Jane Eyre

1. How does Brontë use weather and setting to reflect Jane's emotional state, and what does this technique tell us about the gothic literary tradition?

2. What does Jane's attraction to the desolate Arctic imagery in Bewick's book reveal about her character and psychological state?

3. How does Jane's comparison of herself to a 'rebel slave' reveal her understanding of her situation?

4. What role does the gothic atmosphere of the red room play in Jane's psychological development?

5. Why does Jane feel more secure with Mr. Lloyd, a relative stranger, than with her own family?

6. How does trauma change Jane's perception of objects and experiences she once loved?

7. How does Jane's physical retaliation against John Reed represent a turning point in her character development?

8. What role does Jane's attachment to her doll play in her emotional survival, and what does this reveal about human nature?

9. Was Jane right to refuse to say goodbye to Mrs. Reed, or should she have shown gratitude for being housed and fed?

10. How does Brontë use the physical journey to reflect Jane's emotional and psychological transition?

11. Is Helen Burns's philosophy of patient endurance admirable or problematic? How does her approach to injustice reflect the limited options available to powerless individuals?

12. What does Jane's reaction to the harsh winter weather reveal about her character and psychological state? How does her response differ from what she imagines other children would feel?

13. How does Brontë use physical details like chilblains and hunger to make social criticism more powerful than abstract arguments about inequality?

14. What does the contrast between Miss Temple and Mr. Brocklehurst reveal about different approaches to authority and moral leadership?

15. How do Helen's and Miss Temple's different approaches to helping Jane complement each other?