Study Questions & Essay Topics
Study Questions
1. In what ways
is Jane Eyre influenced by the tradition of the Gothic novel? What
do the Gothic elements contribute to the novel?
2. What do
the names mean in Jane Eyre? Some names to consider include: Jane
Eyre, Gateshead, Lowood, Thornfield, Reed, Rivers, Miss Temple,
and Ferndean.
Suggested Essay Topics
1. Discuss Jane as a narrator
and as a character. What sort of voice does she have? How does she
represent her own actions? Does she seem to be a trustworthy storyteller,
or does Brontë require us to read between the lines of her narrative?
In light of the fact that people who treat Jane cruelly (John Reed,
Mrs. Reed, Mr. Brocklehurst) all seem to come to unhappy endings, what
role does Jane play as the novel's moral center?
2. In what ways might Jane
Eyre be considered a feminist novel? What points does the
novel make about the treatment and position of women in Victorian
society? With particular attention to the book's treatment of marriage,
is there any way in which it might be considered anti-feminist?
3. What role does Jane's ambiguous
social position play in determining the conflict of her story? What
larger points, if any, does the novel make about social class? Does
the book criticize or reinforce existing Victorian social prejudices? Consider
the treatment of Jane as a governess, but also of the other servants
in the book, along with Jane's attitude toward her impoverished
students at Morton.
4. Compare and contrast some
of the characters who serve as foils throughout Jane Eyre:
Blanche to Jane, St. John to Rochester, and, perhaps, Bertha to
Jane. Also think about the points of comparison between the Reed
and Rivers families. How do these contrasts aid the development
of the book's themes?
