https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b en-us 2021-02-10 21:55:15 UTC 2025-10-16 17:09:32 UTC hello@padlet.com emaass20211_1 https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1190003280 Looking back on these chapters, this passage remained prominent in my mind. It sparked so much emotion within me as I read it. I was proud of Jane for standing up for herself and letting out what had been on her mind for so long. The reference to John striking her down reminded me of the anger and frustration I felt when I first read that part of the story. I had been so upset that Jane was the one who was punished and couldn't fathom how that could be the outcome. It was hard for me to understand why she hadn't spoken up sooner, but I quickly realized that it wouldn't have made much of a difference and she likely would have gotten into more trouble. It makes me wonder whether there's more to the story of Aunt Reed's view of Jane as it's hard for me to imagine that someone just simply doesn't care. Even if there is more to it than meets the eye, the abuse is still not justified. John received no punishment and was simply told to stay away from Jane. How is that even remotely fair?]]> 2021-02-10 22:30:04 UTC https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1190003280 emaass20211_1 https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1190570907 I had low expectations going into Jane Eyre. The Victorian Era has never been something I was particularly interested in and I didn't have much knowledge of what the book was actually about. I was pleasantly surprised as I dove into the novel. The use of pathos throughout the chapters was a powerful tool that pulled me in as a reader and kept me interested. When Jane went to Lowood, I didn't think it was much of an upgrade from her previous home, but I found that much of this was a reflection of Jane's overthinking. She assumed that everyone would believe the tale that she was deceitful. As the story is a fictional autobiography, Jane's feelings show in the tone of the writing. The tone didn't become especially positive until she learned that the students and teachers of Lowood would not take Mrs. Reed's nor Mr. Brocklehurst's to heart without evidence. This is when we finally see Jane open up and interact positively with those around her. This growth was heartwarming to see in such a short period of time.]]> 2021-02-11 04:45:24 UTC https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1190570907 emaass20211_1 https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1229112837 This passage reminded me of the rebellion showed in the first set of chapters when Jane stood up for herself against Mrs. Reed, not following the societal standards of children listening to their elders or girls doing only what they are told to do. It seems as though she is beginning to have feelings of defiance once again, but doesn't know what to do with them in this new situation. I had to read this passage a couple of times because of how much it excited me to see these empowering ideas and feminism from a woman in the 19th century. It is almost satisfying. This passage also connects to the second half of this set of chapters as she begins to find herself having feelings for Mr. Rochester. Her feminist outlook begins to fall short when she pushes her emotions away because society wouldn't approve of such a relationship with different social classes. We see throughout the chapters though that this relationship may be more possible than she believes. I hope to see this rebellious side of her more as I continue to read as well as see how their relationship pans out.]]> 2021-02-22 23:13:09 UTC https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1229112837 emaass20211_1 https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1229162920 In each home that Jane has inhabited, she has embarked on a new part of her life with new experiences and challenges. First, it was at Gateshead where she had to deal with abuse and mistreatment as well as loneliness with a lack of ways to escape and deal with these things. Next, it was at Lowood where she had to overcome her insecurity of being seen as a liar and found people she could trust, encouraging her personal growth. Now, she is at Thornfield where she has more of a say in her life and is learning to become an individual as well as deal with feelings she's never experienced before. Coming to this house was the first time Jane was able to decide her own fate and when she did, she began the next step of her journey. As the story shifts more towards her possible love interest, Mr. Rochester, it becomes about more than just Jane going against societal standards, but Mr. Rochester doing so as well. It is obvious that there is a romantic connection between the two, but whether something will blossom from that connection is unknown. I predict that multiple events will get in the way, possibly having to do with whoever this "Mr. Mason" is, but I hope that things will work out in the end.]]> 2021-02-22 23:38:39 UTC https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1229162920 emaass20211_1 https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1271508079 When Jane and Rochester's wedding didn't go as planned I can't say I was surprised. Though I didn't expect it to happen that quickly, I definitely thought something would go wrong in their marriage. Multiple things brought me to this conclusion, both symbolic and direct. First, there were so many bad omens that foreshadowed the failure of their marriage. A storm hits right after they get engaged, the chestnut tree that they admitted their love and got engaged under gets hit by lightning and splits in that same storm, and Jane's disturbing dreams the night before her wedding all symbolize the bad fate to come. Similarly, Jane's anxiety over their union made me doubt the outcome. If the bride isn't even sure of her happiness, how could I not question their marriage? Their relationship never felt stable and all these elements just helped deepen my instinct that they would not work out. The thing that ruined their relationship though, I was not expecting at all. Bertha's presence in the house answered so many questions that I had forgotten about as I was too focused on Jane and Rochester's relationship. The madwoman locked up inside Thornfield really exposed the true gothic nature of the novel.]]> 2021-03-04 22:05:27 UTC https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1271508079 emaass20211_1 https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1271508818 When I read this passage for the first time, the gothic connections immediately clicked in my head. There's supernatural events (Mr. Reed's "ghost" in the red room), bad omens (Jane's dreams), women in distress (Helen, Bertha, and Jane to say a few), inexplicable events (temporarily, the stabbing of Mason and Rochester's room catching on fire, etc. This part of the story in particular though, was the first real, disturbing experience that the characters went through. It wasn't a dream, Jane didn't just think she saw a ghost. This was a real person hidden in the house from the others, who had committed terrible acts that made no sense before. The thought of a madwoman living right under your nose with no way of knowing is a scary one. On the other hand, who knows if Bertha was actually mad before she was placed into that room. Anybody confined to the same small space for years would go crazy and try to hurt the person that put them there. Society at the time would almost always believe the man without question, especially those of the higher class. The dehumanization of Bertha in this was unsettling as she's still a human being, but is being treated and talked about like an animal.]]> 2021-03-04 22:05:42 UTC https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1271508818 emaass20211_1 https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1308961846 Jane's autonomy and self-worth are so inspiring. The strength and independence she has shown throughout the book and especially in this section is something I aspire to have and improve on. When she just picked up and left Rochester, the first man she ever loved, and Thornfield, the only place she has ever felt at home, with almost no hesitance I was in awe. I could never imagine being able to do that, especially not alone. Leaving a place of comfort for the literal streets because you have nowhere else to go seems absolutely absurd to me, but at the same time, she 100% made the right decision. It may have not been easy, neither mentally nor physically, to do, but it paid off in the long run. Jane had her priorities straight and stuck to them and I can't help but congratulate her for it. She was such a rarity in her time and it is empowering to see that she didn't let the opinions of those around her devalue her own personal standards. Though she may have changed her name when she introduced herself to St. John and his family, she did not reinvent herself entirely as she was still the same woman she had been at Thornfield.]]> 2021-03-15 04:39:02 UTC https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1308961846 emaass20211_1 https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1309182481 Right before this passage, St. John told Jane that she had been left a large inheritance and she had little to no reaction, becoming more serious than happy. One would think that after living a life where most of your struggles were a result of a lack of money or social status, you would be excited or happy to come into such a hefty amount of money. Jane on the other hand, is more excited about finding blood relatives that actually felt like family, something she had been deprived of her whole life. Having become close to them before even knowing that they were family improved their connection that much more. It seems as though they filled a hole in Jane's life that couldn't be filled any other way. Her willingness to split her inheritance with them emphasizes how much more important their impact on her was than the blood money she was receiving from a man she didn't even know very well. It really puts life into perspective and shows how much people take things for granted and seek happiness in all the wrong places.]]> 2021-03-15 06:05:59 UTC https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1309182481 emaass20211_1 https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1350484175 The Jane Eyre we see at the end of the story is a very different person from the one we saw at the beginning. She started as an orphan with technical blood-relatives that were not fit to be called her family, no money or social bearing, and little autonomy. In the end, she is the total opposite of that. She has found blood-relatives who she was close to before she even found out they were family, she gained an inheritance, therefore moving up in society, and she has managed to make decisions for herself without needing a man by her side. The biggest change is in the way she sees herself. She has learned who she is and what really matters to her. Jane understands her priorities and what she is and isn't willing to sacrifice in order to gain something else. Jane has become a strong, independent woman who didn't need to get married but did so because she wanted to. Finding a man was not the end goal, but chasing her passions was and Rochester just happened to fall under that category. In each new chapter of her life, she learned something different about herself and never allowed anyone to undermine her (she left that trait at Gateshead).]]> 2021-03-24 23:34:14 UTC https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1350484175 emaass20211_1 https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1350484622 This passage stood out as the best summary of what Jane has learned to prioritize throughout the story. It shows the equality that exists between Rochester and Jane, which was very uncommon for their time. She did not marry St. John, even though he has the religious principles she promotes, simply because she does not love him. She does not believe in marrying for money or social gain, or just because that's what you are "supposed to do." She is an anomaly in her time and doesn't let anybody change her thinking. She found her true match and found the happiness she sought throughout the entire story. That happiness did not come because she was married, but because she married the one she loved. She refused to let him put her on a lower pedestal in their marriage because she understands her worth well and stands her ground. Many of the marriages around her were filled with material motives and false happiness, but hers is still going strong. I definitely did not expect a happy ending to this story, but I was pleasantly surprised. I feel almost proud of Jane for making it this far and never faltering.]]> 2021-03-24 23:34:28 UTC https://padlet.com/emaass20211_1/bnslfpbfzlqh856b/wish/1350484622