to position two opposite things close to one another to draw attention to their difference

physically or emotionally removed from others - on one’s own

suggestive that something bad might happen

an association we make with a word- for example, a connotation of the colour ‘white’ is peace

Reading an extract from Charlotte Brontë’s ‘Jane Eyre’

English

In 'A Monster Within', pupils explore extracts from Gothic fiction. In 'Gothic Poetry', pupils apply this learning to the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe.

In 'The Twisted Tree', pupils are introduced to the Gothic genre. In 'A Monster Within', pupils explore Gothic motifs in a range of more challenging texts.

In this unit, pupils explore the Gothic. They start by learning what the Gothic is, before reading extracts from 'Frankenstein' and 'Jane Eyre', practising descriptive writing and reading 'The Tell-Tale Heart'. They finally learn how to write opinion articles and then write their own.

A monster within: reading and writing Gothic fiction

How is Thornfield described in Chapter 12 of 'Jane Eyre'?

Complete the sentence: In Chapter 12 of 'Jane Eyre', Brontë {{ }} the "crimson" sun with the "pale moon" to create a Gothic setting.

Which of the following would we not expect to see in a Gothic setting? 

it makes the setting lighter because the moon's light shines

it gives the setting a supernatural quality 

the moon is a figure of superstition, so it makes the setting ominous

it allows Brontë to make the transition from day to night

What is the effect of Brontë using the moon in her Gothic setting in Chapter 12? 

What method does Brontë use in the following quotation from Chapter 12 of 'Jane Eyre'? "On the hill-top above me sat the rising moon; pale... she looked over Hay..."

the fact that the noises are muffled shows Jane's isolation

"hush" reflects Jane's quiet and subservient nature

"hush" is an informal word, which reflects Jane & Rochester's informal meeting 

"hush" has connotations of secrecy, which makes the atmosphere mysterious

"hush" reflects Jane's nervousness when she meets Rochester for the first time

What is the effect of Brontë's word choice "hush" in the quotation from 'Jane Eyre': "it was yet a mile distant, but in the absolute hush I could hear plainly its thin murmurs of life"?


What impression were we given of the red-room in 'Jane Eyre'?

Which of the following colours are considered to be Gothic colours? 

Which weather might be expect to see in Gothic texts?

Complete the sentence: The novel 'Jane Eyre' is written from a {{ }} person perspective.

Introduction

What will you need for this lesson?

Are you ready to learn?

Equipment

Worksheet