LiteratureReadingWhatisliterature?Literatureisthefruitofthinkingsouls．——CarlyleLiteratureistheartofwritingsomethingthatwillbesaidtwice．——CyrilConnollyThedeclineofliteratureindicatesthedeclineofthenation．Thetwokeeppaceintheirdownwardtendency．——GoetheWhytoreadEnglishliterature?ToimmerseourselvesintheatmosphereofauthenticEnglishandformEnglishmentalities.Tounderstandandappreciateacertainexcellentliteratureworksinvariousdimensions.Toinvolveourselvesinacertaintimesandcultivateourvalues.Toformthehabitofself-readingandtrulyrealizedifferencesbetweentwocultures.

JaneEyreDoyouthinkbecauseIampoor,obscure,plainandlittle,Iamsoullessandheartless?Youthinkwrong!-Ihaveasmuchsoulasyou-andfullasmuchheart!TheauthorCharlotteBronte（1816-1855）

TheBronteSistersPseudonym:Currer

Bellagreathitknownfordevelopingstrong-willed,independentfemalecharactersinstoriesbasedonherownexperiencesTheBronteSisters

EmilyBronte(1818-1848)AnneBronte(1820-1849)CharlotteBronte(1816-1855)JaneEyre1847Shirley1849Villette1853TheProfessor1857WutheringHeights1847AgnesGrey1847TheTenantofWildfellHall1848ThesettingsomewhereinthenorthofEngland,lateinthereignofGeorgeIII(1760–1820).Thenarrativelyricism,richinpoetry,symbolismandmetaphor.Themaincharacters(protagonist)

JaneEyreJanewashumblybornandhasacommonlook,butshedoesn’tfeelinferiority.Sheisanintelligent,honestgirlforcedtostruggleagainstoppression,inequality,andhardship.Althoughshemeetswithaseriesofindividualswhothreatenherautonomy,Janerepeatedlysucceedsatassertingherselfandmaintainsherprinciplesofjustice,humandignity,andmorality.Shealsovaluesintellectualandemotionalfulfillment.HerstrongbeliefingenderandsocialequalitychallengestheVictorianprejudicesagainstwomenandthepoor.

Edward

RochesterJane’semployerandthemasterofThornfield.Rochesterisawealthy,passionateandkind-heartedmanwithadarksecretthatprovidesmuchofthenovel’ssuspense.Heisunconventionalandresponsible,readytosetasidepolitemanners,andconsiderationofsocialclass.Heisrashandalittlestubborn,havingspentmuchofhisadultliferoamingaboutEuropeinanattempttoavoidtheconsequencesofhisyouthfulindiscretions.FivedistinctstagesJane'schildhood,wheresheisemotionallyandphysicallyabusedbyherauntandcousins;Hereducation,whereshegainsfriendsbutsufferspovertyandoppression;Hertimeasgoverness

,whereshefallsinlovewithhermysteriousemployer,EdwardRochester;Herstay,duringwhichherearnestbutcoldclergymancousin,St.JohnRivers,proposestoher;Hertime,whereherreunionwithandmarriagetoherbelovedRochesterhappens.atGatesheadHallatLowoodSchoolatThornfieldHallintheMoorHouseatFerndeanTheplotOrphan,JaneEyre,liveswithhermother’sfamily,acruelauntandspitefulcousins,whomistreatsherandsendshertoLowoodSchooltohaveher“worldlypride”crushed!Thankstothecaringheadteacher,JaneprospersatLowood,andsecuresajobasMrRochester’sgoverness.ShefallsinlovewithheremployerandtheyplantomarryuntilJanediscoversthatMrRochesterisalreadymarriedandhisinsanewifelivesinhishouse!Janefleesandbychanceistakeninbythekindlycousinsofherfather’sfamily.Onenight,however,JanehearsMrRochestercallingtoherandwhenshefindshimagainshediscoversthathiswifeisdeadandtheygetmarried.ThethemeAsarealisticnovelwithastrongromanticcolor,itprovidesperspectivesonanumberofimportantsocialissuesandideas,manyofwhicharecriticalofthestatusquowomenareattachedtothefamily,etc.Itpraisesthepursuitofloveandautonomyaswellasfreedomandequality,showingacompletelynewwomanimage.PartsofthecourseIndividualreading(beforeandafterclass)SharedreadingandReflectivereading(duringclass)HowtoreadthebookThebookwillbedividedintoseveralpartstoread:Chapter1-4Chapter5-10Chapter11-15Chapter16-22Chapter23-27Chapter28-35Chapter36-38I.Findoutrelevantexpressions.1.HowmanycharactersshowupinChapter1-4andfindsomedescriptions.2.PleasefindoutwhatJohndidtoJaneaswellastherelatedreasonandthenimagineifyouwereJane,whatwouldyoureact?3.Whydoesthered-roomgetitsname?FindtherelevantevidenceinChapter2.4.FindsomedescriptionofactionsinChapter1-4.ReadingLogforChapterOnetoChapterFourII.Whatcanyouinferfromthesefollowingsentences?Suddenly,abeamofchillylightgleamedonthewall.(p9)Allthisgentlenessastonishedme!(p10)IfshewereaprettylittledarlinglikeMissGeorgianayou’dfeelsorryforher.(p12)Thatprovesyouhaveawickedheart;youmustpraytoGodtotakeitawayandgiveyouacleannewone.(p13)Asforholidays,shemustspendallofthematLowood.(p14)AtLowoodweaimtocrushallworldlypride.(p14)III.Replacethefollowingwords.MrsReedwillbegladtogetridofJaneEyre.Shemarriedanearlypennilessclergymanandherfatherwasfuriousandh