AP Lit and Comp
Jane Eyre: Reading Assignment
Congratulations on getting out of school for two blissful, college-preparatory days! In the meantime, please answer the following questions as thoroughly as you can while you read. Love to all. Answer on your own paper; some are opinion questions and cannot be “incorrect” unless you fail to adequately respond.
Chapter 6
In this chapter, Jane receives another lesson in strength, this time from Helen Burns. What do you think of Burns' diction and speech? What do you think of her philosophy?
Chapter 7
What do you think of Mr. Brocklehurst's philosophy of education in this chapter?
Discuss Brontë's feelings on the "nature of man". Is she being serious or tongue-in-cheek?
Chapter 8
Compare Jane Eyre to other mistreated heroines from children's stories (Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White). Knowing that Jane Eyre is the novel that broke many rules about how a mistreated heroine should act, compare and contrast them to Jane.
Chapter 9
Pay attention to the lush descriptions of Miss Temple in chapter 8 and spring at Lowood in chapter 9. How would descriptions like these affect readers in the mid 19th century? How do they affect readers of today?
Notice the parallels between life at Lowood in the spring and Jane's new lifestyle. How is this "pathetic fallacy" a form of foreshadowing?
Chapter 10
Read the first paragraph of chapter 10. If Brontë means that she has only related events that are important, what are those important events and how are they important to Jane's development as a character?
What do you think of Jane's prayers for a "new servitude"?
What can you make of Bessie's character in her differing reactions to Jane's looks and her abilities? What is the effect that Brontë is trying to convey to the reader?
Pay attention to the appearance of a mysterious Mr. Eyre.
Chapter 11
What do you make of the first two paragraphs in chapter 11? Analyze this passage with regard to literary theory and the nature of the narrator.
What affect does Mrs. Fairfax's description of Rochester have on the reader? How does Brontë achieve this affect?
