“I felt rather confused at being the object of more attention than I had ever received” (121)

At this point, Jane has just moved into the Rochester estate having taken on a job as a governess.  Jane is stunned but the grandeur and hospitality shown to her as she had never known such civility.  I enjoy the roundedness of her reactions, for I identify with her emotions quite personally for reasons I shall not disclose.

How do you predict Jane to change in her new environment?  Remember, she grew restless after some years at Lowood.  She is excited and content now, but will she grow bored of the Rochester household soon as well?

Adela explains Mr. Rochester to Jane: “‘nothing striking, but you feel it when he speaks to you: you cannot be always sure whether he is in jester earnest, whether he is pleased or the contrary: you don’t thoroughly understand him, in short–at least, I don’t: but it is of no consequence, he is a very good master.'” (133)

It seems Mr. Rochester is quite the enigma.  He is not seen for a very long time, and Adela seems to have only the foggiest clue of who he really is.  I don’t know how comfortable I would be having to live in my benefactor’s house should he be consistently absent.

How would you perceive Mr. Rochester’s character to be based on how his servants and his ward, Adela say about him?  Because of his absence, do you think Jane feels freer?

“Women are supposed to be very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute a stagnation … It is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or lean more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex.” (139)

This is an interesting statement as Jane’s thoughts would have been considered quite radical at the time the novel was originally published.  I’m not very educated on how society was at the time, so I am not sure of the level of progressiveness Jane would have been.

Do you agree with Jane or do you think she may have been too passionate?  Compare Jane now to how she was at the beginning of the novel.  How has she matured? How has she stayed the same?

Rochester: “‘There is something singular about you (167) … a puzzled air becomes you … so puzzle on” (169)

This is the first time Jane and Rochester talk amiably together.  Rochester even asks her which of his features Jane dislikes when she says hastily that she does not think he is handsome.  I wonder how quickly their relationship will develop over the next few chapters.  I do know from reading synopses online that eventually, Jane and Rochester wed.  How they get there, however, is what I am excited for.

How do you predict Rochester and Jane’s relationship to grow considering what you know of Rochester’s and Jane’s characters thus far?