Jane Eyre

Chapter 1:

Summary

On afternoon in Gateshead Hall, the ten-year-old Jane Eyre, who has been forbidden
by her Aunt to join the family circle finds a curtained window seat where she can read.

Jane's bullying cousin John Reed barges in and insults her, calling her a penniless
orphan and beggar and a servant in his house. When he knocks her down with the book,
Jane fights back for the first time in her life. The two children scuffle. Because Jane
is an orphan, the wealthy Reeds treat her as a dependent—someone who relies on their
support. They treat her more like a servant than a family member.

Stunned, John goes crying to Mrs. Reed: his mother and Jane's aunt. Mrs. Reed,
despite Jane's protests, accuses Jane of starting the fight. As punishment, Mrs. Reed
orders Jane to be locked in the red-room. The red-room is a lavishly furnished and
rarely used bedroom whereMrs. Reed's husband (Jane's uncle) had died.

Two servants, Bessie Lee and Miss Abbot, haul the wildly struggling Jane upstairs.
Shocked at her violent outbreak, they scold her for disrespecting Mrs. Reed, her
benefactress and master. They tell Jane that she depends on Mrs. Reed's generosity.
Without it, she would have to go to the poor house. They lock Jane alone in the red-
room. She knows that the kindly Mr. Reed would never have treated her so badly. Mr.
Reed brought her to Gateshead, and it was his dying wish that Mrs. Reed raise Jane
like one of her own children. Jane thinks about the dead and how, when wronged, they
can arise to seek revenge. Suddenly, Jane is overwhelmed with a sense of Mr. Reed's
presence in the room. Convinced she sees his ghost, Jane screams in terror. The
servants open the door, but Mrs. Reed refuses to believe Jane or to let her out.
Locked back into the red-room again, Jane faints.
 Questions:

What is the red-room?

The red-room is the abandoned chamber in Gateshead Hall where Mr. Reed, Jane’s
uncle, died nine years prior to the start of the novel. The red-room has a foreboding,
frightening atmosphere that terrifies Jane when Mrs. Reed locks her inside as
punishment. In addition to its connection with death and garish red decor, the room is
cold and silent, heightening Jane’s terror. Her terror climaxes when she imagines
Uncle Reed’s ghost in the room, and she fears that he has appeared to take revenge on
Mrs. Reed for her poor treatment of Jane.

2- How did Jane kill her time?/

3- What did she do to kill her time?

She killed her time by climbing into a window seat behind the curtain, looking at the
rain in the garden and the pictures in the book.

4- How old is John? Describe him?

He is fourteen years old schoolboy who had no affection for anybody but himself. He
even hated his mother and sisters. He looked for Jane only to satisfy his lust for
humiliating her.

5- What was Jane’s reaction towards John?

At first she obeyed him but then her fear of him vanished and she started yelling at
him and when he hit her, it was the first time to attack him back.

6. Classism is clearly depicted in “Jane Eyre”. Discuss.

Jane was a poor orphan girl who lived with her aunt Mrs. Reed and her

cousins. She was badly treated by all people in the house. Mrs. Reed refused

to allow Jane to join the family circle in the sitting room. Jane took a book
to read behind the curtains in the window seat. Her cousin John ordered her

to come near him and hit her and told her that she didn’t have the right to

read his books, because she was their poor relative and her father left her

no money.

7. In Gateshead, Jane Eyre suffered prejudice and abuse. Explain giving

examples.

In Gateshead Jane suffered prejudice and abuse when she wanted to join

the family circle, Mrs. Reed refused. While she was reading a book, John

Reed ordered her to come near him and hit her and told her that she had no

right to read his books, because she was their poor relative and her father

left her no money and hit her with the book so hard that she fell down,

when Jane attacked John to defend herself, he called his sisters and his

mother for help. Mrs. Reed locked Jane in the red room as a punishment.

8. Although oppressed, abused and poor, Jane never gave up her pride.

Discuss.

In Gateshead Jane suffered prejudice and abuse when she wanted to join

the family circle, Mrs. Reed refused. While she was reading a book, John

Reed ordered her to come near him and hit her and told her that she had no

right to read his books, because she was their poor relative and her father

left her no money and hit her with the book so hard that she fell down,

when Jane attacked John to defend herself, he called his sisters and his

mother for help. Mrs. Reed asked the maid to pull them apart and locked
Jane in the red room as a punishment. She didn’t find an answer why the

other children were never punished for their rudeness while she always

tried to avoid being naughty and yet was always punished and reminded of

her poverty.

Although she was badly treated and always abused by all the people in the

house, Jane never failed to present herself as a proud girl. This was clear in

her reaction to John’s cruelty and Mrs. Reed abuse. It showed itself again

with Mr. Brocklehurst, the man in charge of Lowood School.

She endured hard conditions, cruel teachers, and the tyranny of Mr.

Brocklehurst. Moreover, she was proud and brave enough to throw the truth

into Mrs. Reed’s face.