Tag Archives: Jane Eyre

In preparation for our Socratic seminar on Jane Eyre, please gather textual support that will help you answer the following questions. Although direct quotations are encouraged, references to specific plot elements, characters, etc. in the text will suffice. Remember that the ultimate goal of the seminar is to enhance your knowledge of the work itself, so focus your attention on what occurs in the text rather than speculation drawn from the events in the text.

1. How does the relationship between Jane and Helen Burns affect her time at Lowood and Jane’s growth as a character?

2. Compare Jane’s independent nature with other female characters in the book (Aunt Reed, Helen Burns, Miss Temple, Mrs. Fairfax, Blanche Ingram, Diana and Mary Rivers, Rosamond Oliver).

3. What makes Jane fall in love with Edward Rochester? Why doesn’t she fall in love with her cousin, St. John Rivers?

4. Is Rochester a good match for Jane, given her experiences and lessons?

5. How does the first person viewpoint affect the development of the novel?

6. How do Rochester’s women (Bertha Mason, Cécile Varens, Blanche Ingram, Jane Eyre) reflect on his development as a character?

7. What critiques of society does Brontë seem to be making?

8. Which of Jane Eyre’s homes/residences had the most impact on the development of her character and her outlook on life?

9. Discuss the role of religion in the work.

10. How is the theme of appearance vs. reality manifest in the work?