T HEME CHART By: Carly, Alex, Kristin

R ELIGION Mr. Brocklehurst about Jane Ch. 4 (IV) p. 33 “Deceit is, indeed, a sad fault in a child. It is akin to falsehood, and all liars will have their portion in the lake burning with fire and brimstone.” Mr. Brocklehurst’s view of religion – harsh, punishing God; be good or go to the pit of fire in hell (contrasts with Helen)

R ELIGION Mr. Brocklehurst to Miss Temple Ch. 7 (VII) p. 67 “You are aware that my plan in bringing up these girls is, not to accustom them to habits of luxury and indulgence, but to render them hardy, patient, self- denying … when you put bread and cheese, instead of burned porridge, into these children’s mouths, you may indeed feed their vile bodies, but you little think how you starve their immortal souls!” Mr. Brocklehurst telling Miss Temple how he wants the students at Lowood raised – they should suffer for their faith, deny luxuries so they can suffer like the early Christians, Miss Temple should not feed them if something is burned, she should teach them his lessons of harsh religion

R ELIGION Helen to Jane Ch. 9 (IX) p. 90 “I believe God is good; I can resign my immortal part to him without any misgiving. God is my father; God is my friend; I love him; I believe he loves me.” Helen’s views on religion – there is a good, forgiving, loving God who will welcome her into heaven (contrasts with Mr. Brocklehurst’s view)

R ELIGION Helen to Jane Ch. 6 (VI) p. 61 “Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you and despitefully use you.” Helen tells Jane her beliefs –love your enemies, forgive people who hurt you. Jane develops her own views from Helen and eventually forgives her worst enemy, Aunt Reed

R ELIGION Jane to Aunt Reed Ch. 21 (XXI) p. 278 “Love me, then, or hate me, as you will. You have my full and free forgiveness; ask now for God’s, and be at peace.” Jane forgives Aunt Reed for everything before she dies; Jane encourages her to ask for forgiveness from God as well (learns from Helen)

S OCIAL CLASS John Reed to Jane Ch. 1 (I) p. 5 “You have no business to take our books; you are a dependent, mamma says; you have no money; your father left you none; you ought to beg and not to live here with gentlemen’s children like us, and eat the same meals we do, and wear clothes at our mamma’s expense.” John telling Jane her “place” – her social class is lower than him because she is a dependent and has no money and no family. He thinks she doesn’t deserve to live with the Reeds

S OCIAL CLASS Miss Abbott to Jane Ch. 2 (II) p. 7-8 “You are less than a servant, for you do nothing for your keep … and you ought not to think of yourself on an equality with the Misses Reed and Master Reed, because misses kindly allows you to be brought up with them. They will have a great deal of money, and you will have none; it is your place to be humble.” Abbott tells Jane that her social class is lower than a servant because she is an orphan (no family, no money) and she should not think she is equal to the Reed children.

Jane to herself Ch. 16 (XVI) p.184 “Whenever, in future, you should chance to fancy Mr. Rochester thinks well of you, take out these two pictures and compare them; say, ‘Mr. Rochester might probably win that noble lady’s love, if he chose to strive for it; is it likely he would waste a serious thought on this indigent and insignificant plebian?” Jane telling herself she could never be with Rochester because of social class. She thinks he would choose Blanche for this reason only – because Blanche is of his class, and Jane is not.

Jane to Rochester Ch. 23 (XXIII) p. 204 “Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You are wrong! I have as much should as you, and full as much heart! … 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!” Jane explaining to Rochester that she has as much soul and heart as he does even though they are not the same social class. She wants him to love her as an equal, not someone lower.

S OCIAL CLASS Rochester to Jane Ch. 23 (XXIII) p.295 “My bride is here because my equal is here, and my likeness. Jane, will you marry me?” Rochester finally asks Jane to marry him and says what is so important to her – that they are equals.

F EMALE INDEPENDENCE Jane to Aunt Reed Ch. 4 (IV) p “I am not deceitful; if I were, I should say that I loved you; but I declare that I do not love you … You think I have no feelings, and that I can live without one bit of love or kindness; but I cannot live so … send me to school soon, Mrs. Reed, for I hate to live here.” Jane’s very important first display of independence – expressing her true feelings to Aunt Reed and asking to go away to school

F EMALE INDEPENDENCE Jane to herself Ch. 12 (XII) Pg. 123 “Women are supposed to be very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel … it is narrow-minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags. It is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex.” Jane expressing her restlessness at Thornfield (pre- Rochester). Women feel just way men feel, and they should not have to stay home and do “womanly” things. Women should be able to do anything men do, and it is thoughtless to think otherwise. Female independence!

F EMALE INDEPENDENCE Jane to herself Ch. 10 (X) p. 99 “Though I had been on foot all day, I could not now repose an instant; I was too much excited. A phase of my life was closing tonight, a new one opening tomorrow.” The night before Jane leaves Lowood, starting a new life, much like when she left Gateshead. Another example of independence in her life.

F EMALE INDEPENDENCE Jane to Rochester Ch. 23 (XXIII) p.294 “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being, with an independent will; which I now exert to leave you.” Telling Rochester that she is her own woman, a free, independent person who makes her own decisions.

S EARCH FOR HOME AND FAMILY Jane to herself in the red room Ch. 2 (II) p.10 “All John Reed’s violent tyrannies, all his sisters’ proud indifference, all his mother’s aversion, all the servants’ partiality, turned up in my disturbed mind like a dark deposit in a turbid well. Why was I always suffering … Why could I never please? Why was it useless to try to win any one’s favor?” Jane wondering why she can never please the only “family” she has – the Reeds. her search for home and family starts at Gateshead because she does not find love there.

S EARCH FOR HAME AND FAMILY Jane about Miss temple Ch. 10 (X) p. 92 “Her friendship and society had been my continual solace; she had stood me in the stead of mother, governess, and, latterly, companion … From the day she left I was no longer the same; with her was gone every settled feeling, every association that had made Lowood in some degree a home to me.” In her search for family, Jane finds it with Miss Temple, as a friend, mother, and teacher. This loving relationship helps Jane in her continual journey to her “home,” Rochester.

S EARCH FOR HOME AND FAMILY Jane when she returns to Gateshead Ch. 21 (XXI) p. 264 “The same hostile roof now again rose before me; my prospects were doubtful yet; and I had yet an aching heart. I still felt as a wanderer on the face of the earth; but I experienced firmer trust in myself and my own powers … The gaping wound of my wrongs, too, was now quite healed, and the flame of resentment extinguished.” Jane remembers her time at Gateshead when she returns there. even though she still feels like a wanderer (still searching for home), she forgives the Reeds and no longer has resentment, a first step to building new relationships with other people (Rochester)

S EARCH FOR HOME AND FAMILY Jane to Rochester Ch. 22 (XXII) p.285 “Thank you, Mr. Rochester, for your great kindness. I am strangely glad to get back again to you; and wherever you are is my home – my only home.” Jane finally confesses that she feels like Rochester is her family, her home, when she returns from Gateshead. Important because this eventually leads to their engagement where she can finally feel true love.

THE END !!!!