What is the setting and time of year when the novel opens?
It is a dreary November afternoon at Gateshead Hall, the home of the Reed family.
Who is the protagonist and how old is she?
Jane Eyre, a ten-year-old orphan.
Why is Jane excluded from joining her cousins in the drawing-room?
Her Aunt Reed has forbidden her from playing with them, claiming Jane needs to acquire a “more sociable and childlike disposition.”
Where does Jane go to find a moment of peace and what is she reading?
She hides in the window-seat of the breakfast-room, reading Bewick’s History of British Birds.
Which cousin is the main bully, and how old is he?
John Reed, who is fourteen and home from school.
What are two insults John Reed calls Jane?
“Madam Mope” and “bad animal”.
What is John’s key insult about Jane’s social standing?
He chides her for being a “poor, dependent” orphan who has no right to read their books.
What act of violence does John commit against Jane?
He hurls a heavy book (Bewick’s) at her head, causing her to fall and bleed.
What is Jane’s reaction to John’s attack that is uncharacteristic for her?
She retaliates (fights back) and tells him exactly what she thinks of him, calling him a “murderer,” “slave-driver,” and “Roman emperor.”
Who is called in, and who is blamed for the ensuing fight?
Mrs. Reed is called in, and she immediately blames Jane.
What is Jane’s punishment?
She is locked in the “red-room,” a seldom-used bedroom.
What makes the red-room especially terrifying for Jane?
It is the room where her Uncle Reed died and she fears his ghost will appear.
What does Jane see in the room that causes her to panic?
She sees a glimmer of light which she mistakes for a supernatural sign, causing her to cry out in terror.
How does Mrs. Reed respond to Jane’s terrified screams?
She ignores them, believing Jane is only feigning terror to escape her punishment.
What is the direct result of Jane’s terror in the red-room?
She faints (loses consciousness).
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Chapter I15
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Chapter II15
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Chapter III15
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Chapter IV15
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Chapter V15
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Chapter VI15
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Chapter VII15
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Chapter VIII15
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Chapter IX15
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Chapter X15
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Chapter XI15
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Chapter XII15
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Chapter XIII15
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Chapter XIV15
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Chapter XV15
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Chapter XVI15
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Chapter XVII15
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Chapter XVIII15
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Chapter XIX15
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Chapter XX15
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Chapter XXI15
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Chapter XXII15
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Chapter XXIII15
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Chapter XXIV15
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Chapter XXV15
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Chapter XXVI15
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Chapter XXVII15
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Chapter XXVIII15
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Chapter XXIX1
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Chapter XXX15
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Chapter XXXI15
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Chapter XXXII15
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Chapter XXXIII15
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Chapter XXXIV15
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Chapter XXXV15
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Chapter XXXVI15
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Chapter XXXVII15
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Chapter XXXVIII15
