"She regretted to be under the necessity of keeping me at a distance; but that until she heard from Bessie, and could discover by her own observation that I was endeavouring in a good earnest to acquire a more sociable and childlike disposition, a more attractive and sprightly manner,-something lighter, franker, more natural as it were-she really must exclude me from privileges intended only for contented, happy, little children." (Bronte 9)
Mrs. Reed is shown as separating Jane from her other children. This separation could cause some emotional distress between Jane and everyone else of the Reed family.
"The words in these introductory pages connected themselves with the suceeding vignettes, and gave significance to the rock standing up alone in a sea of billow and spray; to the broken boat stranded on a desolate coast; to the cold and ghastly moon glancing through bars of cloud at a wreck just sinking." (Bronte 10)
This quote is ironic because it foils Jane life. Mrs. Reed is actually giving Jane less meaning in her life by treating her so badly, this mistreatment may cause Jane to decide to run away or get out of the house in some other way.
"The two ships becalmed on a torpid sea, I believed to be marine phantoms." (Bronte 11)
Jane is showing her wild imagination, like all kids have, but her imagination may get her into trouble is she starts believing what she is imagining.
"With Bewick on my knee, I was then happy: happy at least in my way." (Bronte 11)
Jane is at peace when she is reading. This trait may continue for the rest of her life in the novel.
"Lizzy! Georgy! (calling to his sisters) Jane is not here: tell mama she is run out into the rain-bad animal!" (Bronte 11)
Jane's counsins even treat her badly. John even calls Jane an animal. Mrs. Reed lets this pass right before her eyes, like it was normsl. This may cause Jane to do something drastic in the future.
"Mr. Miles, the master, affirmed that he would do very well if he had fewer cakes and sweemeats sent him from home; but the mother's heart turned from an opinion so harsh, and inclined rather to the more refined idea that John's sallowness was owing to overapplication and, perhaps, to pining after home." (Bronte 12)
John is very spoiled, which could explain how he is. John will get what he wants, he was even taken out of school. If he is continually spoiled like this, he may have problems with authority in the future.
"There were moments when I was bewildered by the terror he inspired, because I had no appeal whatever against either his menaces or his inflictions; the servants did not like to offend their young master by taking my part against him, and Mrs. Reed was blind and deaf on the subject: she never saw him strike or heard him abuse me, though he did both now and then in her very presence; more frequently, however, behind her back." (Bronte 12)
John is becoming an abuseful, angry person, which is mostly his mother's fault. His constant abuse of Jane may come back to haunt him later in the story, if Jane was to get the courage to stand up to him later in the novel, he could end up in bad shape.
"This room was chill, because it seldom had a fire; it was silent, because remote from the nursery and kitchens; solemn, because it was known to be so seldom entered." (Bronte 16)
This room is being descirbed like some kind of prison. A room where no one enters, even Mrs. Reed rarely comes up to the room. This ominous room could be the breaking point for Jane and her imagination may get the best of her.
"Mr. Reed had been dead nine years: it was in this chamber he breathed his last; here he lay in state; hence his coffin was borne by the undertaker's men; and, since that day, a sense of dreary consecration had guarded it from frequent intursion." (Bronte 16)
Mr. Reed died in the very same room that Mrs. Reed has locked Jane in. If Jane has a wild imagination like most children, this could be disasterous for her, this may cause some mental heatlh problems.
"My heart beat thick, my head grew hot; a sound thing seemed near me; I was oppressed, suffocated: endurance broke down; I rushed to the door and shook the lock in desperate effort." (Bronte 18)
Jane is going into shock over the white light she claims to have seen. Whether it was her imagination or not, she is most likely going to have issues against Mrs. Reed for locking her up in there. Her health might not be in good shape either.
"Mrs. Reed surbeyed me at times with a severe eye, but seldom addressed me: since my illness, she had drwn a more marked line of separation than ever between and her own children; appointing me a small closet to sleep in by myself, condemning me to take my meals alone, and pass all my time in the nursery." (Bronte 29)
Mrs. Reed's increase in the separation of Jane and her children may show that she is thinking about sending Jane to school or somewhere where she will not bother her.
"To this crib I always took my doll; human beings must love something, and in the dearth of worthier objects of affection, I contrived to find a pleasure in loving and cherishing a faded graven image, shabby as a miniature scarecrow." (Bronte 31)
Jane does not like being with the others. Charlotte Bronte makes a connection about all humans needing something to love, which is true. Jane love for the doll will not always be there, and in the future, she may have something or someone else to love.
"When I returned to my seat, that lady was just delivering an order, of which I did not catch the import; but Burns immediately left the class, and going into the small inner room where the books were kept, returned in half a minute, carrying in her hand a bundle of twigs tied together at one end." (Bronte 56)
The device Miss Scathcerd uses on her students is basically the same as using a ruler of belt. Jane watches in disbelief as Burns is hit many times but does not shed a tear until after she is out of eyesight. Burns does many of the things she is asked, but she is still punished for many minuscule things. Burns does not even try to defend herself when she could have told Miss Satcherd that the water was frozen. It appears that Burns does not care about her life, which could cause many problems for her in the future.
"Probably, if I had lately left a good home and kind parents, this would have been the hour when I should most keenly have regretted the separation: that wind would then have saddened my heart; this obscure chaos would have disturbed my peace: as it was, I derived from both a strange excitement, and reckless and feverish, I wished the wind to howl more wildly, the gloom to deepen to darkness, and the confusion to rise to clamour." (Bronte 57)
Jane states that the wind and the chaos would make any normal person homesick, but since she came from a home she did not like, she feels no remorse. Jane's mistreatment in the past has made her despise her past when she was living in Gateshead. This could solidify her heart and make her cold and isolated.
"Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or registering wrongs. We are, and must be, one and all, burdened with faults in this would: but the time will soon come when, I trust, we shall put them off in putting off our corruptible bodies; when debasement and sin will fall from us with this cumbrous frame of flesh, and only the spark of the spirit will remain,-the impalpable principle of life and thought, pure as when it left the Creator to inspire the creature:..." (Bronte 60)
Helen appears to be an intelligent girl who gets punished for minor things. Miss Scatcherd punishes Helen for reasons that do not seem very relevant. Helen seems to be a soft spoken girl and that may cause her to always be stepped on in the future.
"I can remember Miss Temple walking lightly and rapidly along our drooping line, her plaid cloak, which the frosty wind fluttered, gathered close about her, and encouraging us, by precept, and example, to keep up our spirits, and march forward, as she said, "like stalwart soldiers" The other teachers, porr things. were generally themselves too much dejected to attempt the task of cheering others." (Bronte 63)
Many of the teachers, except Miss Temple, are down due to the current situation. Many of the supplies are running low and are going bad. The children are starving. If this keeps up, many of the kids could get sick and they may have to close the school, or somehow try to get more money for supplies.
"Miss Temple had looked down when he fist began to speak to her; but she now gazed straight before her, and her face, naturally pale as marble, appeared to be assuming also the coldness and fixity of that material; especially her mouth, closed as if it would have required a sculptor's chisel to open it, and her brow settled gradually into petrified severity." (Bronte 66)
Mr. Brocklehurst seems to listen to what Mrs. Reed said about Jane, even though he does not really know her. The teachers do not seem to like him much though anyway, which means they may like Jane more becuase Mr. Brocklehurst does not like her.
"Miss Temple, that girl's hair must be cut off entirely; I will send a barber tomorrow: and I see others who have far too much of the excrescence-that tall girl, tell her to turn round. Tell all the first form to rise up and direct their faces to the wall." (Bronte 66)
Brocklegurst is being very strict and is forcing the girls to cut their hair if their hair is too long or curly, which is ironic since his daughters are elegantly dressed. If he keeps this up, and word of his abusiveness gets out, other more powerful people may try to step in.
"Miss Temple got up, took her hand and examined her pulse; then she returned to her own seat: as she resumed it, I heard her sigh low. She was pensive a few minutes, then rousing herself, she said cheerfully:-" (Bronte 74)
Miss Temple is checking Helen for a sickness. Helen may have some kind of illness that may be serious.
"We feasted that evening as on nectar and ambrosia; and not the least delight of the entertainment was the smile of gratification with which our hostess regarded us, as we staisfied our famished appetites on the delicate fare she liberally supplied." (Bronte 75)
Charlotte Bronte alludes to the ancient greek stories to show how little the children get to eat. Ambrosia was the drink of the greek gods and any mortal who drank it became immortal. So the fact that Jane felt like the tea and cake were like necter and ambrosia really shows how hungry she was. Jane and Helen were the only two who got the tea and cake, so the other girls of the school must be really hungry. This could cause disease if this gets too bad.
"They conversed of things I had never heard of! of nations and times past; of countries far away: of secrets of nature discovered or guessed at: they spoke of books: how many they had read! What stories and knowlege they possessed!" (Bronte 76)
Helen and Miss Temple are both apparently intelligent. Helen gets to convers to someone of equal intelligence about things she likes to do. Her and Miss Temple may become good friends and talk more in the future.
"Helen she held a little longer than me: she let her go more reluctantly; it was Helen her eye followed to the door; it was for her she a second time breathed a sad sigh; for her she wiped a tear from her cheek." (Bronte 76)
Helen is definitely sick and Miss Temple know it. Miss Temple's reaction as Helen was leaving may be a sign that Helen's disease is getting worse and could cause serious problems to Helen.
"I am so glad you are come; it will be quite pleasant living here now with a companion. To be sure, it is pleasant at any time; for Thornfield is a fine old hall, rather neglected of late years perhaps, but still it is a repectable place; yet you know in winter time one feels dreary quite alone, in the best quarter." (Bronte 99)
Mrs. Fairfax seems to be an elderly lady who understands a lot about how society works. She knows how to treat the servants and everyone else. She hired Jane to keep her and Miss Varens company. Jane could get more attached to the family than she originally planned to.
"It was exactly one mask of Bessie's Gytrash,-a lion-like creature with long hair and a huge head: it passed me, however, quitely enough; not staying to look up, with strange pretercanine eyes, in my face as I half expected it would." (Bronte 115)
Jane still has the wild imagination she had when she was a little girl. She is imagining seeing the monsters from the stories Bessie used to tell her. Her imagination could help her connect more closely to Adele.
"He ground his teeth and was silent: he arrested his step and struck his boot against the hard ground. Some hated thought seemed to have him in its grip, and to hold him so tightly that he could not advance." (Bronte 145)
Rochester has had a troubled past and something about his past is till troubling him now. He paused and though about his past problem and this problem could cause trouble in the future.
"What alienates him from the house? Will he leave it again soon? Mrs. Fairfax said he seldom stayed here longer than a fortnight at a time; and he has now been residnet eight weeks. If he does go, the change will be doleful. Suppose he should be absent, spring, summer, and autumn; how joyless sunshine and fine days will seem." (Bronte 150)
Jane seems to enjoy Rochester's company and vice-versa. She may be falling in love with him. Something is causing Rochester to leave the house. This someting may be part of his past.
"You have saved my life: I have a pleasure in owing you so immense a debt. I cannot say more. Nothing else that has being would have been tolerable to me in the character of creditor for such an obligation: but you: it is different;-I feel your benefits no burden, Jane." (Bronte 154)
Someone tried to kill Rochester and he was lucky that Jane was there to protect him. This could relate to his past problems.
