Jane Eyre Annotations

Chapter 1
A: "Me she had dispensed from joining the group, saying, "she regretted to bi under the necessity of keeping me at a distance"- "she really must exclude me from priviledges intended only for contented, happy little children""pg.9

I: A forshadowing that Jane Eyre will not have good relations with the family. She may get kicked out of the house. The other children may hate her.

A: "He bullied and punished me; not two or three times in a week, nor once or twice in a day, but continually: every nerve I had feared him, and every morsel of flesh shrank when he came near." Pg. 12

I: John Reed is a terrible boy. He may become to be the nightmare of Jane. He, as well as his mother and sisters are probably the antagonists of the story.

A: "Wiked and cruel boy!" I said. "You are like a murderer - you are like a slave-driver - you are like the Roman emperors!" Pg. 13

I: Jane was tired of her oppression and decided to finally stand up for herself. She may then decide to stand for herself against Mrs. Reed and the rest of the family until she is then kicked out of the house. This act may contribute to some courage.

Chapter 2
A: Mr. Reed had been dead nine years: it was in this chamber he breathed his las; here he lay in state; hence his coffin was borne by the undertaker's men; and, since that day, a sense of dreary consecration had guarded it from frequent intrusion." Pg. 16

I: Because Mr. Reed had died in that chamber, no one really went into it unless it was to be cleaned. Mrs. Reed probably did not have much respect for Mr. Reed because she had Jane be locked up in his chamber as punishment. There is also some sort of mystery in the room since it is kept undisturbed since Mr. Reed had died.

A: "All looked colder and darker in that visionary than in reality: and the strange little figure there gazing at me, with a white face and arms specking the gloom, and glittering eyes of fear moving where all else was still, had the effect of a real spirit: I thought it like one of the tiny phantoms, half fairy, half imp, Bessie's evening stories represented as coming up out of lone, ferny dells in moors, and appearing before the eyes of belated travellers. I returned to may stool." Pg. 16

I: Bessie's stories gave Jane a superstition that spirits and ghosts probably did exist. Jane thought that because Mr. Reed had died in that chamber that there probably was left something of him like a spirit or some kind of magic.

A: "instigated some strange expedient to achieve escape from insupportable opression- as running away, or, for that could not be effected, never eating or drinking more, and letting myself die." Pg. 17

I: Jane probably lost all hope of living a good life in the future. Because she is being opressed so much, she grows tired of it and would rather die. Shows that she may be weak in character.

Chapter 3
A: "Poverty looks grim to old people, still more so to children: they have not much idea of industrious, working, respectable poverty; the think of the word as connected with ragged clothes, scanty food, fireless grates, rude manners, and debasing voices: poverty for me was synonymous with degradation" Pg. 26

I: Jane, although she is in constant opression, seems influenced by the family's high rank of living because she could not imagine herself living with poor people, even if they were kind. it is ironic in her position because she is treated as a poor person herself.

Chapter 4
A: "I deliberated a moment; my answer, when it did come, was objectionable: "I must keep in good health and not die"". Pg. 34

I: Jane said this when she was asked what she would do because it seems she would go to hell when she would die because of her wickedness. She seems to not take manners seriously and mocks people.

A: "I am not deceitful: if i were, I shuld say i loved you, but I declare I do not love you: I dislike you the worst of any body in the world exept John Reed; and this book about the liar, you may give to hour girl, Georgiana, for it is she who tell lies, and not I." Pg. 38

I: Jane Eyre, after confronting Mrs. Reed, may end up in a lot of trouble. She may surely be kicked out of the house now.

A: "How dare I, Mrs. Reed? How dare I? Because it is the truth. You think I have no feelings, and that I con do without one bit of love or kindness; but I cannot live so: and you have no pity." Pg. 39

I: Jane defends her position on standing up for herself. Ms. Reed may give Jane more respect but it is not likely, since she only cares about her own children. By standing up for herself, Jane may not be as oppressed as she used to be.

Chapter 5
A: "I saw one teacher take a basin of the porridge and taste it; she looked at the others; all their contenances expressed displeasure, and one of them, the stout one, whispered:-"Abomiable stuff! How shamefull!."" Pg. 48

I: The school has very bad conditions and Jane may have to learn the hard way how poverty can affect the life of a person. Jane had been oppresed at Mrs. Reed's house, but she had luxuries that the school does not have to offer. It may change Jane's outlook in what is really important in life.

Chapter 9
A: "Many, already smitten, went home to die: some died at the school, and were buried quietly and quickly, the nature of the malady forbidding delay." Pg. 79

I: Maybe Jane or Helen may get sick and have a terrible ending. The presence of death and sickness may impact Jane.

A: "but a day or two afterwards I learned that Miss Temple, on returning to her own room at dawn, had found me laid in a little crib; my face against Helen Brun's shoulder, my armes round her neck. I was asleep, and Helen was - dead."

I: Jane can get emotionally impacted with the death of her dear friend Helen. Without her, she may start to feel lonely at the school and suffer. she may have to live in isolation for the rest of the time she spends there, since she does not communicate with any of the other girls.

Chapter 10
A: "From the day she left I was no longer the same: with her was gone every settled feeling, every assocation that had made Lowood in some degree a home for me". Pg 87

I: With miss Temple away, Jane might have a hard time because she was close to her and did not really like any of the other teachers. She may now want to get out of the school. It can contribute to her isolation because she does not have a good communication with anyone else.

A: "I desired for liberty; for liberty I gasped; for liberty I uttered a prayer; it seemed scattered on the wind then faintly blowing." Pg. 88

I: Jane might try anything to finally get out of the school because she shows her desperate feelings to get out and have some liberty.

Chapter 11
A: "My heart really warmed to the worthy lady as I heard her talk; and I drew my chair a little nearer to her, and expressed my sincire with that she might find my compay as agreeable as the anticipated." Pg 100

I: Jane is going to try hard so that she can feel that she has some sort of new family in the house that she is going to serve. She wants to have really good relations with Mrs. Fairfax especially since she appeared to be a very good woman.

Chapter 12
A: "It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquility: they must have actions; and they will make it if they cannot find it." Pg. 112

I: Althoug Jane was much better of in Mr. Rochester's house than anywhere she had been, she felt that she still needed some kind of freedom or action. She says that people will tend to make the action themselves if they cannot find it, which can mean that Jane may be up to something.

A: "It is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced for their sex." Pg. 113

I: Jane is criticizing the society she lives in because women are limited in many things. she does not like it how women are only limited to working inside a house. it is not fair to her that men have much more power and say than women have at this time.

A: "You play a little, I see; like any other English-girl: perhaps rather better than some, but not well." Pg. 127

I: Mr. Rochester tests the knowledge of Jane. He critizises but compliments her ability to play the piano at the same time. He expects that most girls are probably all the same. Jane at this time shows what she had learned at Lowood and so Mr. Rochester asks to see her portfolio of drawings that she had done. The reader can infere that Mr. Rochester probably expects much out of his employees, espedcially of Jane since she is Adele's teacher.

A: "When I was as old as you, I was a feeling fellow enough; partial to the unfledged, unfostered, and unlucky; but fortune has knocked me about since: she has even kneaded me with her knucles, and now I flatter myself I am as hard and tough as an India-rubber ball" P. 135

I: Mr. Rochester tells Jane her story about how fate had made him a hard person in character. He feels that he will not be able to be like a normal person any more. Jane will probably give him more hope, since Mr. Rochester likes to talk with her. there is also a simile involved in which he compares himself to a india-rubber ball.

A: "Besides, since happiness is irrebocably denied me, I have a right to get pleasure out of life: and I will get it, cost what it may."

I: Mr. Rochester is a man that feels that in his life, he has not really experienced true happiness. He thinks that he deserves a pleasure in life and would do anything possible to get it. This shows Mr. Rochester's desperate feelings. It also gives the assumption that Mr. Rochester may think that happiness may be obtained by having money.

Chapter 15
A: "When I was my charmer thus come accompanied by a cavelier, I seemed to hear a hiss, and the green snake of jealousy, rising on undulating coils from the moonlit balcony, glided within my waistcoat, and ate its way two minutes to my heart's core."

I: Mr. Rochester tells his story of love to Jane. In it he tells her how he became so jealous when he saw a man acompany the woman that he loved. That woman was the mother of Adele, but Mr. Rochester did not consider her as his daughter even though she was. Mr. Rochester's confidence on Jane seems strong because he shared one of his most personal story with her.

Chapter 16
A: "That a greater fool than Jane Eyre had never breathed the breath of life: that more fantastic idiot had never furfeited herself on sweet lies, and swallowed poison as if it were nectar." Pg. 162

I: Jane seems to realize that in her position, it is not likely that Mr. Rochester would really like her as a woman. She starts to have feelings for him and so can not control her feelings toward him. In this quote she is compared to a "fantastic idiot" in which she realizes how ignorant and immature she is to be thinking of Mr. Rochester in an emotional way.

A: " Ill tell you how to manage so as to avoid the embarrasment of making a formalen entrance, which is the most disagreeable part of the business." Pg. 171

I: In this quote, Mrs. Fairfax told Jane that when looked by the high class of people, she should avoid to look bad because it would be a big shame. This shows how important the way someone looked and what social class they belonged to was very important during this time period. Jane will probably not be able to coexist withe the higher classes because she is very different from them.

A: "They dispursed about the room; reminding me, by the lightness and bouyancy of thier movements, of a flock of white plumy birds." Pg. 173

I: In this quote, Jane compares the group of invited people that were going to stay for a while at Mr. Rochester's house to white plumy birds. She is not used to being around a group of individuals that are so different from her. As she observes the people she sees how they just move around in the room and talking to themselves.

A: "a pleasure like what the thirst-perishing man might feel who knows the well to which he has cript is poisoned, yet stops and drinks diving draughts nonetheless." Pg.176

I: At this time of the story, Jane has not doubt that she has strong feelings toward Mr. Rochester. She can not stop looking at him and complimenting him. She knows that he would not be likely to corespond to her but at least has pleasure on looking at him. In the quote, she is compared to a thirst-perishing man who knows the well to which he has cript is poisoned, yet stops and drinks a lot of the water. The poison, in Jane's case would be her illusionment with Mr. Rochester and the likelyhood that he would reject her.

A: "He made me love him without looking at me." Pg. 177

I: Jane continues to tell her feelings toward Mr. Rochester. She says that she did not intend to love him but that she just fell for him. She cannot control her feelings toward him. She even compared Mr. Rochester with the rest of the men that had visited and noted that the other men were nothing compared to his master in her opinion. There may be a chance that Jane will try to get closer to Mr. Rochester if she can find the opportunity.

A: "a great lady, who scorned to touch me with the hem of her robes as she passed, who, if ever her dark and imperious eye fell on me by chance, would withdraw it instantly as an object too mean to merit observation."

I: By this time, Jane begins to realize that she does not like the attitude of the high class like miss Ingram. Miss Ingram was supposedly the chosen bride for Mr. Rochester, but Jane strongly disagrees with his decision because she knows that Miss Ingram does not have the qualities to make Mr. Rochester happy. Jane claims that there is no possible love between them. She criticizes how miss Ingram would prefer to not have any connection with anyone who is of lower class than she is, like Jane. Miss Ingram will probably become another antagonist in the story because she can compete with Jane for Mr. Rochester's love.

A: "But as matters really stood, to watch Mrs. Ingram's efforts at fascinating Mr. Rochester; to witness their repeated failure, herself unconscious that they did fail; vainly fancying that each shoft launched, hit the mark, and infatuately plumbing herself on success, when her pride and self-complacency repelled further and further what she wished to allure-to witness this, was to be at once under ceaseless excitation and ruthless restraint." Pg. 188

I: Jane analyses how Miss Ingram makes many attempst to appeal Mr. Rochester and fails without being conscious of it. She criticizes the intelligence of Miss Ingram for not realizing that Mr. Rochester does not love her. It can be infered that later, Mr. Rochester will decide not to marry Miss Ingram and so she will be heartbroken and want revenge.

Chapter 19
A: "One unexpected sentence came from her lips after another, till I got involved in a web of mystification; and wondered what unseen spirit had been sitting for weeks by my heart wathcing its workings, and takaing record of every pulse." Pg. 201

I: Jane was talking to the gypsy who could supposedly tell the future of people. Jane began to be confused by the things that she said and started to suspect of her questions and knoledge. It laver resulted that the gypsy was Mr. Rochester himself. This tells how Jane really does have feelings for Mr. Rochester because she had recognized it was him without him revealing himself. Mr. Rochester probably also has feelings for Jane because he asked her that question in order to supposedly tell Jane her future.

A: "The flame flickers in the eye; the eye shines like dew; it looks soft and full of feeling; it smiles at my jargon: it is susceptible; impression folows impression though its cleas shere, where it ceases to smile, it is sad; an unconscious latitude weighs on the lid: that signifies melancholy resulting fom loneliness." Pg. 202

I: A gypsy woman is telling Jane her fortune for the future. She tells Jane that she sees loneliness in her eyes. The gypsy woman has probably figured out that Jane is suffering for not being able to express her love to Mr. Rochester. The gypsy understands that Jane must be feeling sad for being alone.

Chapter 20
A: "To live, for me, Jane is to stand on a crater-crust which may crack and spue fire any day." Pg. 218

I: Mr. Rochester explains about some problems that can cause him to fall down any day. He seems to be hiding something from Jane. The dealings with Mason seem suspicious since Mr. Rochester did not want anyone to see him in his house by morning.

Chapter 21
A: "I knew by her stony eye - opaque to tenderness, indissoluable to tears - that she was resolved to consider me bad to the last; because to believe me good, would give her no generous pleasure: only a sense of mortification." Pg. 233

I: Jane describes how she feels that Mrs. Reed still rejects her even though she had called to see her befor she would die. She may experience the old feelings of rejection that she had throughout her child hood wile living with Mrs. Reed.

Chapter 24
A: "He stood between me and every thought of religion, as an elipse intervenes between man and the broad sun. I could not, in those days, see God for his creature of whom I made an idol." Pg.276

I: Jane had fallen so much in love with Mr. Rochester but was not completely certain that she wanted to marry him. She did not like his comment that they would live and die together, since she wanted to live her life however she would like. She wanted to only die when it was her time to do so. She had thought of Mr. Rochester as an idol but not any more.

Chapter 26
A: "Bertha Mason is mad; and she came of a mad family; - idiots and maniacs through three generations! Her mother, the Creole was both mad woman and a drunkard!" Pg. 294

I: Mr. Rochester confesses that he had a wife for many years locked up in the attic because she was mentally challenged. It was right after Jane and Mr. Rochester were about to be married. He tries to justify himself by saying that he was the victim because she had turned mad in an instant. Jane may not be able to forgive Mr. Rochester for betraying and lying to her. It will change the course of the story.