Jane+Eyre+Discussion+Questions+(11-16)

=** Discussion Questions 11-16 **=

2). Jane imagines her watercolor portraits through “a spiritual eye”, yet she is unsure of how to express the beauty and emotions behind them. Thus, they became pale reflections of what she attempts to create. Each painting is tinted with despair and the echo of loneliness. Furthermore, a female figure is presented in each; the first depicts a female corpse; the second depicts a woman’s shape rising into the stars, and the third depicts a veiled woman. Each painting depicts treasure in the form of gold, jewels, or a crown. Jane is exploring the barriers of the class division she has been taught since a young child. In the first painting, the gold bracelet parallels the death of the woman. Jane uses the pieces of gold to describe the isolationism and sense of permanent fate to explain that women, even the rich, were extremely limited during the Victorian Era. They were expected to be married or to go to the covenant. The clouds and storm imagery depict Jane’s inner turmoil and the storm inside her. The atmosphere continues to be a pathetic fallacy for Jane by showing the struggle she is feeling as she is exploring ideas of happiness and her purpose while struggling against society’s harsh mold. She is continuing to conceal her passion which is expressed through the bird alone on the submerged mast, the woman’s dark and wild eyes, and the overall “glassiness of despair” (148). Discussion Questions 11-16

5). I agree that Jane Eyre is a quest for independence. When Jane is a child, she struggles to fight against the Reed family who she views as her oppressors. She considers herself a “rebel slave” and that her “blood is still warm” as her “mood of the rebel slave continues” (18). Furthermore, she battles Mrs. Reed as she asserts that she will tell Lowood and the teachers and students of Mrs. Reed’s cruelty and lies. She asserts that she is fighting Mrs. Reed and her lies “[b]ecause it is the truth” (44). At Thornfield, she asserts that she is still discontented and restless. She states that “humans must have action” and that “women feel just the same as men” which is a highly controversial opinion for anyone to have during the Victorian Era. Jane does not want to be subjugated as a nun in a covenant or as a submissive housewife. She desires freedom and independence, yet she is unaware of how to find it. At Lowood, her passion and fire was caged deep inside her, replaced by order and submissiveness. Jane desires to break free from the mold and find more in her life. Her feelings of passion constantly stir inside her, but she is unable to free them, so she continues her designated role while feeling turbid emotions, tensions, and inner turmoil of things she cannot place. She is “tormented by the contrast” of her paintings to how she attempted to embody them. She is unable to recognize the feeling and need of independence, but she is attempting to seek it on her own journey. Furthermore, she tells Rochester that she doesn't believe that Rochester “has the right to command [her]” due to age or wealth. She states that his superiority comes from how he has used his time and experience in age which demonstrates that she doesn't see inferiority as someone who is smaller, poorer, and uglier, but inferiority comes from someone who is inferior in mind, spirit, and morals.

8). Jane juxtaposes her feeling of contentedness with her own ideas of happiness. She divulges that she only has face deep relationships with those around her; she desires and longs for a concept she is not sure of yet. Jane is in figuring out her own opinion of happiness and her own journey to independence. She is reflecting Helen Burns's philosophy; she realizes that Helen would be shocked at her “ungrateful” and “unappreciative” attitude toward her position at Thornfield. She debates if suffering should be duty and begins to try and escape the harsh cage society has set around her. Jane continues to question and rebel against common stereotypes and Victorian ideas toward females. For example, she struggles with her own opinions of women desiring the same as men. She claims that women want to feel independent as well and claim their own destiny; no one is happy stuck in the same routine of needlework and childbearing. Bronte speaks out against the life of the calm and the tranquil, echoing that women should be treated the same as men since they have the same needs and wants inside.

12).Rochester seeks Jane’s comfort and advice to a great grave mistake he made earlier in life. He claims that fate unleashed it upon him, and he was forced to deal with the repercussions. He claims that originally he was supposed to be a pure and good man, similar in demeanor to Jane, but his family and life tricked him into turning angry and spiteful. He is referring to the idiom “the road to Hell is paved with good intentions”; he claims he is now trying to climb out of his own version of hell with good intentions and ideas that will save him. He has a plan and decides that his new motives will bring this despair out of his life and give him a new and purer life.

13). Rochester reveals that a dark secret plagues him that was forced upon him by his family. Originally, he claims that he was supposed to be a good and kind man, but fate led him down a darker path. He claims that he has found the strength to reform from this act and has found a new source of happiness and will keep the source, no matter the cost. He disagrees with Jane that repentance is needed; he has figured out his own methods to restore him to a pure life. He greets a ‘bonny wanderer” which is a vision that only he can see. He sees this “vision” as an angel promising him whispers of temptation which Jane urges him to resist and ignore. Jane suggests that he should attempt to improve himself to which he agrees, stating he already has good intentions behind his choices. Rochester then accuses Jane of being fearful of his enigmatic, odd topics of conversation. Furthermore, he compares her to a small bird being trapped in a cage; the “Lowood constraint still clings” to her, “controlling [her] features, muffling [her] voice, and restricting [her] limbs”(164). Lowood has spiked fear into her judgment and decisions, Rochester reveals his desire for Jane’s passion and true self, hidden by Lowood’s order and severity. He is able to see her true spirit, locked deep inside from Lowood’s crimes.

18). Jane attempts to convince herself that Rochester could never choose her over the beautiful and seductive Miss Ingram. Throughout Jane’s life, people have referred to her as mousy, plain and associating her with wicked connotations. As a child, Jane felt that if she were only beautiful, she would find love. She squashes her own hopes in attempt to save her the pain and grief from Mr. Rochester choosing Blanche over her. Jane repeatedly tells herself that she is small and lowly and that Rochester could never actually possess feelings for her, but she wants to show herself why. At this point, Jane does not realize that Blanche is shallow, hateful, and empty inside. She bases her opinion of Miss Ingram on her raved about beauty. Miss Ingram has all the stereotypical characters that men during the Victorian Era desired in females. Jane faces her own truth, belittles her physical appearance, while focusing on Miss Ingram’s fairness. Jane’s inner truth greatly upsets her because she dearly loves Mr. Rochester and believes he could never see her as more than a plain governess.

** Discussion Questions 16- 20 **
3). Blanche is Jane’s opposite; Bronte juxtaposes the two to show the shallowness and extravagance of the upper classes while enhancing Jane’s favorable qualities such as her docile temperament, kindness, and depth. Blanche is stunning; she is an exact replica of what men would see as attractive in the Victorian Era. She has “ black ringlets”, “sloping shoulders”, and “a graceful neck” (200). This contrasts with Jane’s plain and modest physical appearance. Furthermore, she has “a satirical laugh” which greatly differs from Jane who seldom laughs, but when she does it is full of joy. Jane is fond of little Adele and treats her with tender love and care. However, when Blanche first meets Adele, she acts with “a mocking air” and refers to her as “a little puppet” as if Adele is below her rank and is like a silly object (201). Blanche cares about Rochester for his wealth and uses her looks to attempt to seduce him. However, Jane judges Rochester’s interior and acknowledges that although his features “were not beautiful, according to rule. . . [t]hey were more beautiful” to Jane who sees his features full of passion, depth, and interest” (203). Blanche desires to attract all the attention in the room; she draws the attention of everyone with “a queenly amplitude” and “her air. . . [e]xcites not only the admiration, but the amazement of her auditors” (208). Meanwhile, Jane prefers to sit in a corner unnoticed; she dresses humbly in Quaker fashion and would rather that no one in the party notice her. Blanche demands submissiveness from Mr. Rochester; she demands to be his treasure and queen. After she asserts they will perform a duet, he replies that he is “all obedience” (208). On the othe rhand, Jane is often the submissive counterpart to Rochester. She desires his dominance and control which reflects her changed passive and docile nature.

6). Byronic heroes are flawed and imperfect human beings who reject the standard social conventions and norms of behaviors. The Byronic hero poses thoughts and behavior that usually aren't considered heroic and posses emotional complexity. However, Byronic heros are also cunning, intelligent, and often are morbid or have a darker sense of humour. Rochester is not handsome for his time period. He is bitter, sardonic and posses dark and heavy features that outline his sarcastic and changing temperament. He rebels against class restrictions and status, harboring hate of his family for some unknown dark secret that plagues him. Rochester is incredibly intelligent and deep. At one point, Jane is unable to keep up with his rambles of good and evil as he calls to an imaginary vision. Furthermore, he admits to be a screwed up version of the man he could have been. Fate had twisted his figure, and he believed he could have been a good and happy man if it weren't for fate’s cruelty. Furthermore, he harbors a dark secret and a shameful past. He has a mistress named Celene who broke his heart by having a secret affair and revealing that she thought Rochester was hideous and only wanted his gifts and money. His shattered relationship with his deceased brother continues to haunt him--resulting in his bitter behavior and personality. He wishes to be happy but believes he may have lost his chance through his past mistakes.

12). Rochester attempts to see how far Jane would go for him. Jane responds that she would do anything and everything to help him; she lets it be known that she would forsake the entire class system, friends, and society’s beliefs to comfort him and remain at his side. Rochester now is aware of all the power he holds over Jane; he realizes he could basically do anything and she would forgive him right away. He begins to feel untouchable, as if nothing could hurt him because he knows Jane will always remain at his side. He now as someone as “a back-up” so he will never have to be alone again if he wishes.