Chapter 4

People:

• Eliza: She is the cousin of Jane.  She speaks very little to Jane after the incident in the red-room.  She is protective of her money.
• Georgiana:She is also a cousin of Jane. Like Eliza, she speaks little to Jane after the incident in the red-room.
• John:  He is the cousin of Jane.  He taunts Jane by creating lies that she is misbehaving.
• Mrs Reed: She is the stout aunt and guardian of Jane.  She does not like Jane's company.  She is dedicated in keeping her promise to her deceased husband.
• Bessie:  She is a servant.  She is a pretty young woman.  She often scolds Jane.  She is the most pleasant person Jane associates with.
• Mr. Brocklehurst: He is a tall gentleman.  He represents Lowood School.  He is a father and husband.  He despises Jane for her attitude.  He is a devout Christian.

What does Mr. Brocklehurst think of naughty little girls like Jane?
-He pities badly behaved girls, because he believes they will end up in the fiery pit of hell.  He labels Jane as a disobedient child.  He says she is in jeopardy of going to hell.  He suggests that she repent.



Places:

1. How is Lowood described?

• Lowood is described as a place where Christian beliefs and morals are taken very seriously. The appearance of the girls are plain and quiet. "Plain fare, simple attire, unsophisticated accommodations, hardy and active habits: such is the order of the day in the house and its inhabitants".

Summary:

• After the discussion Mr. Lloyd has with Jane about possibly sending her away to school, Mrs. Reed invites the headmaster to interview Jane for his school for orphaned girls in Lowood. Mr, Brocklehurst is very stern in his questions to Jane, but is startled by her responses about religion. She says that to her psalms remain uninteresting, and he therefore believes she has a wicked heart. By admitting her to his school he will be able to change her beliefs and therefore save another child of God from hell. Once the meeting is over Mrs. Reed does nothing but tell the headmaster everything that she believes is wrong with Jane, such as her tendency to lie compulsively and maintain a short fuse. At one point the criticism is to much for Jane to bear so she yells back at her aunt in an act of defense, all the while mentioning that the only time she would lie is to say that she loves her. After the dispute Bessie is the only one there to comfort her as always.This Chapter can take the form of two professor interpretations. For one thing Jane is beginning a quest for happiness away from her family and has already over come one obstacle by agreeing to leave. She has a reason to leave, a place to go and along the way will attain some form of self knowledge. The Abuse Jane receives from her family is reflective of the story of Cinderella. Mrs. Reed is evil and out to relieve her of the burden that is Jane, and her children treat her with the equal abuse she receives from their mother.

Personal Reaction:
1.)Why does Mrs. Reed express fear twice in this chapter?

• She expresses fear because one, Jane tells her that he uncle is coming to haunt her for not keeping her promise to treat Jane as one of her own. And two, Jane threaten Mrs. Reed that she will tell everybody at the school how she really is and how deceiving of a person she can be.(Ryan)
• Mrs. Reed is fearful of what her husband's impression would if he knew how she was raising Jane.  He might want her to be more pleasant towards Jane. Also, Mrs. Reed is concerned about her reputation.  She is afraid that Jane will spread rumors about her at school.  She thinks Jane might seek revenge on her after treating Jane miserably for many years. (Nicole)
• Not only is Mrs. Reed fearful of the accusations Jane is making about her, but she is also scared of Jane herself. I think all along Mrs. Reed knew about the courage and power Jane had inside of herself which is why she did everything she could to keep Jane feeling inferior. Now that Jane is aware of the power of her own voice, Mrs. Reed knows that she will no longer be able to control and manipulate her as she once did.  (Gloria) 

2.) What was your impression after Jane takes a stand against Mrs Reed?

• Jane feels something she has never felt before because she has never really stood up to Mrs. Reed. After telling her off, Jane feels like she has won a fight for the first time ever. She felt poison because she has never talked like that in her life.(Ryan)
• Jane is becoming bold.  She is seeking independence through her rebellion.  She may be rebelling against her aunt, because she knows her days are limited in Mrs. Reed's household.  Mrs. Reed is concerned about Jane's rebellious attitude since it may haunt her. (Nicole)
• I felt it was long coming consider the way Mrs. Reed treated Jane. All of the torture and degrading Jane endured could not have gone by unpunished. I was glad that she finally took a stand against the evil that is Mrs. Reed.  (Gloria)

Vocabulary:

1. "John thrust his tongue in his cheek whenever he saw me, and once attempted chastisement"
• Chastisement: to inflict punishment on (as by whipping)
2. "dressed out in thin muslin frocks and scarlet sashes"
• Muslin: a plain-woven sheer to coarse cotton fabric
3. "But she had a capricious and hasty temper"
• Capricious: governed or characterized by impulse, unpredictable, inconstant
4. "[Eliza] entrust it to her mother, at a usurious rate of interest--fifty or sixty percent" 
• Usurious: the lending of money with an interest charge for its use
5. "Miss Jane, take off your pinafore."
• Pinafore: a sleeveless usually low-necked garment fastened in the back and worn as an apron or dress
6. "He then gets two nuts in recompense for his infant piety."
• Piety: dutifulness in religion
7. "'I will indeed send her to school soon,' murmured Mrs. Reed, sotto voce"
• Sotto voce: under the breath; in an undertone
8. "Went out to walk in a part of the plantation which was quite sequestered"
• Sequestered: to set apart; segregate, seclude, withdraw
9. "Fain find nourishment for some less fiendish feeling than that of sombre indignation."
• Indignation: anger aroused by something unjust, unworthy, or mean
10. "I found no pleasure in the silent trees...the congealed relics of autumn"
• Congealed: to change from a fluid to a solid state by or as if by cold

Chapter 4

• People: Nicole
• Places: Monica
• Summary: Rebecca
• Personal Reaction: Ryan
• Vocabulary: Gloria