Name: ___________________________________
Class Period: _______
Summer Reading Assignment:
General Instructions:
Date: __________________
Jane Eyre
This packet has been posted as a template
on the Permian High School web site under Academics / English
Department / English IV page. You should use this document to type
your responses. Because it is a template, the spaces on the charts are
adjustable to accommodate your responses. Hard copies of this
assignment are available upon request from the instructor, Mrs. May,
Mrs. Swinney, and Ms. Vesely, the English department chair, or the
senior counselors. All responses, however, must be typed and must be
printed to be considered complete. The completed packet is due on the
fourth day of class and will be counted as one test grade.
To access the assignment go to the Permian High School web page.
Click on Academics. Click on English Department. Click on English IV AP.
Although, this assignment is not difficult, it is thorough and requires
time and effort to complete. Please do not leave it to the last minute.
You are encouraged to purchase a copy of the novel for yourself. Because this is an older novel in the common domain
(no longer protected by copyright) and also a popular work, you can find inexpensive copies in many bookstores. You
can also find used copies and, of course, all kinds of electronic texts are available on the Internet. If you need to check
out a school text, please see Mrs. May or Mrs. Swinney at PHS.
I strongly suggest that you save your responses to this assignment as you complete each section and that you save the
assignment in its entirety in at least two places. A USB drive is essential for this class.
Name: ___________________________________
Class Period: _______
Summer Reading Assignment:
Date: __________________
Jane Eyre
Envelope Activity:
This activity is designed to allow you to focus on one more abstract area of concern as you read
the novel. You will have the opportunity to share your ideas with others during the 1st six weeks. Begin by:
1. Choosing one of the topics/concept below.
2. Identify this concept within the novel. There will be multiple places where you may perceive its influence.
3. Using 5x7 notecards, provide quotations for all the strong evidences of the topic’s influence on characters,
actions, etc. Place these quotations on the front of the notecard.
4. On the back of the notecard, provide a brief explanation analyzing the quotation relative to the topic. You
may wish to justify your choice and provide relevance to the general human condition.
Envelope Topics (Choose only one):
Some of these topics were created by Mary Heidorn
1. Family: How do we define it? How do we cope with dysfunction?
2. Byronic Hero: What is the definition of a Byronic hero? How does Rochester compare/contrast with this
definition? Why?
3. Taming the Beast: How do we cope with immaturity? Moments of our own irrationality or that of others? How
much does humility/compromise matter in relationships?
4. Teaching and Learning: How does the classroom aid/hinder our learning? Mentors vs. impeders? Where and
how do we really learn?
5. Forgiveness: How do we forgive ourselves? How do we forgive those who have hurt us? Why is this idea of
forgiveness important?
6. Settings: How does each place Jane finds herself affect her and the actions she chooses to perform?
7. Coming of age: How does Jane’s experience influence the person she eventually becomes? Who does she lean
on? How and why does she change?
8. Religion: The nature of Christianity is deeply explored in this novel. We know that Bronte was quite religious
herself, but that doesn’t mean that all of her “religious” characters are good people. Analyze the roles religion
plays in different characters’ lives and try to identify Bronte’s message about faith.
9. Social Status: Victorian England was characterized by a rigid social system controlled by money. People are
respected according to the balance in their bank accounts rather than their individual characters. They are either
wealthy or dependent upon the wealthy to earn money. Analyze the significance of social status in this novel
and in Jane’s life.
10. Independence and Freedom: Jane values her independence. She could even be described as an early feminist.
Analyze the effect this characteristic has on her life. Are there other strong, independent women in the novel?
Are there women who fail to assert their independence and suffer the consequences?
Name: ___________________________________
Class Period: _______
Summer Reading Assignment:
Date: __________________
Jane Eyre
Background Research:
It is HIGHLY recommended that you complete your background research before you
read the novel. For each category on the assignment:
1. Find an appropriate and credible source of information, either print or electronic.
2. Use an online bibliography maker to create an MLA citation for that source and paste the entry in the
appropriate space
3. Summarize the relevant data in 5-10 bullet points and record the information below.
4. Use at least three different sources of information for this section.
Research Topic
Women’s roles and
rights in Victorian
England
Class Structure in
Victorian England
Education and the
lives of children in
Victorian England
Biographical
Information about
Charlotte Bronte
MLA Citation of Source
Fact Bullets
Name: ___________________________________
Class Period: _______
Summer Reading Assignment:
Date: __________________
Jane Eyre
Part I Chapters 1-10
Setting:
1. Directions: Jane Eyre is a bildungsroman, a story in which the protagonist matures both physically and
spiritually. As the story progresses, Jane moves through a series of settings, each of which affects her
personality and beliefs. The first two settings are found in part one of the novel, the chapters which detail
Jane’s childhood. For each setting find two quotes that you believe are significant. Copy them into the chart
below and analyze the impact they had on Jane.
Name of Setting
Quotes (2)
Effect on Jane
Gateshead
Lowood
Plot Summary:
2. Directions: Create a bulleted plot summary. Do NOT use complete sentences. A good rule of thumb is one
bullet per chapter (10 bullets for part one of the novel). You might want to track story structure in your bullets
by indicating exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution.
Part I Chapters 1-10
Name: ___________________________________
Class Period: _______
Summer Reading Assignment:
Date: __________________
Jane Eyre
Quote / Reflection:
3. Directions: Choose a quote that you think is significant in this section of the story. Copy the quote in the
appropriate box below. Then write a personal reflection based on the quote. You might want to consider some
of the following questions: Why did I choose this quote? Does it reflect something important in my life? If I
were faced with the challenges and circumstance affecting the characters, how would I react?
Quote
Reflection
Part II Chapters 11-27
Setting:
4. Directions: See part one.
Setting
Thornfield
Quotes (3)
Significance / Importance
Name: ___________________________________
Class Period: _______
Summer Reading Assignment:
Plot Summary:
5. Directions: Review from part one.
Directions: Part II Chapters 11-27
Quote / Reflection:
6. Directions: See part one.
Quote
Reflection
Date: __________________
Jane Eyre
Name: ___________________________________
Class Period: _______
Summer Reading Assignment:
Date: __________________
Jane Eyre
Part III Chapters 28-38
Setting:
7. Directions: See part one.
Name of Setting
Moor House (aka Marsh End)
Ferndean
Plot Summary:
8. Directions: See part one.
Part III Chapters 28-38
Quotes (2)
Effect on Jane
Name: ___________________________________
Class Period: _______
Summer Reading Assignment:
Quote / Reflection:
9. Directions: See part one.
Quote
Reflection
Date: __________________
Jane Eyre