Today’s Blogger:
(Who is typing today?)
Today’s Facilitator:
(Who is leading the discussion today?)
Important Events:
(List the important events from each chapter of the reading you did for today. Talk about the significance of these events.)
Ch. 21
Ch. 22
Ch. 23
Important Passages:
(List at least one important passage from the reading you did for today. Talk about the significance of this passage.)
Focus Questions:
(Discuss the questions below. Record your discussion for question 1 and at least two additional questions.)
You MUST answer this question:
1. Gothic novels take place in gloomy or eerie settings, such as old castles or dark mansions, and emphasize horror, mystery, violence, and the supernatural. Gothic novels, read mainly for entertainment, were especially popular in England in the early 1800s. While Jane Eyre is not a gothic novel, it does contain gothic features. What gothic features have you noticed so far? Spend a few minutes visiting this site: http://www.virtualsalt.com/gothic.htm, and then record your discussion.
Record your discussion for at least two of the following:
2. What have the Reed sisters become? How does Jane compare and contrast to them? Describe the resolution of the relationship between Jane and Mrs. Reed. Is it different from what you expected?
3. Discuss Jane and Rochester’s relationship. Why do these main characters think, feel, or act as they do. Provide specific examples. Do you like/dislike anything about their relationship?
4. In the beginning of chapter 23, Bronte describes Thornfield in summer. How does this contrast the events of the chapter? How does this contrast with the storm at the end? Make a prediction and/or discuss how this is foreshadowing.
5. In Jane’s impassioned speech beginning with “I tell you I must go!” (in chapter 23) you should be able to find pieces of both Bessie and Helen Burns. How to the philosophies of these two influential characters show up in Jane’s words?
Extra Time – Discussion Notes:
(Record any additional discussion. What did you find most interesting? Did you disagree about anything? Was something important realized? What literary terms did you discuss? What do you think about the characters and their actions? ETC…)
Discuss the sticky notes your group members wrote for today.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Today’s Blogger:
Sam
Today’s Facilitator:
Catherine
Important Events:
(List the important events from each chapter of the reading you did for today. Talk about the significance of these events.)
Ch. 21
Ch. 22
Ch. 23
Important Passages:
(List at least one important passage from the reading you did for today. Talk about the significance of this passage.)
Focus Questions:
1. Some of the gothic features our group has noticed in this novel so far are the suspense, the plot twists, the mysterious mansion, and creepy settings.
2. Both of the Reed sisters are still very proud; Eliza is very self-righteous and Georgiana especially vain. Mrs. Reed thinks Jane is just a nuisance, and Jane somewhat pities and forgives her.
3. Rochester is always playing with Jane’s emotions, true to his controlling, manipulative, and egotistical nature. The most blatant example yet is when Rochester tries to make Jane jealous before proposing to her.
Extra Time – Discussion Notes:
(Record any additional discussion. What did you find most interesting? Did you disagree about anything? Was something important realized? What literary terms did you discuss? What do you think about the characters and their actions? ETC…)
Discuss the sticky notes your group members wrote for today.
Tess Frydman
Today’s Facilitators:
Claire and Adriane
Important Events:
- Mrs. Reed is dying
-John Reed has died
- Bessie is married and has kids
-Jane returned to Gateshead after swearing (earlier in the novel) that she never would come to visit Mrs. Reed
-Mrs. Reed informed Jane that she had an uncle who sent for her three years ago
- Mrs. Reed told the uncle that Jane had died at Lowood.
-Still Jane tried to forgive and befriend her Aunt Reed but Mrs. Reed pushes her away.
-Mrs. Reed died
Jane stays at Gateshead for longer than intended but returns to Thornfield
-She meets Mr. Rochester outside and they talk, Mrs. Rochester says he is leaving but Jane tries to convince him to stay
- Jane and Mr. Rochester meet together in the garden the next day after Jane tries hiding from him.
-Jane thinks she’ll have to leave if Mr. Rochester marries
- He asks Jane to marry him and at first Jane does not believe him
- They kiss inside and Mrs. Fairfax sees
Important Passages:
Page 269
I was silent: I thought he mocked me.
“Come, Jane-come hither.”
“Your bride stands between us.”
He rose, and with a stride reached me.
“My bride is here,” he said, again drawing me to him, “because my equal is here, and my likeness. Jane, will you marry me?”
Still I did not answer, and still I writhed myself from his grasp: for I was still incredulous.
“Do you doubt me, Jane?”
“Entirely.”
“You have no faith in me?”
“Not a whit.”
Today’s Blogger: Jennifer
Today’s Facilitator: Stefan
Important Events:
Ch. 21 Mrs. Reed has a stroke and Jane goes and visits her upon her request.
Ch. 22 Jane stays at Gateshead for a month, and then returns to find Mr. Rochester is not at home.
Ch. 23 Jane meets Mr. Rochester in the garden, and he proposes, she accepts.
Important Passages:
Last paragraph pg. 271
Focus Questions:
1. Jane has omens, when she dreams of babies, and then bad things occur. There is mystery and suspense because of the sounds Jane hears at night and Mr. Rochester getting set on fire. There is a lot of metonymy of gloom and horror, for example the rain and storms that happen when Mr. Rochester proposes, and the crazed laughter Jane hears coming from the third floor. Charlotte Brontë uses gothic vocabulary for fear, terror, or sorrow, such as afflicted.
2. Georgiana has become a flirt and thinks about nothing other than her appearance, balls, and men. Eliza has become solemn and withdrawn, she occupies herself every single minute of the day, and all of her time is devoted to serving God and helping others. Jane is much more like Eliza, like Eliza she is somewhat subdued (not finished)
3. Jane and Rochester’s relationship is quite strange. At first, when she’s just working for him, he flirts with her, in his sarcastic way. He also tries to make her jealous by flirting with Miss Ingram, which is unsuccessful, as Jane believes there is nothing to be jealous of since Miss Ingram is inferior in mind, even though she is superior in status. Rochester always acts strangely around Jane, and he explains when he proposes that this was just because he was fascinated with her, and that he was testing whether she actually loved him. Jane believes she is inferior to Jane in status, and so then tries to dismiss her love for him because she thinks what she wants to happen will never happen. The fact that they do not agree upon everything and that they both speak their mind is nice. However, Rochester’s actions and words around Jane are confusing, and their relationship is so strange.
Today's Blogger: Monica
Today's Facilitator: Emma
Important Events: John Reed commited suicide. Just before she died, Aunt Reed gave Jane a letter from her father's relative, asking to adopt her. He was told she was dead, out of Aunt Reed's bitter spite, but she had to show Jane before she died, which she did soon after. Just after Jane returns to Thornfield, she learns that Mr. Rochester returns her love deeply, and they become engaged.
Important Passages: "Then, sir, I will marry you." -Jane
Question 1: The mysterious attic creature, High emotion, howling wind and dark setting, eerie sounds, thunder and lightning, raised laghter elements of romance, rivaled lovers, and unreturned love, are all signs of a Gothic novel.
Question 2: The Reed sisters have become nearly polar opposits. Eliza is stingy and overly independent, while Georgiana loves attention and high society. Jane is similar to Eliza in that she knows her place for herself, not as an item to be loved by a man, and similar to Georgiana because they both love deeper than Eliza understands. She is different from them both because she is well rounded. Jane forgives Mrs. Reed, but Mrs. Reed continues to hate Jane. The resolution is different from what I expected because I expected Mrs. Reed to become kinder to Jane.
Question 4: It starts lovely and beautiful, but it ends with storms and bangs and trouble. This is forshadowing, so we predict that there will be a huge problem in their relationship later on.
Today’s Blogger: Jackie McCullough
Today’s Facilitator: Yami
Important Events:
Ch. 21
1. Jane goes to Gateshead to be with Mrs. Reed on her death bed. Mrs. Reed acknowledges the fact she was cruel and unfair to Jane and reveals a letter from Jane’s Uncle dated three years back asking for Jane to come live with him
2. Mrs. Reed dies
Ch. 22
1. Jane returns to Thornfield and learns that Mr. Rochester is planning to marry Ms. Ingram soon and that Jane will have to find a new “situation”.
Ch. 23
1. Jane and Mr. Rochester talk in the garden and he confesses his love for her and they plan their marriage.
Important Passages:
“I tell you I must go!” I retorted, roused to something like passion. “Do you think I can stay to become nothing to you? Do you think I am an automaton?-a machine without feelings? And can bear to have my morsel of bread snatched from my lips, and my drop of living water dashed from my cup? Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!-I have as much soul as you-and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you. I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionalities, nor even of mortal flesh: it is my spirit that addresses your spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God’s feet, equal-as we are!”
Pg. 268
This passages symbolizes that Jane cannot live with Mr. Rochester if he marries another woman. She is confessing her love for him.
Focus Questions:
1. Gloomy atmosphere-Thought Thornfield was dark and desolate
Mystery and suspense-Fire set to Rochester’s bed
Overwhelming emotion- Love between Jane and Mr. Rochester
2. Eliza has become faithfully religious and very independent. She plans out her daily schedule and leaves no time for conversation. Georgina on the other hand is always bored and wishes to be out in London with the wealthy men attending parties and getting flattered. Jane notices that they are very different from one another and don’t get along well. When Mrs. Reed died, things were somewhat resolved between the two. Mrs. Reed confesses that she was cruel and unloving towards Jane. I can’t believe that Jane went back to Gateshead. She vowed to would never return.
3. Rochester loves Jane because she is different, honest, and can think for herself. Jane loves Rochester because he treats her nicely and makes her feel important and no one has made her feel like that before. I don’t like how he always has to have his way. I think it is a good match, they are kind of opposites and opposites attract.
Today’s Blogger: Hayley
Today’s Facilitator: Kim
Important Events:
- Finds out John has died and Mrs. Reed had stroke
- Mr. Rochester has promised to find Jane new home before bride moves into Thornfield
- Travels to Gateshead because aunt requests her presence
- Gets to know Georgiana and Eliza better
- Mrs. Reed gives her a three year old letter from Jane’s uncle John, who was looking for her
- Mrs. Reed dies
- Leaves Gateshead after a month and returns to Thornfield
- Mr. Rochester’s guests are gone and Jane spends her time with him
- In the orchard, Rochester and Jane talk about Jane’s having to leave, only to end with Rochester proposing to her and her accepting
Important Passages:
“What love have I for Ms. Ingram? None: and that you know. What love has she for me? None: as I have taken pains to prove” (page 269).
“Then sir I will marry you” (page 270).
4. Bronte describes Thornfield as sunny and bright at the beginning of the chapter, and dark and stormy towards the end of the chapter after Rochester’s proposal. As a group, we felt that the change in setting and the tree splitting after the proposal are all foreshadowing something to go wrong with Jane and Mr. Rochester’s marriage.
5. Helen and Bessie’s influence are shown in Jane’s words in the sense that Jane represented both of their beliefs. Helen believed that no matter what, one should always stand up through the tough times, and Bessie believed that one should be their own person, and to always do what is best for them.
Post a Comment