Chapter XXXIII Practice Quiz — Jane Eyre
by Charlotte Bronte — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Chapter XXXIII
What is Jane reading when St. John arrives at the beginning of Chapter XXXIII?
She is reading Marmion, a poem by Sir Walter Scott.
What weather conditions make St. John's visit surprising?
A fierce snowstorm has been raging, with drifts so deep that the valley is nearly impassable. St. John arrives covered in snow, having waded through waist-deep drifts.
How does St. John reveal Jane's identity to her?
He narrates her own life story as if telling a tale about a stranger—a poor curate's orphaned daughter raised at Gateshead, educated at Lowood, and employed as governess to Mr. Rochester's ward.
What physical evidence does St. John use to confirm Jane's identity?
He shows her a shabby slip of paper torn from the margin of a portrait cover, on which Jane had written "Jane Eyre" in Indian ink during a moment of abstraction.
Who is Mr. Briggs and what role does he play in the chapter?
Mr. Briggs is a solicitor in London who represents Jane's deceased uncle John Eyre. He wrote to St. John seeking information about Jane as the heir to her uncle's estate.
How much money does Jane inherit from her uncle?
She inherits twenty thousand pounds, far more than the four or five thousand she had expected.
How does Jane propose to divide the inheritance?
She insists on dividing the twenty thousand pounds equally among all four cousins—herself, St. John, Diana, and Mary—giving each five thousand pounds.
Who answered Mr. Briggs's letter to Thornfield Hall instead of Mr. Rochester?
Alice Fairfax, the housekeeper, answered the letter, which makes Jane fear that Rochester has left England.
What does Jane's first question after hearing St. John's tale reveal about her priorities?
She immediately asks about Mr. Rochester—how and where he is—showing that her love for Rochester remains her deepest concern, above any news of inheritance.
How does St. John react when Jane insists on sharing the inheritance?
He objects, arguing that it is contrary to custom, that the fortune is legally and morally hers, and that she should take time to consider. He thinks she is acting on impulse and warns she doesn't understand wealth's importance.
What does Jane value more—the fortune or the discovery of her cousins?
She values the cousins far more. She calls the family connection "wealth to the heart" and "a mine of pure, genial affections," while viewing the gold as a "ponderous gift" that is "sobering from its weight."
How does Jane describe St. John's appearance when he arrives?
She notes his face looks like "chiselled marble," his hand appears wasted, and there are hollow traces of care or sorrow on his pale brow and cheek.
How does the fire-and-ice motif function in this chapter?
St. John arrives covered in snow and admits "no fervour infects" him, representing cold rationality. Jane declares she is "hot" and that "fire dissolves ice," representing emotional warmth. This contrast defines their opposing temperaments.
What does Jane's decision to share the inheritance reveal about the novel's view of wealth?
It shows that the novel values human connection and moral justice over material wealth and social advancement. Jane sees shared modest wealth as superior to solitary riches.
How does this chapter resolve the subplot of Uncle John Eyre?
Uncle John Eyre, mentioned earlier when Jane's aunt Mrs. Reed concealed his letter, has died and left Jane his fortune. His will also inadvertently reveals that the Rivers family are Jane's cousins, connecting two previously separate plot lines.
What literary technique does Bronte use when St. John tells Jane her own story?
Dramatic irony—the reader recognizes each detail of the story as Jane's own history before St. John makes the connection explicit, creating suspense and anticipation.
How does Bronte use direct address to the reader in this chapter?
Jane breaks the fourth wall to reflect on sudden wealth: "It is a fine thing, reader, to be lifted in a moment from indigence to wealth." This creates intimacy and invites the reader to share her philosophical perspective.
What is the significance of St. John's full name—St. John Eyre Rivers?
The middle name "Eyre" is the key clue that connects him to Jane's family. Jane recalls seeing the initial "E" in his books but never thought to ask what it stood for, making the revelation both surprising and logical.
What does Jane mean when she says she will "retain my post of mistress" at the school?
She commits to continuing as the village schoolmistress until St. John can find a replacement, showing her sense of duty and practicality even amid life-changing news.
Why was Uncle John Eyre's fortune left entirely to Jane and not to the Rivers siblings?
Uncle John Eyre had quarreled with St. John's father and never forgave him, so he left his entire estate to his other nephew's daughter, Jane, overlooking the Rivers family entirely.