The Jane Eyre Chapters

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Summary: St. John comes to Jane and explains her the story of an orphan girl and tells her the story of her life. She doesn’t identify herself right away. They are looking for Jane Eyre because John Eyre died and left her 20,000 pounds which astonishes her and she cannot believe it. St. John says he is actually St. John Eyre Rivers. He knew she was Jane by her name on the piece of paper he had torn from the paper.  She decides to split her inheritance evenly with her cousins, especially since one said that they would be reach with only 1,000 pounds. Jane then closes the school for Christmas and spends a great time with her cousins at Moor house which she loves. She makes delightful improvements to the school; St. John turns cold because Rosamond has engaged with Mr. Granby. He asks Jane to learn a language that he is learning for India. He asks her to go with her and also marry her and tells her that if she doesn’t it would be denying the Christian Faith.

Quotation: "You must take days to consider such a matter"

Significance of quotation: This is what St. John says to Jane when she is thinking of splitting the money with her cousins. He thinks that she should not although she says she would be overwhelmed with 20,000 pounds and this show also how she cares for others. She says it’s a matter of feeling.

Reflection: Jane discovers what she has never really had, a family. She has close relatives she didn’t know existed which opens a new pathway for her. She becomes almost rich in a matter of minutes when she discovers she has been left an inheritance. She is at a different social status and she is kind enough to split the money with her cousins although it was all for her. St. Johns weird actions, like when he takes the corner of her drawing are explained and make more sense. What doesn’t make sense is why St. John would ask her to marry her so abruptly and fast with no real love. St. John is a new pathway she could choose to go through, although he is another Rochester but more powerful and strong. Rochester was a more kind and passionate man where as St. John is a more cold and cruel man. Rochester also had the same Christian morality that St. John has although St. Johns can be more overwhelming because of his cruel personality and actions. St. John also pressures Jane when she says she will not marry him.

Discussion Question: Why would St. John like to marry someone not in love with him?

Posted 23rd October by Selene Elias

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Oct

22

10-22-12 Jane Eyre Chapters 31-32 Selene Elias

10/22 Jane Eyre Chapters 31-32

Summary: When Jane is at Morton's, she is provided with a cottage in which she can live in. This is given by Rosamond Oliver. Jane starts her teaching career and the work she has is disappointing.  St. John as well realizes that he made the wrong career choice. He decides to be a missionary since he heard God's call. Jane gets the idea later that Rosamond and St. John are in love. Later, her students and her get connected more with each other and Jane becomes popular among them. Jane continues to watch the relationship between Rosamond and St. John. At the same time she has dreams involving Rochester and has trouble sleeping. St. John later admits that he loves her and is tempted by her beauty but he says he won’t let it affect with his Holy duties. St. John tears a piece from the end of her paper on which she was drawing and then leaves rapidly.

Quotation: "I doubted I had taken a step which sank instead of raising me in the scale of social excellence"

Significance of Quotation: I think this quote is important because after leaving Thornfield she is still thinking of her social status which seems to be an important thing for Jane.

Reflection: Jane has almost forgotten about the possibility she had about being a governess. She has taken a step down the social ladder with her students by teaching them. She claims to be content with her situation having been discontent weeks ago. Her discontent is growing like it did in Lowood. St. John appears to be discontent because he wants to be a missionary instead of being poor and obscure.  When she opens her school, the kids who go don’t know much, this shows how bad educated they were. This also gives Jane more work since they are at different levels of learning.  This is also hard for Jane because of their language. Becoming a teacher shows she didn’t want to go through the governess position again like she could, and that she has the kindness to do it. Miss Oliver is someone who treats her right and she liked her almost like Adele which shows Jane is going on through her life leaving the bad experiences behind. St. John is also a person who seems to be nice around Jane and a great company.

Discussion Question: Why do you think that St. John left with a piece of Jane's paper?

Posted 22nd October by Selene Elias

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Oct

17

10-17-12 Jane Eyre Chapters 27-28 Selene Elias

10/17 Jane Eyre Chapters 27-28

Summary: Jane wakes up and knows she must leave Thornfield. She finds Rochester as she walks out of her room and he assures her that he didn’t mean anything and asks for forgiveness. Jane feels faint and Rochester carries her. He later asks her if she will leave with him and when she refuses he talks to her about his past. He tells her about Bertha, he say many things and says he later left in search of his true love. She feels torn after his story but she must resist temptation. She dreams of her mom who tells her to leave, so she leaves Thornfield. Jane is forced to sleep outside and prays. She begs for food and a job but nobody seems to help her except for a farmer who gives her a slice of bread. She finds a house and learns about the people from their conversation. She begs them to let her in, they don’t until St. John arrives and helps her as well as gives her a false name, Jane Elliot.

Quotation: "Oh Jane! my hope-my love- my life!"

Significance of Quotation: This quote is important because it shows how Rochester loves Jane and talks to her like this after what he did was revealed. This is probably one of the reasons that make Jane fell torn apart and not knowing what to choose.

Reflection: Jane goes through very difficult things and resolves them by planning on leaving Thornfield. It hurts her to leave Rochester which means she did feel something for him even though he did what he did. She is so willing to leave that she does and is forced to be outside and beg. Leaving Thornfield is a very important decision that she makes because she had to choose what kind of life she wanted. Rochester was the love that she had always wanted and Thornfield was almost the very first home in which she felt welcome and the most real. She did realize that she would be in a position of unequal status when marrying Rochester before she knew about everything, so she knew they wouldn’t be a good match. A marriage with him would have made her lose the control she has of her life. Jane most likely knows that staying would be like putting herself into a jail and she chose over starting a new way of life or imprisoning herself at Thornfield. When Jane wants to enter the house because she is hungry and homeless, they don’t let her in. This is probably because they didn’t know who she was and shows the society as having been distrustful.

Discussion Question: "Why do you think that Rochester hasn't gone and searched for Jane?

Posted 17th October by Selene Elias

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Oct

16

10-16-12 Jane Eyre Chapters 25-26 Selene Elias

10/16 Jane Eyre Chapter 25-26

Summary: It is soon to be Jane's wedding and she waits for Rochester but is restless so she goes out to the garden. The next evening she gets her dress along with an expensive veil. She dreams of babies again which were a bad thing to dream of. At night she sees someone in her closet rip the veil. She thinks it was Grace Poole but Rochester just tells her he will explain after they have been married for one year and one day. She sleeps with Adele and cries because she will leave her. The wedding day arrives and Rochester walks with Jane, but as they walk buy she sees strangers who also are at church. One of them says they can’t marry because Rochester is already married with Mr. Mason's sister.  He keeps her locked away and watched by Grace Poole. John had told Mason to save his niece. She goes to her room and locks herself in and thinks of how all this could have happened.

Quotation: "Jane Eyre... was a cold, solitary girl again; her life was pale; prospects were desolate."

Significance of quotation: I believe this is an important quote because after probably the biggest thing occurred here in the book, everything has gone from an exciting and hopeful moment to a quiet and horrible dramatic change. Jane Eyre has had such a big unexpected surprise and she is once again solitary.

Reflection: Jane is worried about her status and position at this point since Rochester has so much money. The veil he gives to her is showing how Rochester is placed at a much higher position than she is and Jane gets a sense that she could owe Mr. Rochester. Maybe these feelings and the feeling of love she has with him don’t mix too well. Bertha, to whom Rochester resulted to be married to, shows why Mr. Mason had been at the gathering and how bad a marriage in this period of time could have been. Rochester saying that Bertha is mad and insane could have been because of her isolation and because of being locked up, not because she was naturally like that. The wedding veil torn by Bertha symbolized that she also wanted to stop the marriage. Bertha could have also been like Jane, she must have loved Rochester once and something had to have happened for her to have been locked up. She could have gone into the state in which Jane is at this very pint and then became extremely mad and insane after being locked up. Jane could be a symbol of a woman in her period of time, with the kinds of feelings she had and then them being destroyed so quickly.

Discussion Question: Why would Mr. Rochester have done something so horrible like this?

Posted 16th October by Selene Elias

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Oct

15

10-15-12 Jane Eyre Chapters 22-24 Selene Elias

10/15 Jane Eyre Chapters 22-24

Summary: Jane stays at Gateshead for longer than she said because Georgiana doesn’t want to stay alone with Eliza. Eliza and Georgiana go off and leave the house to continue with their lives. Here at Gateshead, Jane gets a letter from Mrs. Fairfax that the guests have left and that he has gone off for a carriage. They believe his intention is too still marry Blanche. Jane goes back to Thornfield thinking of Rochester, but she worries of what will happen after his marriage. Jane finds him on her way back and he asks why she has been gone for so long.  She is later greeted warmly at the house. Rochester informs her of his marriage with Blanche and that she could be governess in Ireland. She sobs and expresses her love towards him and surprisingly he asks her to marry him. Mrs. Fairfax is cold because she was kissed by Mr. Rochester but she doesn’t know they are engaged. Later she still disapproves and this makes Jane feel, unsettled and uncomfortable. She writes to John Eyre to see about the inheritance.

Quotation: "Do you believe him? Have you accepted him?"

Significance of quotation: I believe this is an important quotation because Mrs. Fairfax questions her about him asking her to marry him and she seems to already not approve of it with this reaction.

Reflection: When Jane is back at Gateshead, and she realizes the changes that have happened with her cousins and how wonderful it is to have at least one who takes to her and gets to comprehend her. What is also shown is that she begins to realize how much Thornfield and Mr. Rochester had actually meant to Jane, especially when she is on her way back. Her feelings are clearer towards him and she even imagined what it would be like later on if he were to get married. She not only realizes this, but she also realizes how much her life has changed and how much she has grown. We see how Jane has found someone who she cares for. Jane now feels things that she has lacked before, while growing up. Rochester tricking Jane to make her jealous is put there so she does exactly what she does and Rochester is surer of proposing to her. This symbolizes how much they both like each other. There is also the thing with Mrs. Fairfax and how she doesn’t accept the kiss that Jane and Rochester had which is understandable since she is a lower class than him but she didn’t have to necessarily not agree after knowing they would be married. This could be maybe because she wanted him to actually marry Blanche.

Discussion Question: Why would Mrs. Fairfax not at all accept the marriage between Rochester and Jane?

Posted 15th October by Selene Elias

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Oct

2

10-2-12 Jane Eyre Chapters 13-16 Selene Elias

10/2 Jane Eyre Chapters 13-16

Summary: Jane and Adele have tea with Mr. Rochester and he seems to be a cold and abrupt man. He is interested in Jane’s drawings. Mrs. Fairfax explains to Jane that since his brother does, Mr. Rochester has been the propertied of Thornfield for nine years. Mr. Rochester calls Jane and Adele in, to which he gives a present. He asks Jane if he is handsome and she says no which leads to knowing he is drunk. Mr. Rochester later tells Jane about Adele's past. Later Jane hears a strange laughter she has heard from Grace before and then sees smoke coming from Mr. Rochester’s room, she runs to it and sees fire, and she saves Mr. Rochester’s life. The morning later, Jane is surprised to see that no one commented about the fire but that Mr. Rochester caused it himself. Jane starts falling in love with Mr. Rochester.

Quotation: "Two wax candles stood lighted on the table"

Significance of Quotation: I believe that this is a significant part of a passage because it show how this new family is used to not caring too much about one thing that happened and being able to say that something else happened instead of investigating the truth. They are letting the person who does all these things just get away.

Reflection: The role of governess in Victorian society was to move to a wealthy family’s house where they would tutor a young child in academics and etiquette. She is an employer because she is being paid, but Jane could be treated the same way as a servant. Jane begins to fall in love with Mr. Rochester which cannot happen because Jane is also his servant as well.  The fact that the eerie laughter coming from Grace shows up for the second time, it makes her mysterious. Hearing it also before the curtains catch on fire makes it possible to think it was her although no one in the house knows it could have been her and she has no signs of remorse or anything. No one in the family seems to care about it and just lets it go by as if it were a normal and usual thing to happen. Also is almost unbelievable that they think Mr. Rochester’s light did it and he doesn’t really stand up for himself at all.

Discussion Question: Why do you think that this family didn’t mind looking for the real answer to why the curtains were on fire?

Posted 2nd October by Selene Elias

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Oct

1

10-1-12 Jane Eyre Chapters 10-12 Selene Elias

10/1 Jane Eyre Chapters 10-12

Summary: There’s a new group that comes to run the school. Automatically the girl’s conditions improve and Jane succeeds. Later she becomes a teacher but later leaves to reserve a position as manor. Before leaving,  Bessie visits her and tells her what has happened at Gateshead. A lot of things have happened and she finds out that seven years ago her father went in search for her. Jane arrives to Thornifield at night and notices that Mrs. Fairfax is the housekeeper not the owner, and Jane will be tutoring Adele. Jane likes life here and Adele is an intelligent girl. One day she perceives a horse coming and the rider tumbles to the ground. Jane goes into the house to tell Mrs. Fairfax and she learns its Mr. Rochester.

Quotation: "Very likely," I returned; "or perhaps clerk or wine merchant to wine merchant."

Significance of Quotation: I think that this is an important quotation because it’s about Bessie telling Jane that her father visited her seven years ago. I think it’s important because I would be very happy because my dad visited me, but she is not and knows what he is doing.

Reflection: These are important chapters because it is a turning point of  the story where lots of thing happen and change. Jane grows up quickly and leaves Lowood which got much better after new superintendents came to help. She then grows up quickly and takes a job in Thornfield. Jane takes the career as a governess. Jane, the main character is shown in different periods of life and how she changes and goes through them. In the Victorian Era, this was a common type of novel where it showed a characters life stages and n depth details about them. Jane’s tutoring to Adele is an important part because Jane starts to be able to teach her and learn to deal with any surging problems as well as open herself up to new ways of living.

Discussion Question: Why do you think that when Bessie told Jane that her father had gone to Gateshead, she didn’t have an  expression of happiness?

Posted 1st October by Selene Elias

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Sep

26

9-26-12 Jane Eyre Chapters 7-9 Selene Elias

9/26 Jane Eyre Chapters 7-9

Summary: Mr. Brocklehurst has been gone and he has now returned. One of the last things he was told by Mrs. Reed was that Jane was a liar and Jane gets nervous. Jane drops her slate and he gets furious because he notices how careless she is. She is put under a punishment where he told the whole school she lied and to not talk to her the rest of the day but of course, Helen was still with her secretly. When she falls on the ground, she is certain she isn’t good for Lowood and Jane decides to speak to Mrs. Temple who somewhat believes her and asks Mr. Lloyd for a confirmation of what she has said. Mrs. Temple later says she’s innocent. In The spring, many girls fall ill with Typhus but she doesn’t get sick, Helen gets sick but not with typhus and meanwhile she meets a friend, Mary Ann Wilson. Helen dies and says she is happy to leave the worlds suffering behind.

Quotation: "Because I have been wrongly accused; and you, ma'am and everybody else will now think me wicked."

Significance of Quotation: I think of this as an important quote because at first Jane was weeping because everyone according to her believed she was a liar and that was something unnecessary to do because if she really wasn’t well then she shouldn’t have felt so sad and then Mrs. Temple believes her and confirms it which makes it so much better.

Reflection: Jane tries to go with Helen's way of thinking by letting Mr.Brocklehurst punish her in front of everyone and this is great because she stayed calm. The reason she could stay there and do this was Helen, and because she was smiling to her. This shows how Jane needs love and to feel that people are there for her because it seems she is only feeling that the people around her don’t like her and that’s why she normally doesn’t act like she did now. The fact that Mrs. Tempe believes Jane is something that must have been important to her because she is showing how M. Brocklehurst believed Mrs. Reed who lied and shows she is innocent. Then having Helen die must have been big because she was her truly good friend although she did meet a new girl.  Helen seems to show sad emotions for Helen's death but her reaction isn’t big and she doesn’t make it sound like it was a huge deal. Maybe this is because of the type of society they lived in. The stone on her grave that says that she will rise again is also something quite significant because why would she want to if she was happy that she was leaving it all behind.

Discussion Question: Why do you think that Jane wasn’t extremely sad that Helen died?

Posted 26th September by Selene Elias

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Sep

25

9-25-12 Jane Eyre Chapters 4-6 Selene Elias

9/25 Jane Eyre Chapters 4-6

Summary: After two months, Jane continues to go through lots of cruel punishments from her "family". She anxiously waits for school because she is told she can attend a girls school and there she is introduced to Mr. Brocklehurst who runs the school he questions her about her religion and he likes it but her cruel aunt tells him that she lies a lot and therefore Jane gets mad because he told her teachers of this false accusation. Bessie prefers her than the other children and before she leaves she tells Jane stories and sings to her. Jane finally leaves for school and is introduced to her new home, classmates, and daily routine. The superintendent, Mrs. Temple, is a very kind woman but one of her teachers is very unpleasant especially to Helen. Helen and Jane become friends. Life is harsh there, the girls are underfed, overworked and forced to sit during sermons. Helen believes things that Jane doesn’t believe to be true.

Quotation: "We were obliged to dispense with the ceremony of washing; the water in the pitchers was frozen."

Significance of Quotation: I feel that this is important because it is the first sign that life is harsh her as well in Victorian Society because the water which she was supposed use, was frozen. This was due to the weather and having slept with small openings in the windows.

Reflection: Bessie still demonstrates to Jane that she cares about her and makes her breakfast as well, as treats her how she should be and this is important because she is a character who stands out because she isn’t cruel like Jane's cousins are to Jane. Jane then continued to go through punishments from her cousins and aunt who don’t care about her but yet they are the ones who they must care for because they are her only family. Jane’s first day at Lowood, her new school, show her that life there s also very harsh. Something that was unexpected. She has to be able to get through the cruel conditions and teachers, and the school directors tyranny. Even though she is and intelligent and talented girl, in Victorian society she is nothing because she is poor. Meeting Helen is a great way that shows that she isn’t the only one being harsh. Helen likes to ask lots of questions and this is good because it got Jane to interact with someone at the school. She doesn’t think her teacher is cruel and believes she only says her mistakes aloud. This shows how Helen, referred to as Burns has a positive way of thinking.

Discussion Question: As we see what a cruel person Jane Aunt is to her, why do you think that she still has her living with them?

Posted 25th September by Selene Elias

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Sep

25

9-24-12 Jane Eyre Chapters 1-3 Selene Elias

9/24 Jane Eyre Chapters 1-3

Summary: Jane Eyre is forbidden to speak to her cousins. Jane Eyre is an orphan who lives with the Reed family. If she gets in trouble, she is sent to the red-room which is a scary chamber in which one of her uncle’s died in. She is sent there and accompanied by Miss Abbott and Bessie Lee. In there, she is scared that she will see her uncle’s ghost and she thinks about the events that have led her to be in the situation she is in.  Jane Cries and cries but her aunt believes that she just wants to get of her punishment.  She faints of fear and because she is tired. She wakes up in her bedroom with Mr. Lloyd. He explains about how she could be sent to school away from there and she gets happy.

Quotation: "You have no business to take our books; you are dependant ...you have no money; your father left you none; you ought to beg..."

Significance of quotation: This part of a very long quote in the book, said by mamma, is important because Jane Eyre lives with these people and she is so cruel to her. She can’t take one of her books because she is set into such a low class by mamma, and basically does whatever she wants with her.

Reflection: In these first couple chapters of the book, establish the mood of the story. We see this happen once she is sent to the red room which is something quite cruel and creepy, especially since Jan's uncle ha died in there. The main character, Jane Eyre, is also introduced and established through the relationships she has with John and Mrs. Reed. It is shown that she is a determined person. Jane Eyre is put in a position where she sees that it’s a challenge to live in Victorian society. Jane, being an orphan and having had her parents died has no money and is forced to live with the charity of the people among her. Even though she does live with wealthy people, she is put in a very low social status and she suffers hateful and cruel punishments. The red room is a significant place because she gets sent there without the Reeds knowing how bad it actually is and not letting her out soon, even after she faints I don’t think they thought that it mattered. She encounters spiritual things in there, of what she was afraid and no one seems to bother except Mr. Lloyd at the end of these chapters, when he gives her the great and delightful news that there’s a chance she could go study and that’s a big thing because she not only gets a great education, but she would most likely get to leave that household.

Discussion question: Why do you think that Jane Eyre is put into such a low social status?

Posted 25th September by Selene Elias

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Sep

19

9-19-12 Much Ado About Nothing Act 5 Scene 3 and Scene 4 Selene Elias

9/19 Much Ado about Nothing Act 5 Scene 3 and Scene 4

Summary: Othello reads the poem he wrote for Hero at her tomb where he thinks she is dead. Then he leaves with everyone else for his wedding with the niece of Leonato that apparently look much like Hero. While this happens, everyone else prepares the wedding of Hero and Claudio. Margaret was interrogated and she was found innocent. Benedick asks Leonato for permission to marry Beatrice and Claudio later teases him along with Don Pedro. Masked woman come towards him and one steps out. He promises he will marry him and then shocked realizes its Hero. Benedick stops everyone and in front of everyone asks Beatrice whether she loves him, she denies it but then Claudio and Hero   show them half written love poems and they decide to marry and kisses her. We find out that Don John is arrested and the strike up music to dance to.

Quotation: "And when I lived, I was your other wife, And when you loved, you were my other husband."

Significance of Quotation: I feel like this is a very important quotation because Hero is still masked and says this which hints that it is her. It also shows how Hero still loves Claudio so much and how he is in for a surprise.

Reflection: This scene draws the play from a tragedy to a very joyful scene. Claudio and Hero will be married and also will Beatrice and Benedick. Everyone makes friends again and the dance at the end of this scene shows how everything went back to being normal and how everything is happy once again. When Claudio reads the death poem he wrote to her at her tomb, it symbolizes that he admits to having committed an error by accusing of her wrongly.  It is odd how Hero still wants to marry Claudio even though he treated her so badly and publicly humiliated her. Beatrice and Benedick professed there love in public and it was something that they would never do since they planned to never marry. The play has a happy ending even though Don John will probably and most likely be condemned. Everybody’s relationship comes back together.

Discussion Question: Why do you think Hero still married Claudio even after he had doubted and accused her wrong?

Posted 19th September by Selene Elias

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Sep

18

9-18-12 Much Ado About Nothing Act 5 Scene 1 and Scene 2 Selene Elias

9/18 Much Ado about Nothing Act 5 Scene 1 and Scene 2

Summary: Leonato has been in shock and doesn’t know whether Hero is innocent or not. His brother is always there trying to make him feel better but Leonato tells him it’s hard to follow his advice. Leonato decides to accuse Claudio and wants to fight him but they don’t because they kind of ignore them. Benedict, as well, challenges him to a duel and tells him he slandered Hero. Later Dogberry and his watchmen and Verges arrive where Leonato is and with Conrad and Borachio. They tell them what happened and shocked, Claudio and Don Pedro cannot believe it.  Claudio and Don Pedro later beg for Leonato's forgiveness and Leonato asks they tell the whole city she was innocent, write her a poem, and to write it and sing it at her tomb. He also says Antonio; his brother has a daughter much like Hero and asks him to marry her. Meanwhile, Benedict has been trying to write a love sonnet for Beatrice but he failed and then she arrives. Later Ursula comes in and tells them what has happened.

Quotation: "Sweet Hero, now thy image doth appear In the rare semblance that I loved it first"

Significance of quotation: I think that this is an important quotation because right as he finds out she was innocent, his initial reaction is to change completely everything he thought about Hero and makes it all good. This once again shows how fast he goes from one idea to the other all the time. He forgets about what he accused her of and shows affection for her although to him, she’s dead.

Reflection: Hero is not really dead, and Leonato shows so much pain because she has lost her reputation and is now overseen by the public as a whore. Leonato believes that when a person is unhappy, good advice does no good at all. When they believe that Hero is actually dead, we again see how easy it is for Claudio to believe something and how fast he falls into anything. The fact that the watchmen come and tell Leonato about what happened, makes a huge turning point in the play because Don Johns deception has made Claudio reject Hero. When Claudio states the words "Sweet Hero", it is an example of how the plan worked and of how Claudio has come about to see the good things in her. Benedict’s and Beatrice's reaction is developing in to more of a serious and funny relationship.

Discussion Question: What do you think Hero's reaction will be when she finds out everyone believes her?

Posted 18th September by Selene Elias

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Sep

18

9-17-12 Much Ado About Nothing Act 4 Scene 1 and Scene 2 Selene Elias

9/17 Much Ado about Nothing Act 4 Scene 1 and Scene 2

Summary: The wedding celebration starts from being an exciting moment for Hero, and suddenly turns into a chaos when Claudio says he will not marry her and tell her what a whore she is. He publically tells everyone that she cheated on him and Hero becomes unconscious and is on the ground. Her father is shaken and wishes to commit suicide. The friar knows she is not guilty and they come up with a plan and tell everyone that Hero has died from shock. Benedict tells Beatrice how much he loves her and she asks him to kill Claudio and when he says no, she gets furious. Meanwhile, Dogberry and his watchmen interview Borachio and Conrad. They confess everything they did and the watchmen tie them up and take them to Leonato's house.

Quotation: "I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest."

Significance of Quotation: Benedict and Beatrice didn’t like each other and when they found out that they liked each other and even though it wasn't true, they fell in love. This I felt as something being strange because they fell in love almost at that second. Beatrice tells them how much she loves him and he tells her as well.

Reflection: This wedding scene seems to be where the climax of the play takes place. Claudio, in this scene makes Hero feel horrible and in lots of pain. During this time period, being accused of something like of what Hero was accused was a big deal. Claudio also doesn’t let Hero defend herself and whenever she wants to speak up for herself, he seems to not think about what she is saying. Claudio is a character in which that when he believes something, he believes it and doesn’t want to think about what anyone else says. The friar's plan is great because having everyone believe that she is dead, will allow Claudio to maybe forget about all the anger he has towards her and remember only the good qualities about her. This was also a turning point between Beatrice and Benedict’s relationship. Instead of leaving with his family, staying with Beatrice shows the love he has for her and that he had an important thing to say. Benedict changes and believes that Hero is being accused wrong.

Discussion Question: What will Claudio do once he finds out that he accused her wrong and that she is dead?

Posted 18th September by Selene Elias

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Sep

12

9-12-12 Much Ado About Nothing Act 3 Scene 2 and Scene 3 Selene Elias

9/12 Much Ado About Nothing Act 3 Scene 2 and Scene 3

Summary: Leonato, Claudio, and Don Pedro tease Benedict because he used to not want to marry. They tell him that he must be in love and he doesn’t answer. When Don Pedro and Claudio are left alone, Don John appears and tells them about Hero, they prepare to see her at night and Claudio will tell everyone on the day of her wedding. The town policemen are outside Leonato's house. Dogberry, a funny police, tells them what to do and leaves. Claudio sees Hero (actually Margaret) and is sure he will publically humiliate her and leave her at the altar, but the watchmen saw the secretive exchange between Borachio and Conrad and they arrest them for further questioning.

Quotation: "Go but with me tonight, you shall see her chamber window entered, even the night before her wedding day"

Significance of Quotation: I feel like this is a key quote in this scene because these are the words that Don John says and makes Claudio enraged on the inside and believes them. He questions Hero's love after he is told this and makes plans of what he plans to do. He never even talks to her about it.

Reflection: The fact that Don John comes in disrupts the scene and changes the mood to being shocked after being amusing when they teased Benedict. We see how Don Pedro and Claudio automatically fall for what Don John says and Claudio makes plans of what he will do without having seen the proof or talking to Hero herself. He is susceptible to believing something from someone else really fast and this is irritating and annoying. He has believed Don Johns lie before and now he does again making his suspicion bigger. The watchmen in the beginning of the next scene provide a sense of conformity and relief. Claudio, before being engaged to Hero, barely had conversation with her and knows they have but still almost nothing at all and he still seems like he want to marry her. After seeing Margaret who looked like Hero, he is truly convinced that he will humiliate her and leave her at the altar but again, he does this without conferring anything with her.

Discussion Question: What do you think Hero's reaction will be if he leaves her at the altar and humiliates her in front of the public?

Posted 12th September by Selene Elias

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Sep

11

9-11-12 Much Ado About Nothing Act 2 scene 3 and Act 3 scene 1 Selene Elias

9/11 Much Ado About Nothing Act 2 Scene 3 and Act 3 Scene 1

Summary: Benedict hides behind a few trees and eavesdrops while Don Pedro and Claudio talk. They know he is hiding there so they make up a story of how Beatrice has fallen deeply in love with Benedict. He believes them and plans on loving her in return, and then when Beatrice speaks to him as normal and mean, he believes she is saying hidden love messages. In the next scene they plan on doing the same thing with Beatrice. After overhearing Ursula and Hero, she plans to love him back as well.

Quotation: "This can be no trick. The conference was sadly bourne; they have the truth of this from Hero; they seem to pity the lady. It seems her affections have their full bent. Love me? Why, it must be requited! ...I did never think to marry"

Significance of Quotation: I feel that this is an important quotation because Benedict would say that he wouldn’t marry and after just hearing that Beatrice likes him without even confirming it, he launches himself to saying that he thought he wouldn’t marry and that he will. He gets to thinking that it isn’t a trick since they have heard her say that. He sure doesn’t know the kind of people around him.

Reflection:

After having read this, we can conclude that Benedict has a warm and compassionate heart. He quickly changes his mind in saying that he will marry her after having said he will not marry. This shows how fast he is at believing something and changing his mind. At dinner Benedict has gotten the idea that she loves him so deep in his head that he can re interpret her words into a hidden love message. He is so quickly fallen in love with her that he also wants her picture. Ursula and Hero’s plan work as well because Beatrice has the same reaction as Benedict did, shocked and then plan to love him in return. This shows how Beatrice couldn’t have hated him so much because she would have never made this decision. The characters seem to know them quite well to be so sure their plan worked and they are trying to make them realize that they can love someone and not say that they won’t ever marry.

Discussion Question: If either Beatrice or Benedict finds out that they have lied, what do you think will happen?

Posted 11th September by Selene Elias

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Sep

10

9-10-12 Much Ado About Nothing Act 2 Scene 1 and 2 Selene Elias

9/10 Much Ado About Nothing Act 2 scene 1 and 2

Summary: Hero and Beatrice talk about what the perfect man would be like. The belief that Don Pedro will propose to Hero is still the belief. At the dance no one can recognize each other and Don John lies to Claudio that his brother tricked him and will keep Hero to himself. Later he realized Don Pedro told the truth and got Hero for him and Don Pedro makes a plan to get Beatrice and Benedict together. Don John who is wicked wishes he could separate Claudio and Hero. His servant devises a plan to make Hero look like a whore, not a virgin, and unfaithful. Borachio will make love with his wife as she is dressed as Hero on her balcony so that way they will think it was actually Hero.

Quotation: "hear me call Margaret "Hero," hear Margaret term me "Claudio," and bring them to see this the very night before the intended wedding, for in the meantime I will so fashion the matter that Hero shall be absent, and there shall appear such seeming truth of Hero's disloyalty..."

Significance of Quotation: I feel like this is an important quote from these two scenes because it shows how malicious people can be like Borachio. His plan says that he will make Margaret ask as if she were Hero the day before the wedding so that she looks like a whore and hopefully she won’t get married.

Reflection: In these scenes, we never see the excitement of Hero that she will marry Claudio. Claudio is happy that Don Pedro helped him in this and he does seem to be anxious for the day. People in this book seem to be full of hatred and don't want to accept something how it is.  We see how Claudio gets easily taken away into believing something like when they lied to him that Don Pedro would keep Hero to himself. It was an instant reaction to believe them although he later found the truth. This means that Claudio is a character that will fall into any kind of trap. The relationship between Beatrice and Benedict does not go well. Benedict seems to find her company annoying and damaging because of all the hateful things she says. Beatrice’s attitude is to never marry and is serious. Don John seems to be malevolent and I know that during the Renaissance a woman’s virginity was an important thing especially to her family and if Don Johns plan continues the marriage could be set off.

Discussion question: What do you think is a motive that Don John would like to separate Hero and Claudio?

Posted 10th September by Selene Elias

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Sep

5

9-5-12 Much Ado About Nothing Act 1 Scene 1 Selene Elias

9/5 Much Ado about Nothing Act 1 scene 1

Summary: Leonato is preparing to welcome home soldiers returning from a battle. These are highly respected people and Beatrice who is Leonato's niece, insults and starts mocking one of Don Pedro’s friends who is Benedick. Benedict tells Beatrice that he has never loved a woman and never will, and Beatrice says that woman ought to rejoice. Later they find out they’ll be staying for a month and Claudio has fallen in love with Hero, who is Lenonato's daughter. Don Pedro likes the idea and makes a plan; a trick. He will disguise himself as Claudio and tell her about his love at the ball.

Quotation: "I know we shall have reveling tonight. I will assume thy part in some disguise And tell fair Hero I am Claudio And in her bosom I'll unclasp my heart And take her hearing prisoner with the force And strong encounter to my amorous tale."

Significance of Quotation: I find this to be significant because the book has just started and already there is a person who seems to want things done the way he wants them to because this is the prince, who came up with this plan so that Claudio and Hero can be together.

Reflection: This is where the main characters are introduced and where the setting is introduced as well. Beatrice and Benedict, so far seem to be the kind of characters who will not let the other say anything without criticizing it.  They insult themselves in clever ways and although they might not seem to get along well, they have a strong bond connecting each other. Benedict acts with Beatrice as if he is an object of desire but never to be by her. Based on these two main characters quotations, it appears that they will never ever fall in love with each other. When the news that Claudio has fallen in love with Hero, gets to the prince, he happily accepts it. Claudio seems to be happy of having fallen in love with her. Don Omar, the prince, seems to let out the idea that love conquers anyone.

Discussion Question: Why do you think that Beatrice and Benedict insult each other all the time?

Posted 5th September by Selene Elias

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Aug

30

8/30 A Raisin in the Sun Act 2 Scene 3 Selene

8/30/12 Othello Act 2 Scene 3

Summary: The family is moving; Ruth has her curtains ready and says the first thing she is going to do is take a long shower. According to Ruth, the mood in the house has changed. Walter and Ruth get along much better together. Mr. Karl lindner visits and says the will destroy the white community and offers them money not to move, but they quickly kick him out. Mama receives moving gifts for gardening but then Bobo arrives and says Willy Harriss ran off with his money which included Beneatha’s college money. Mama beats him and hopes for strength.

Quotation: "There is a total silence. Ruth stands with her face covered with her hands; Beneatha leans forlornly against a wall, fingering a piece of red ribbon from her mother’s gift. Mama stops and looks at her son without recognition..."

Significance of Quotation: This quotation is important because it’s showing what everyone felt like at the moment in which they found out what Walter did with Beneatha’s college money. Mama couldn’t quite believe it while Ruth was shocked and Beneatha was a well and I think disappointed also.

Reflection: This is an extremely important scene because a lot of things happen. As they pack and get ready to move, while Mr. Lindner comes in tells them about how the white community wont like them and this is just racism. He mostly gives them the idea that they will have conflict. Then Walter shows how incapable he was of being trusted with the money. Mama must feel awful to know she trusted his son and used up the money she had gotten. Ruth and Beneatha go into a sense of depression. Mama beats Walter in the face expecting to release her anger and hopefully correct him of what he had done.

Discussion Question: How do you think Walter feels after the incident?

Posted 30th August by Selene Elias

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Aug

28

8-28-12 A Raisin in the Sun Act 2 Scene 2 Selene Elias

8/28    A Raisin in the Sun    Act 2 Scene 2

Summary: George attempts to kiss Beneatha a couple times but Beneatha never lets him and wants to just talk. Beneatha appreciates that her mother understands when she kicks him out because he’s a fool. Mrs. Johnson visits and tells the Younger’s about blacks who got kicked out of a white neighborhood. They seem to get worried. Later Walter arrives who hasn’t been showing up, Mama trusts him with her money and tells him what to do with it; he later speaks to Travis about making some sort of transaction where he will have everything he wants.

Quotation: "I want you to take this money and take three thousand dollars and put it in a savings account for Beneatha's medical schooling. The rest you put in a checking account-- with your name on it."

Significance of Quotation: This is an important quote because it’s Mama talking to Walter, and telling him what to do with the money. She trusts him with a lot of it even after he hasnt shown up to work for three days and gives an explanation what he did and even after he has had times where he gets drunk.

Reflection: In this scene, Mama puts herself in Beneatha’s shoes and she sees that George is a fool and this shows a little more on realistic feelings. This is a mother/daughter understanding. This scene also goes into something that seems important to me. Walter dreams, and talks to Travis about his fantasy. He seems to be in the culture and have the heritage of people that exclude him. He wants to be rich because he feels that being rich is being happy. He wants his son Travis to have a better life than the one he had according to everything he wants.  He cares more about Travis's education even though he wants to be a bus driver and he doesn’t seem to care about Beneatha's. He is somewhat a selfish man and he feels the money Mama trusted him with can give him financial success and he believes it could be used for his son and that isn’t including Beneatha. I feel like there isn’t only the racism between the whites and the blacks but also between woman and men.

Discussion Question: Why would Mama be able to trust Walter with something like this?

Posted 28th August by Selene Elias

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Aug

27

8-27-12 A Raisin in the Sun, Act 2, Scene 1

8/27 A Raisin in the Sun Act 2 scene 1

Summary: Beneatha dressed in clothing from Asagai and she dances a tribal performance while Ruth finds it silly. Walter comes and starts joining in but he is drunk. George comes and Beneatha reveals she has cut her hair and has an afro. People are shocked and some slightly disappointed. Mama says she would use the money for a different house but its located where only Americans are. Ruth loves the idea while Walter feels betrayed.

Quotation: "GOOD-BYE MISERY . . . I DON'T NEVER WANT TO SEE YOUR UGLY FACE AGAIN!"

Significance of Quotation: This is an important quote because Ruth is so happy after mama tells her she put the money for a small house, but larger than theirs. Ruth is happy to know that they will be moving and be more comfortable, as opposed to Walter who wanted it for the liquor shop and is totally upset.

Reflection: This is an important chapter because Beneatha at first performs, then she shows how she cut her hair and this goes back to when George said he didn’t like her straightening it. This shows her African heritage. Walter as he’s drunk does try to mock her dances. Then when George fights with George it’s about if they should show the differences between the whites and blacks or try to join in. I think this is important since I feel like they want to be somewhat like the Americans but Beneatha shows how she likes her culture and all the way from the roots. Mama comes to play a big part in my opinion because she put a down payment on the house and she is the one who seems to want the American Dream and owning a small house would be part of it. She wants to see happiness in her family. The only problem is that the house is a place where white people live, not blacks.

Discussion Question: Do you think the younger’s will be accepted into the neighborhood when the move? Why or why not?

Posted 27th August by Selene Elias

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Aug

22

8-22-12 A Raisin in The Sun, Scene 1

8/22 A Raisin in the Sun, Scene 1

Summary: The Younger's apartment is explained. Its small for five people, someone even sleeps on the couch. They talk about a check and how they’ll invest it on a liquor shop. They are pretty unhappy people and seem to always argue. They argue about who and how the money should be spent. Mama gets mad at Beneatha for talking bad about god.

Quotation: "Ain't nobody trying to stop you. I just wonder sometimes why you has to flit so from one thing to another all the time. You ain't never done anything with that camera equipment you brought home-"

Significance of Quotation: This is what Mama says to Beneatha, This shows how Beneatha tries to express herself but seems to have unaccomplished dreams. She tries one thing and then another but doesn’t seem to stick with a certain thing.

Reflection: 

I feel that this scene shows how this family has unfulfilled dreams they all want. The Younger's don’t seem to have enough money and they dream the American Dream, which would be having a nice house with a yard and a nice car, like the people in the middle class, but they don’t seem to have the money. Mama's plant she tends is a symbol of her dreams and how she wishes that one plant was a garden. A garden just like the rest of the people and she takes a lot of care to the plant. The whole family has dreams. Beneatha has dreams of being able to express herself, and have a career. She is more of a self oriented person and doesn’t seem to be too involved with her family. Walter and Ruth seem to want to be wealthy more than anything. Ruth refuses to give money to one of the kids and then Travis gives him twice of what he asked for, which was one dollar. He does this so Walter can have a better chance of being socially accepted, since they are not Americans but African Americans. Maybe this would be in school or just in their community or even both.

Discussion Question: If you were living in this time period in their household, what kind of dream would you have, knowing that you have very little money and aren't too socially acceptable?

Posted 22nd August by Selene Elias

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Aug

21

8-21-12 Othello Act 5, Scene 2

8/21 Othello Act 5 Scene 2

Summary: Othello prepares to kill Desdemona while she is sleeping, but then she wakes up and frightened asks why she is about to be killed. Othello explains and says that Cassio has been killed; she starts weeping and makes Othello madder. Othello then realizes after killing Desdemona, Iago had been lying and weeps over her dead body. Iago kills Emilia and runs off while others chase him. Othello stabs himself and falls over Desdemona.

Quotation: "Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee, and love thee after: one more, and this the last: so sweet was ne'er so fatal, I must weep, But they are cruel tears: this sorrow's heavenly; It strikes where it doth love."

Significance of Quotation: I feel like this is an important quotation because Othello is just about to kill Desdemona while she’s sleeping, he had to have loved her at some point and couldn’t just forget about her in an instant. He expresses sorrow and he still loves her and says hell cry but they will be cruel tear although I think they would be tears of sadness.

Reflection: In this last scene of the book, I feel like Othello went straight with the idea that Desdemona is a whore and with the idea that he had to kill her. Othello jumps to a conclusion and without any real proof that wasn’t proof by Iago. His jealousy gets in the way and after he smothers her, in a way she dies more than once because after she gets smothered the first time she somehow finds the way to speak but then is re smothered. I wonder how exactly Othello felt. Then comes Emilia and she tells a lot of things that contradict Iago. Iago is put into a position where his lies come out and where he can lie no more. Although Emilia later gets killed by Iago after revealing the truth and explaining everything she needed too, she made Othello feel guilty and bad about the actions he took. Othello should have never just trusted Iago and sacrificing himself at the end, shows how he felt after everything that happened.

Discussion Question: What could be a reason that Emilia didn't speak up before? Do you think the ending was great, or what could have made it better?

Posted 21st August by Selene Elias

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Aug

16

8-16-12 Othello Act 3 Scene 4, Act 4 Scene 1

8/16 Othello Act 3, Scene 4, Act 4, Scene 1

Summary: Cassio is enraged when Desdemona can't give him the handkerchief and doesn’t believe anything she says. Cassio, asks Bianca, a prostitute, to copy the embroiderment of the handkerchief. Iago has a plan and it’s to have Othello listen about how he talks about Desdemona but he was actually talking about the prostitute. Othello wants to kill both Desdemona and Cassio. After that Othello treats Desdemona horribly.

Quotation: "Give me your hand: this hand is moist, my lady... this hand of yours requires a sequester from liberty, fasting and prayer, Much castigation, exercise devout; for here’s a young  and sweating devil here, That commonly rebels."

Significance of Quotation: This quote is important because Othello asks Desdemona to give him her hand and if her hand is moist, which it is, it suggests that she had been in sexual things. This shows how jealous Othello can be.

Reflection:I feel like the most important thing in these two sections was the handkerchief because it was what made Othello become mad and be so jealous. The handkerchief was like a symbol of his past and heritage which is important. He gave it to Desdemona since she is important to him too, but to him, if Desdemona gave the handkerchief away, it suggest she could also have given her body away. In this section I was amazed at how Emilia actually gave the handkerchief to Iago and betrayed Desdemona as well. Othello has gotten to be so jealous, that his anger gets to be quite big, and it has gotten so big that he expresses his hate for \Desdemona publically to Lodovico, which I think was a big part.

Disscussion Question: Will Emilia ever confess that she was the one who gave the handkerchief to Iago?

Posted 16th August by Selene Elias

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Aug

14

8-14-12 Othello Act 3 Scene 3, Selene Elias

8/14 Othello   Act 3 Scene 3

Summary: Desdemona asks Othello to forgive Cassio and give him his position back as lieutenant. Iago later on then talks to Othello about watching his wife and insinuates that something is going on between Cassio and Desdemona. Desdemona offered Othello a handkerchief which he did not accept and later Iago put it in Cassio’s room. Othello was very mad and then Iago made up a story about how Cassio called for Desdemona in his sleep and even kissed Iago while sleeping. Othello is furious and puts Iago as lieutenant once again.

Quotation: "I heard him say " Sweet Desdemona, let us be wary, let us hide our loves," and then sir would he gripe and wring my hand, Cry "O sweet creature!" and then kiss me hard... then laid his leg Over my thigh, and sigh'd and kiss'd..."

Significance of Quotation: This quotation is important because this is the story that Iago made up about Cassio and told Othello. This made Othello so mad. Iago said that he was sleeping but he called for Desdemona and later kissed him hard and then put his thigh over him.

Reflection: I feel like this is a very important scene, it’s like the climax of the Shakespear's book. Where a lot of things happen, First of all, we see once again how smart and tricky Iago is and what he can do just to make himself happy and feel good. He doesn’t seem to feel bad at all for anything that he does. He makes Desdemona look bad and Othello very mad and probably at her too. We also see in this section how Othello believes him and promotes him to lieutenant. He does this without even proving anything and does it blindly. Othello is a very jealous man who believes all that Iago says without trying to confirm it right away. When Iago speaks to him, it’s as if he were actually witnessing it. He doesn't even go speak to Desdemona about it first.

Discussion Question: Will it take a long or short time for Othello to notice how big of a liar Iago is? Or will he never even notice at all?

Posted 14th August by Selene Elias

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Aug

13

Selene Elias, 8-13-12 Othello, Act 3 Scene 1 and 2

8/13 Othello       Act 3 Scene 1 And 2

Summary: Iago wants Cassio to confer with Desdemona privately, by sending for Emilia. Then Emilia says that Desdemona has been speaking to Othello about his case. Emilia then tells Cassio to wait for Desdemona. In scene 2, Othello tells Iago to get some letters to five to the pilot to see the town’s fortification.

Quotation: " If you have any music that may not be heard, to 't again: but, as they say, to hear music the general does not greatly care."

Significance of Quotation: I believe that this quote is important because Cassio sent musicians to play for the general in order to win Othello back. Instead of Othello liking this, he sent one a clown to go and tell them to take off the music. Then this is when Cassio asks for Emilia and the main point of this act starts. This sets it off.

Reflection:  I feel like later on, Iago might end up taking his place as lieutenant, but Cassio could probably still be it.  I think that Othello could fall for Iago's plan and think that his wife is also being with someone else and not only with him. After that Desdemona talks with Cassio about his case and Desdemona will probably be even nicer about it, Desdemona will probably try to convince Othello to get Cassio's lieutenant position back, and after a while, Othello will probably suspect that something is going on between Desdemona and Cassio and that’s when Iago will come take place. I think that Othello is a jealous man, and I feel like Iago is very very smart and good at manipulating people. I think it seems like Iago can get away with basically anything he plans since he is so smart and seems to plan everything out perfectly. With his plans and manipulating people into making them succeed, suspicions arise in Othello’s mind about Desdemona.

Discussion Question: Will Iago succeed in making his plan work