The excerpt above is taken from Chapter 1, Page 16

Thoughts on Excerpt (Post 1):
When I first read these lines, my jaw dropped--not in awe, but because I couldn't believe these words came out of a 14-year-old's mouth. Specifically, the line "all the house belongs to me or will do in a few years" just completely caught me off guard. These are words I never expected from a teenager--no matter how spoiled or entitled the child may be. To have these thoughts already signifies a mindset corrupted by greed and status, one that treats those of a lower socioeconomic class as objects and not as people. I think this exchange between John and Jane helps introduce the traditional mindset embodied by society during the Victorian era--a mindset similar to that of the consumerism mindset seen in today's society. I genuinely feel bad for Jane as growing up in this sort of family environment definitely takes a toll on one's mental health. John's onslaught of verbal abuse strikes deep as he continuously compares his family to that of Janes, many of whom were poor or have since died, to establish his superiority. Perhaps Jane's family situation was the catalyst that sparked her desire to fight back against the Victorian era's societal norms.

Overall Reflection on Chapters 1-10 (Post 2):
The first four chapters of the novel made me feel really bad for Jane Eyre. Not only was she living with spoiled children, but the constant abuse by her aunt is most definitely not helping either. However, when Jane started school at Lowood, I thought things would get better for her. Granted, her life was still miserable, but I'm glad she met friends--especially Hellen. I was incredibly bummed to find out that Hellen dies just as Jane and she seemed to be getting along. This is because I was very interested and intrigued to read more about their interactions which I believed sparked intellectual curiosity and helped both of them become better critical thinkers. As I begin to read more, I realized that Jane has a sort of rebellious nature. This is evident when she is in the Reed house--when fighting to not be put in the red room-- so I'm curious to see if she will take this same attitude to stand up for herself at school. Specifically, I'm dying to see a clash between Jane and Mr. Brocklehurst as I believe the way he publicly humiliated her deserves some good old karma. Overall, I'm excited to continue reading and exploring Jane Eyre's personality through her many endeavors.

The excerpt above is taken from Chapter 11, Page 149

Thoughts on Excerpt (Post 1):
When I first read this excerpt, I wasn't really sure what to make of it. I felt that because I had read through it so fast, I missed some crucial details that played a significant role in identifying this new "stage" in Jane's life. The lines "my couch had no thorn in it that night" immediately brings me back to remembering just how badly Jane was treated at the Lowoods' House. The hospitality that Jane receives on her first night at Mr. Rochester's house juxtaposes the atrocities she experienced during her teenage years. It's honestly very heartwarming to see that Jane is finally getting the respect and kindness paid back to her. In this excerpt, Jane feels very comfortable with living in Mr. Rochester's house despite just having gotten there. This signals a potential shift--as we see later on in the book--in Jane's life. As I read further, I realized that this excerpt may have been a way for the author to signal to the audience the start of a relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester. The first step to any intimate relationship is to feel comfortable with one another and Mr. Rochester's house does just that for Jane. I'm interested and super excited to see how their relationship plays out. Maybe they'll end up living happily ever after. Maybe their relationship will end up going up in flames. Who knows? Let's find out together as we read more of Jane Eyre!

Overall Reflection on Chapters 11-20 (Post 2):
I feel like these past ten chapters can be broken down into two main parts. Firstly, we see Jane transition into her new life as a tutor at Mr. Rochester's house. Jane slowly begins to fall in love with Mr. Rochester despite a rather unpleasant first impression. But one thing that disappoints me gravely is the attitude that Jane carries in this new stage of life. Before, the teenage Jane can be seen openly rebelling and fighting against societal norms that she disagrees with. However, here in Mr. Rochester's house, it seems as if she's conforming to whatever Mr. Rochester's opinions are for the sake of love. This was interesting to me because it sort of showed us just what love can do to a person. Sometimes when we're so madly in love, our senses and emotions overtake all rational thoughts and we start acting impulsively. I think that's what we're seeing with Jane here. This is made even clearer when Mr. Rochester brings guests home--especially with Miss Ingram. Jane starts to feel very insecure about her feelings towards Mr. Rochester because of Blanche's socioeconomic status--one that is miles and leagues above that of Jane's. I think this is something that can be extrapolated to modern-day society because a lot of the time teens will also feel pressured to "look" a certain way due to the influencers they see on social media. It's important to recognize that we all are different and there's no shame in that. We all have our own strengths and weaknesses. Overall, I really enjoyed reading these past ten chapters and I'm excited to continue learning more about Jane Eyre. 

The excerpt above is taken from Chapter 26, Page 446

Thoughts on Excerpt (Post 1):
This paragraph sort of hit me like a midnight train hurtling down the tracks. To think that there was an ACTUAL person hidden in the house from the others for so long is just so incredibly mind-boggling to me. A few questions do pop into my mind as I began to read more about this "crazed" woman. First and foremost, I'm curious as to what else Bertha did besides biting and stabbing her brother. Was there something more happening behind the scenes with Mr. Rochetser and Bertha? Did Mr. Rochester just confine her to such a small space after having gotten into some sort of argument? I found myself asking these questions repeatedly since these scenarios could be a big plot twist to Mr. Rochester's character and could provide readers (me) with new insights into how Jane might be treated in her marriage. I really liked the way in which Bronte depicted the scene and her choice of words since it definitely helps set the madwoman that is of Bertha. Phrases like "on all fours" and "snatched and growled" hold a LOT of power in painting Bertha into a beast and consequently, a madwoman.

Overall Reflection on Chapters 20-26 (Post 2):
To be completely honest, I'm not sure how I feel about Jane marrying Mr. Rochester. A part of me wants to be happy for Jane since she has been in love with him all this time. She's been through so many mental conflicts comparing herself with Ms. Ingram and now that her fantasy is becoming a reality, it must feel nice right? Well, another part of me can't bear to see Jane's submission to Mr. Rochester. Towards the beginning of the book, the audience got a glimpse into the rebellious and independent nature of Jane. From growing up in an abusive household to being ridiculed at school, Jane has been through A LOT for someone her age. She's grown to have a voice and express her opinions without shame. However, since meeting Mr. Rochester, I feel that Jane has grown quiet and content with her surroundings. Of course, she does often argue with Mr. Rochester about how he doesn't own her, but I think her actions and feelings for him say otherwise. I also noticed that there are a lot of omens suggesting that this marriage will ultimately go up in flames. The chestnut tree split by lightning, the numerous dreams about children, the sudden reveal of Mr. Rochester's first wife, and so forth all signify that this new marriage with Jane will fail. I'm excited to see the ending and will continue to pay extra attention to any potential new signs of a failed marriage. 

The above excerpt is taken from Chapter 27, Page 488

Thoughts on Excerpt (Post 1):
Well... this is surprising. In my last post, I talked about how I thought this marriage was ultimately going to end up in flames, but I hadn't expected it to happen so fast. I definitely feel that knowing Mr. Rochester's first wife has been confined in the house secretly was definitely one of the most influential factors in Jane leaving Thornfield. I feel like she couldn't take being the "second" in Mr. Rochester's life and that she'd constantly feel as if she was just a mistress as opposed to Mr. Rochester's true love. However, I am VERY surprised that their marriage ended so quickly. I mean it literally took less than a few days for everything to just go up in flames. At first, I had thought that Jane wouldn't have the determination or the resolve to actually leave Thornfield but I guess I was very wrong. I'm impressed by her resolve to actually leave since having the opportunity to marry your first love is definitely no joke. I am curious as to how she will survive now that she is leaving the shelter and hospitality of Thornfield house behind. She doesn't have much money so her life ahead is going to get really rough and it's going to get rough fast.

Overall Reflection on Chapters 27-33 (Post 2):
In these few chapters, Jane has become a strong independent woman capable of making choices for herself. Her decision to leave Thornfield was one that was difficult to make, but she managed to do it. As Jane's life takes a new direction, I'm very curious to learn more about St. John. We (the audience members) learn that he happens to be Jane's uncle. This comes as a pleasant surprise to Jane since she has finally connected with her long-lost family. I was also surprised to see that Jane didn't really bat an eye to the fortune that she now claims due to the death of John Eyre. She was just happier to find out that she had finally found her long-lost family than she was to receive this massive amount of fortune. This scene was really powerful and definitely stuck around in my mind for a bit since most people would most likely have been more delighted to have received/amassed such a big fortune. However, I'm not exactly sure if it was a smart choice for Jane to divide that fortune up into four to share with her new housemates. Yes, they did care for her, but I feel that Jane hasn't spent enough time with them to really know them as a person. Maybe they're cynical in nature or maybe they're greedy people. I mean who knows?

The above excerpt is taken from Chapter 38, Page 688

Thoughts on Excerpt (Post 1):
This passage is extremely well-written in the sense that the readers can clearly see just how much Jane has matured from her old insecure self. Here, Jane is seen as someone who knows her own personal worth and value, someone who isn't constantly living in the shadows of her own insecurities. However, one thing that I do feel sad about is that, during the time Jane took to mature, it took a house, an eye, and a hand from Rochester. While the accident is not directly a result of Jane's actions, I just wish she could've overcome her own insecurities and feelings of inferiority before Mr. Rochester sustained those injuries. I am glad, however, to see Jane finally growing up, both mentally and physically, as seen and described in the excerpt above. I was expecting Jane to forever be alone and just not marry anyone, but boy was I pleasantly surprised. Further, to think that she would go back and actually marry Mr. Rochester, the Mr. Rochester, is just a bit nuts to me. All in all, I'm glad that she finally found her place in the world and has come to terms with her own self. Although it took a lot of time, she has finally liberated herself from her own past.

Overall Reflections on Chapters 34-38 (Post 2):
I think these last few chapters really showed just how much Jane has changed since her teenage and early adulthood years. One particular scene that stood out to me was when Jane firmly denied St. John's proposal of marriage. This scene was special to me because she "heard" Mr. Rochester's voice in the heat of the moment. On one hand, I think she really did hear the current injured Mr. Rochester call out to her. But on the other hand, I think her hearing Mr. Rochester's voice is Bronte's brilliant idea of alluding to the OLD Mr. Rochester. Someone who wished to exercise absolute control over their wife which in this case would be Jane. Just seeing Jane standing up for herself and firmly denying St. John's request really solidified my impression of Jane growing up and finally learning the ability to make decisions for herself. As a strong, independent woman, Jane has finally overcome her past. Abused at home, berated at school, emotionally damaged from Mr. Rochester, Jane has overcome all these odds to grow up into the fine woman she is today. I think this was a really great way to end the book and I am so glad that I was taken on this wild ride of a journey.