. Brocklehurst's justification for punishing Jane? (CH 7)
4. The expansion of time and the compression of time in the narrative help to differentiate the young Jane from the mature Jane. The mature Jane compresses eight years of her life into a few paragraphs. What reason does she give? (CH 10)
5. The transformation of LowoodSchool coincides with Jane's personal transformation from torment and deprivation to tranquility and order. What is the relationship between the description of the changes in the school? (CH 10)
CHARACTERS AND CONTEXT
6. a. How does Helen Burns react to punishment? (CH 6) b. How does Jane react to punishment? (CH 8) c. What reasons do Helen and Jane give for their different reactions to punishment? (CH 6 & 8)
LANGUAGE AND LITERARY TECHNIQUES
7. Jane's first journey begins in darkness and ends in darkness. What is the symbolic difference between leaving behind the darkness, Gateshead and the darkness of arrival at Lowood?
8. a. What reasons does Jane, the storyteller, give for expanding and compressing time? B. What does this technique do to the story? (CH10)
VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT
Each of the following words (1 10) is first given in the context of the sentence in which it appears in the book (A), then in a second sentence which gives some clues as to the meaning of the word (B). Read the two sentences; then select the best definition of the word from the four choices given.
1. laden CH 5
A. "The coach drew up; there it was at the gates with four horses and its top laden with passengers ...... ”
B. Laden as he was with all the camping gear, the mule was unable to climb the hill.
a. equipped b. tired c. burdened d. hauled
2. fragmentary CH 5
A. "My reflections were too undefined and fragmentary to merit record. . . ."
B. The evidence was fragmentary just a few arrowheads and pieces of pottery but we knew we had located the site of an early Indian village.
a. fraudulent b. exact c. complete d. disconnected
3. ominous CH 6
A. "This ominous tool she presented to Miss Scatcherd with a respectful courtesy.”
B. The rain and fog were ominous signs of the outcome of the story.
a. mocking b. varied c. natural d. foreboding
4. truculent CH 6
A. "Bitter and truculent when excited, I spoke as I felt, without reserve or softening."
B. The hostage became truculent, lashing out at his captors.
a. sad b. tormented c. fierce d. mocking
5. deferentially
A. "These ladies were deferentially received by MissTemple. . . ."
B. The ladies in waiting deferentially curtsied to the Queen.
a. angrily b. respectfully c. reluctantly d. mockingly
6. fervid C H 8
A. ". . . Has a girl of fourteen a heart large enough, vigorous enough to hold the swelling spring of pure, full, fervid eloquence?"
B. Made fervid by the heat of the argument, I spoke and acted with intensity and zeal.
a. vehement b. stubbornc. frightened d. submissive
7. predisposed CH 9
A. "Semi starvation and neglected colds had predisposed most of the pupils to receive infection ...... ”
B. Earlier ominous signs predisposed him to walking cautiously.
a. implied b. required c. necessitated later d. inclined beforehand
8. redeeming CH 9
A. ". . . I am a defective being, with many faults and few redeeming points ...... ”
B. His smile was the redeeming quality for which I forgave him our quarrel.
a.a. quarreling b. interferingc. mitigating d. negotiating
9. transforming CH 10
A. ". . . I had undergone a transforming process ... it was not the power to be tranquil which had failed me, but the reason for tranquility was no more."
B. Spring was transforming the barren landscape into a scene of new green growth.
a. transporting b. unfoldingc. changing the form of d. withdrawing from
10. soporific CH 10
A. ". . . The heavy supper she had eaten produced a soporific effect: she was already snoring. . . ."
B. The steady rhythm of the windshield wipers was as soporific as a lullaby.
a. causing sleep b. ominous c. making fervid d. truculent