Jane Eyre Discussion Questions
and a few links to help you go further in to this lovely book
Welcome to Reading Revisited, a place for friends to enjoy some good old-fashioned book chat while revisiting the truth, beauty, and goodness we’ve found in our favorite books.
Hello, Readers!
It’s hard to believe we are already more than halfway through October! We’ve had an unseasonably warm autumn so far in the midwest, so I’ve relied on my literary ventures to put me in the fall mood, and Jane Eyre did not disappoint. I must admit that this book, despite being a re-re-re-read for me, utterly surpassed my expectations. There’s something about this novel, a certain unobtrusiveness, perhaps, that lends itself to rediscovery. Each time I revisit Jane I’m blown away yet again and can’t believe I’ve let myself wait so long to return to it - I look forward to discussing it with our book club members in the coming weeks.
(Here is a PDF of everything Jane Eyre from Reading Revisited this month…it is formatted to be printed as a booklet)
Discussion Questions:
What scene/moment from the story has stayed at the front of your mind?
Discuss the effect of Jane as narrator - how might we approach the story differently without a first-person narrator?
Compare this book to other Gothic novels we’ve read
What is the significance of the Red Room scene in volume one?
Discuss fairy tale elements we see in the novel
Discuss Mr. Rochester - how sympathetically (or otherwise) ought we approach him in volume two?
Discuss Jane’s return to Gateshead and her interactions with her aunt/cousins.
Consider the three primary male figures in the novel (Mr. Brocklehurst, Mr. Rochester, and St. John) - compare the way Jane approaches and responds to each.
Discuss the major themes we’ve traced throughout the novel:
feelings vs. reason
sight vs. blindness
conscience
sanity vs. insanity
others?
What biblical images (direct or indirect) stood out to you the most?
Discuss the famous first line of the last chapter: “Reader, I married him.” Why is this an important and oft-quoted line and (why) does the phrasing matter?
Why does St. John have the “last word” in the novel?
If this is a re-read, did your impressions of the novel change upon revisiting?
A few links…
"Specific dates: the link between Jane Eyre, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Bible”
Novel Illustration: An Educational Approach to Jane Eyre by Eleanor Bourg Nicholson
- episodes on Jane Eyre
Eleanor Bourg Nicholson on the Fountains of Carrots Podcast talking about the validity of Rochester and Bertha’s marriage
Don’t forget to check back on the Jane Eyre Reading Schedule to find links for all of the Jane Eyre posts and episodes!
Until next time, keep revisiting the good books that enrich your life and nourish your soul.
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Don’t tell anyone but I’ve never read Jane Eyre. However wanted to say your summary and discussion guide is solid. I may borrow some elements of it for my CS Lewis reading group. Keep up the great work!