SUMMARY

«JANE EYRE » BY CHARLOTTE BRONTE

After reading the first fifty pages, namely four chapters of Charlotte Bronte's
famous classic novel «Jane Eyre», I can conclude that this novel is a coming-of-
age story of a young girl who goes from a cruel and lonely childhood to a young
woman who has her own dignity and is ready to overcome life's difficulties to
find happiness. Through the ups and downs of life, Jane finds the strength to
love and do good in the darkest of times.

The novel opens with Jane reading alone in the breakfast room, hoping she can
find peace away from the Reed family. However, this doesn't last, as Master
John Reed arrives, wanting to torment Jane. He taunts Jane by calling her a 'rat',
claiming she is poor, ungrateful and as she depends on his mother's wealth, is a
beggar. Jane retaliates and a fight breaks out. As a punishment, she is locked in
the red-room overnight The red-room is where Mr. Reed, Jane’s uncle, died,
and is reputed to be haunted. Jane is so terrified at being locked in the dark that
she has a “fit” and is ill for several days. Jane finds out that Mrs. Reed plans to
send her away to school.

Jane is happy to leave Gateshead because she is unloved and excluded from the
family. Mr. Brocklehurst, the manager of Lowood, a charity school, visits
Gateshead. Mrs. Reed states that Jane is a liar, which is untrue, and Jane is
furious at this injustice. Before Jane leaves Gateshead, she tells her aunt that she
will always remember her cruelty and injustice towards her.

At ten years old, Jane travels the 50 miles south from Gateshead to Lowood by
coach, alone.