Jane Eyre Questions
Chapter 1
1. Where does Jane go when she wants to read? Why does she like it there?
2. How old is Jane?
Chapter 2
1. What is the name of Mrs. Reed’s mansion?
2. Why is Jane living there?
3. Describe John, Eliza, and Georgiana.
Chapter 3
1. Name two people who are nice to Jane after her fit.
2. Who died in the red room? What was he like before he died?
3. What does Mr. Lloyd suggest Jane do?
4. What happened to Jane’s parents?
Chapter 4
1. What intimidating visitor comes to the mansion?
2. How does Jane tell the visitor she plans to stay out of hell?
3. What pamphlet does the visitor give Jane?
4. What “shocking” things does Jane say to Mrs. Reed before she leaves?
Chapter 5
1. What does Miss Temple do that shocks the other teachers?
2. What is the name of the institution? [Throughout the novel, consider the meanings of names.]
3. With whom does Jane have a conversation?
Chapter 6
1. Why can’t the girls wash in the morning?
2. Why does Burns get whipped? What does Jane think she would have said in Burns’s situation?
How does Helen explain why she put up with it?
3. What is Helen’s opinion of how Jane should feel about Mrs. Reed?
Chapter 7
1. What does Mrs. Brocklehurst say to Miss Tempe about the bread and cheese?
2. Why must the girls’ hair be cut?
3. For what is Jane punished?
4. What makes her feel better as she stands on the chair?
Chapter 8
1. Why did Jane feel it was a “privilege to be admitted to hear” Helen talking with Miss Temple?
[Note: Charlotte Bronte often mentioned how much she enjoyed conversations with her
sisters.]
2. What is foreshadowed by Miss Temple’s farewell to Helen that night?
3. Explain how the accusation against Jane (that she was a liar) proved false.
Chapter 9
1. What is ironic about the beautiful weather surrounding Lowood during the spring of that year?
2. Why is Jane spending her days with Mary Ann rather than Helen?
3. How does Helen view death?
4. What does “resurgam” mean?
Chapter 10
1. What happened at Lowood as a result of the typhus epidemic? How did it change?
2. Why does Jane leave Lowood? What action that she takes in her chamber is symbolic of this
broadening of horizons?
3. What is the name of the house run by Mrs. Fairfax?
4. Who surprises Jane with a visit?
5. What traits does Jane possess that cause the visitor to say Jane is “quite a lady”?
6. Who had looked for Jane at Gateshead after she had been sent to Lowood?
Chapter 11
1. How does Jane describe her own appearance?
2. What is Mrs. Fairfax’s relationship with Mr. Rochester?
3. What is Adele’s stated relationship to Mr. Rochester?
4. What noise does Jane hear as she tours the house? How had the author set the stage for
something spooky to happen?
5. How is the noise explained?
Chapter 12
1. In what way is Jane discontented?
2. What is Gytrash?
3. Describe the setting when Jane meets the stranger on the road.
4. Who is the traveler, in reality?
Chapter 13
1. In what way does the new arrival at Thornfield ease Jane’s discontentedness?
2. What are the “men in green” Jane and Mr. Rochester talk about?
3. After Jane has spoken with Rochester, how does she describe him to Mrs. Fairfax? How does
Mrs. Fairfax explain his behavior?
Chapter 14
1. How would you describe Jane’s answer to Mr. Rochester’s question, “Do you think me
handsome?”
2. How might the setting of this conversation, in front of the firelight, be symbolic?
3. Why, according to Rochester, did he invite Jane to come downstairs and talk to him?
4. The last paragraph hints at a deeper relationship between Adele and Rochester. What is it?
Chapter 15
1. What had happened between Celine and Rochester? Why did they break up?
2. How does Rochester feel about Adele?
3. What “marrow-freezing incident” occurred that night?
Chapter 16
1. What does Jane suspect about Grace Poole and her relationship with Rochester?
2. Where does Rochester go?
3. Who emerges as Jane’s chief rival for Rochester’s attentions?
4. How does Jane discipline herself against letting her imagination run wild?
Chapter 17
1. What news does Rochester’s letter bring?
2. For whom does Rochester send after dinner?
3. What is the unpleasant quality Jane sees in the Dowager Lady Ingram?
4. What word does Blanche use to describe governesses?
Chapter 18
1. Why is Jane not jealous of Blanche Ingram?
2. Who arrives at Thornfield?
3. Who else arrives? What does she want?
Chapter 19
1. What had the gypsy told Blanche?
2. Who was they gypsy, in reality?
3. How does Rochester react to the news of Mason’s arrival?
4. What does Rochester ask Jane if she could endure for him? What does the word mean?
Chapter 20
1. Who is attacked?
2. What is the setting like during Jane’s walk with Rochester?
3. Rochester realizes that Jane will only help him under what circumstances?
4. What does Rochester hint that he has committed in the past?
5. Whom does Rochester seem to want to marry at first? Then what does he say?
Chapter 21
1. Of what has Jane been dreaming? What does she think it means?
2. What news comes from Gateshead?
3. What unorthodox (for that time period) advice does Eliza give Georgiana?
4. Explain Mrs. Reed’s confession.
Chapter 22
1. Describe the setting in which Jane runs in to Rochester.
2. What does Jane say at the end of the conversation?
3. What does Jane find odd?
Chapter 23
1. Notice the setting of Jane’s talk with Rochester. Why is it appropriate?
2. How does Jane display her respect for herself during this conversation? How is she “better”
than Mr. Rochester?
3. What is the result of this conversation?
4. What happens during the storm? What might this foreshadow?
Chapter 24
1. How does Rochester explain his relationship with Blanche Ingram?
2. What is Mrs. Fairfax’s concern for Jane?
3. To whom does Jane write? Why?
4. What danger do you see in the last sentence?
Chapter 25
1. What happened the night before Rochester returned?
2. How does he explain it?
3. When does he promise to explain about Grace Poole?
Chapter 26
1. What is odd about Rochester’s behavior that morning?
2. What is revealed at the church?
3. How had Mason found out about the impending marriage?
4. What “one idea” remains with Jane in her depression?
Chapter 27
1. What does Jane intend to do now?
2. How does Rochester attempt to justify his behavior?
3. Why does Jane refuse to stay?
Chapter 28
1. Of whom and what does Jane become more aware in her loneliness?
2. What is Jane reduced to doing for food?
3. Who are Diana, Mary, Hannah, and St. John? What has happened to their family recently?
4. Who insists on taking Jane in?
Chapter 29
1. What lesson does Jane teach Hannah?
2. How is Jane treated by the family? [If you don’t know, find out how many siblings Charlotte
Bronte had.]
3. What story does she tell about herself? What does she leave out?
4. What will St. John help her do?
Chapter 30
1. What interests do the three women share?
2. After hearing St. John preach, why is Jane sad?
3. What does St. John propose that Jane become?
4. What further bad news does the family receive?
Chapter 31
1. How is Jane feeling about her decision to leave Rochester?
2. What “earthly angel” does Jane meet?
3. Why doesn’t St. John go with this woman to her home?
Chapter 32
1. At what time does Rosamund generally come to the school?
2. What advice does Jane give to St. John? Why will he not take it?
3. What unusual action does St. John take before he leaves?
Chapter 33
1. What tale does St. John tell Jane?
2. What had led him to this discovery?
3. What does this mean about Jane and the Rivers family?
4. What does Jane plan to do with the money?
Chapter 34
1. What are Jane’s plans for Moor House?
2. What does Jane realize about St. John?
3. What is the news concerning Rochester?
4. What does St. John ask Jane to do? How does she respond?
Chapter 35
1. Why is Jane hesitant to go?
2. When Jane almost decides to go, what changes her mind?
Chapter 36
1. Where does Jane journey?
2. In what condition does Jane find the place?
3. What had happened to Rochester since Jane left him?
Chapter 37
1. How does Jane reintroduce herself to Rochester’s presence?
2. What causes Rochester to be jealous?
3. What does Rochester ask Jane?
4. What amazing coincidence do Jane and Edward discover?
Chapter 38
1. How do Jane’s cousins react to the news?
2. What became of Adele?
3. Did Rochester ever regain his sight?
4. What happened to St. John?