Summary of Chapters 5-8
Days after meeting Mr. Brocklehurst, Jane the travels to Lowood. The sky is dark and it is a bit rainy. The next day Jane gets introduced to her classmates and learns of her daily routine. She meets Miss Temple who she thinks is kind, and also Miss Scatcherd, which she thinks is unpleasant, especially to another student named Helen Burns. After Jane and Helen become friends Jane learns that Lowood is a charity school for female orphans, which brought her to the conclusion that Mrs. reed didn't have to pay a red cent for her to be put there.
On the second day, when the girls wake up they are unable to wash their faces because the water is frozen. Jane learns that the girls are underfed, overworked an d forced to do things; in other words, life at Lowood both harsh and hard for the girls. But Jane doesn't let this negativity affect her relationship with Helen. To Jane, Helen is like an idol because she is able to endure the cruelest treatment and because she has lots of knowledge. Helen tells Jane that she practices a doctrine of Christian endurance and that she should do it as well. But Jane disagrees with Helen and feels opposite of her. In this chapter we learn that Helen is one that criticizes herself and believes what others say of her. She believes that she is a poor student and rebukes herself for daydreaming when she should be focusing on her work.
As the first month goes by, Mr. Brocklehurst spends most of his time away from Lowood. But when he returns, Jane becomes a bit nervous, remembering what he had promised her aunt. which was to inform the school about Jane's lying ways. Jane's 'secret' is then told when she drops her slate in Mr.Brocklehurst presence. In furiousness, he tells her she is careless and orders her to stand on a stool while telling her 'secret'. Mr. Brocklehurst also tells the others not to communicate with Jane for the rest of the day. Knowing that Jane is upset and hurt Helen comforts her by saying that no one at Lowood likes Mr.Brocklehurst and that if he would have been nice to her, the other girls would have became suspicious towards her.
Finally, after all the students leave Jane collapses on the floor. At this point she is ashamed and believes her reputation at Lowood has been ruined, but Helen, one again, comforts her. Jane tells Miss Temple of her childhood at Gateshead while trying to connect it with the fact that she is not a liar. Miss Temple believes Jane and then writes a letter to Mr. Lloyd requesting confirmation of Jan 's account of events. Miss Temple offers Jane and Helen tea and seed cake. When Mr.Lloyd's letter arrives, Miss Temple publicly tells everyone that Jane is innocent. After this Jane is relieved and satisfied, which makes her devote herself to her work. She excels at drawing and makes progress in French.
As the first month goes by, Mr. Brocklehurst spends most of his time away from Lowood. But when he returns, Jane becomes a bit nervous, remembering what he had promised her aunt. which was to inform the school about Jane's lying ways. Jane's 'secret' is then told when she drops her slate in Mr.Brocklehurst presence. In furiousness, he tells her she is careless and orders her to stand on a stool while telling her 'secret'. Mr. Brocklehurst also tells the others not to communicate with Jane for the rest of the day. Knowing that Jane is upset and hurt Helen comforts her by saying that no one at Lowood likes Mr.Brocklehurst and that if he would have been nice to her, the other girls would have became suspicious towards her.
Finally, after all the students leave Jane collapses on the floor. At this point she is ashamed and believes her reputation at Lowood has been ruined, but Helen, one again, comforts her. Jane tells Miss Temple of her childhood at Gateshead while trying to connect it with the fact that she is not a liar. Miss Temple believes Jane and then writes a letter to Mr. Lloyd requesting confirmation of Jan 's account of events. Miss Temple offers Jane and Helen tea and seed cake. When Mr.Lloyd's letter arrives, Miss Temple publicly tells everyone that Jane is innocent. After this Jane is relieved and satisfied, which makes her devote herself to her work. She excels at drawing and makes progress in French.
