Getting Far Too Silly With my Examples For My Grade 11 Jane Eyre Work Sheet

Sample Jane Eyre Chapter Commentary Done Well:

 

Chapter 5: Jane Takes the Children To The Park

  In chapter five, Brontë depicts Jane taking the children to Blasted Heath Park, where they have candy, fly a kite, meet Bert the sidewalk artist and have a magical adventure inside his chalk drawings.  Brontë first introduces the aforementioned Bert in this chapter.  Bert strikes the reader as charming, funny and maybe a bit of an American doing a fake British accent.  Although Jane’s conversations with the children are those of a governess or nanny speaking to children who must obey her, the most important and revealing conversation in this chapter is the one between Jane and Bert, who speak as equals.  Jane is a bit sharp and critical at first, but soon starts to flirt right back at Bert, who obviously is trying to get somewhere with Jane romantically.  This is most unquestionably seen when Bert says “I find your whimsical feminine posterior undeniably pleasant today, Miss Eyre, comfortably ensconced as it is, pleasantly residing with ghetto aplomb behind its happy panniers to the wonder of all who gaze upon you.” (Brontë 178)  In this chapter, Brontë finally reveals that Jane is secretly a man.  I predict that Bert will be revealed to be a French illusionist in need of an assistant well versed in the art of female impersonation, and the two will elope to Paris, rather like in the Dickens novel Great Expectations.

 

 

Sample Jane Eyre Chapter Commentary Done Poorly: (what is wrong with it?)

 

Jane takes them to the park

  In chapter five, Jane took them to this park, were they fly there kite and meet Bert, the sidewalk artist and went inside his chalk drawings.  First they went to a zoo, where Bert danced with the penguins.  Then they went to a café were Jane and Bert sang a song.  And they danced on the ceiling with Jane’s uncle, which they defiantly enjoyed.  Brontë introduced Bert.  Bert strikes the reader as nice.  Jane is speaking with someone her society would consider her equal, someone she has authority over, or something who has authority over her.  “I found the liver pudding to my liking, though it was perhaps not quite up to Mrs. Poole’s usual efforts.  The paté was unlike any I have had the indisputable and unique pleasure of placing within my visage, though many a tasty morsel has been thus encompassed.  As if the gustatory delights unfolded from the murky shadows of your bottomless picnic basket did not suffice, I find the company of your darling wee charges quite pleasant as well, though doubtless you and I could lead the conversation into considerably darker and deeper channels without their precious ears taking in the heated descriptions of lands far beyond their ken.  I am rough and blunt I affirm, but know that this is my accustomed manner of speaking and that I will not change it a whit for anyone.  Why mr. whipstock (I cannot find it in me to call you bert!) I ejaculated.  Is it too much to ask that you confine your wayward tongue to exploring the repast I have provided and to discourse more app8ropriate to the hearing of these little ones?  Ah, but miss eyre, you really do raise a fire within my pounding breast.  I find your whimsical feminine posterior undeniably pleasant today, miss eyre, comfortably ensconced as it is, pleasantly residing with ghetto aplomb behind its happy panniers to the wonder of all who gaze upon you. mr. whipstock I really must protest! I of course replied, with a blaze of crimson burning hotly in each cheek.  Your manly crudity is undeniably appealing to my feminine nature, though it rankles somewhat and smacks of ill breeding as well.  He lit his pipe and gazed silently upon me for a time.  Finally the day grew dim, gentle reader, and with reluctance and a rising sensation of tingly warmth in my tummy I took the children by the hands and led them homeward to Hogwarts. In this chapter, Brontë finally revealed that Jane was a man.  I beleive that Bert will be nice in the next chapter to, and indeed, threw out the hole rest of the play.

 

 

 

[If you are curious what they've been asked to do that this work is samplematic of, it is this:]

 

 

Work For Jane Eyre

For the first ten chapters, do 1-6. (numbered here for clarity.   Do not number them when handing them in.)  After chapter 10, drop the plot summaries.  After chapter 26, start doubling up chapter entries (27/28, 28/29 and so on) I will not insist that this chapter work be typed, though I prefer it unless your spelling and handwriting is that of a goddess):

 

1. Chapter Subtitle (for example “Chapter 28: Jane Buys A Motorcar”)

2. Plot Summary:  Write a one-sentence chapter plot summary.  It must be no longer than one sentence and start with the words “In chapter __, Brontë describes/reveals/depicts/has Jane/relates…” and continue in present tense.  (Use a lot of “ing”s on your verbs unless you choose “has Jane…” or “relates”.  Try out “describes,” “reveals,” “depicts” and all the others.)

3. New Characters and Settings: Address the introduction of new settings, and new characters.  If it’s new and it may matter, talk about it.  This should start with “Brontë (also) introduces ____________ [new character / setting] in this chapter.  ________ strikes the reader as ____________, _______________ and maybe a bit _______________.”  (To save work, do not introduce more than three new people per summary.  Pick the three you expect are more important.)

4. Conversations: This is the main stuff.  Take note of the most important conversation you feel Jane has in each chapter.  If you haven’t already covered the conversation in the plot summary, do a one-sentence summary of who Jane speaks with and what the conversation is about.  In a Victorian novel, chapters with no long, eloquent conversations are few and far between.  Then briefly record whether Jane is speaking with someone her society would consider her equal, someone she has authority over, or something who has authority over her.  Then concisely note whether or not Jane acts in accordance with this societal expectation: note whether Jane is honest, rude, opinionated, forceful and/or blunt and etc., or whether she is quiet, meek and/or deferential and etc. (in other words, is she bowing to authority, position or status, resisting authority, position or status, wielding authority, position or status herself, or is she speaking comfortably as to a person of equal authority, position or status.

5. Use of Quotation:  Go back and, for your choice of 1-5, and not picking the same section for every chapter, support what you have said using a quotation from the chapter itself.  You should write something along the lines of “This is (most) [clearly/obviously/tellingly/graphically/ unquestionably] seen [in the words/when Brontë writes/when [character] says] “your quotation here, with square brackets to put fix verbs and pronouns so they work well.”

6. There are about two important secrets which are revealed in the last third of the book.  When Brontë finally reveals what she has kept secret throughout the book, record this.

 

Bonus: You will demonstrate extra ability if you personalize a chapter response by adding to any one of tasks 2-6, a short statement beginning with something like “I feel..,” “This reminds me of…,”  “I predict…,” “I believe…,” “I think…,”  or something similar.