Chapter II Practice Quiz — Jane Eyre
by Charlotte Bronte — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Chapter II
Why is Jane being taken to the red-room at the start of Chapter 2?
Jane is being punished for physically fighting back against her cousin John Reed, who had struck her with a book in Chapter 1.
Who are the two servants who drag Jane to the red-room?
Bessie Lee (the nursemaid) and Miss Abbot (the lady's-maid) forcibly escort Jane to the red-room.
What threat do the servants use to make Jane sit still?
Bessie threatens to tie Jane down using Miss Abbot's garters if she will not sit still on the stool.
What does Miss Abbot tell Jane about her social status?
Miss Abbot tells Jane she is "less than a servant" because she does nothing for her keep, and that she should not consider herself equal to the Reed children.
What metaphor does Jane use to describe her own resistance?
Jane compares herself to a "rebel slave" who, in desperation, feels resolved to "go all lengths" in her resistance.
Describe the physical appearance of the red-room.
The red-room is a large, stately chamber with a mahogany bed hung with deep red damask curtains, red carpet, crimson tablecloth, darkly polished mahogany furniture, and white piled-up mattresses and pillows.
Why is the red-room significant in the Reed household?
Mr. Reed died in the red-room nine years ago. Since then it has been kept largely unused, giving it a solemn, consecrated atmosphere that makes it feared.
What does Jane see when she looks in the mirror in the red-room?
Jane sees a strange, ghostly little figure with a white face and glittering eyes of fear, which she compares to a tiny phantom—half fairy, half imp.
How does Jane analyze the double standards in the Reed household?
Jane notes that John's violence, Eliza's selfishness, and Georgiana's spite all go unpunished or indulged, while Jane herself is condemned for even the smallest fault.
What desperate thoughts does Jane have while reflecting on her situation?
Jane considers running away or refusing to eat and drink, letting herself die, as ways to escape what she calls "insupportable oppression."
What deathbed promise did Mr. Reed extract from his wife?
Mr. Reed required Mrs. Reed to promise that she would rear and maintain Jane as one of her own children after his death.
What is the relationship between Jane and Mr. Reed?
Mr. Reed was Jane's maternal uncle—her mother's brother—who took her in as a parentless infant.
What supernatural fear overtakes Jane in the red-room?
Jane fears that Mr. Reed's ghost might rise from the grave to avenge the mistreatment of his sister's child and appear before her in the room where he died.
What is the mysterious light Jane sees on the wall?
A streak of light glides up to the ceiling and quivers over Jane's head. The adult narrator conjectures it was likely a gleam from a lantern carried across the lawn.
How does Mrs. Reed respond when Jane screams for help?
Mrs. Reed coldly accuses Jane of artifice and extends her punishment by another hour, refusing to show any compassion for the terrified child.
What happens to Jane at the very end of Chapter 2?
After Mrs. Reed locks her back in the red-room, Jane has a fit and loses consciousness (faints).
What does the color red symbolize in the red-room?
The red furnishings symbolize anger, passion, violence, and suppressed emotion—all feelings churning inside Jane during her imprisonment.
How does Bessie differ from Miss Abbot in her treatment of Jane?
Bessie speaks to Jane "in no harsh voice" and does not pull away when Jane grabs her hand in fear, showing some underlying sympathy. Miss Abbot is entirely unsympathetic, calling Jane underhand and naughty.
What religious threat does Miss Abbot make against Jane?
Miss Abbot warns Jane that God might strike her dead during her tantrums and that "something bad" might come down the chimney to fetch her away if she does not repent.
What literary device is used when Jane describes herself as "a discord in Gateshead Hall"?
This is a metaphor comparing Jane to a discordant musical note, emphasizing that she is fundamentally out of harmony with everyone in the Reed household.
Define "opprobrium" as used in Chapter 2.
Opprobrium means harsh criticism, public disgrace, or severe reproach. Jane says she was "loaded with general opprobrium" for defending herself against John.
What does "precocious" mean in the context of this chapter?
Precocious means unusually advanced or mature for one's age. Jane describes her reasoning power as "precocious though transitory," and Mrs. Reed considers her a "precocious actress."
What theme does the locked door of the red-room represent?
The locked door represents the theme of imprisonment and confinement—both the literal trapping of Jane and the broader social constraints of class, gender, and dependence that confine her.