Michael's Blog

The central idea of this chapter of Jane Eyre is hypocrisy. Mr. Brockhurst is calling girls out for having their hair done in braids or top knots, having too many pieces of clothing, and eating bread and cheese as if it was an indulgence. He then brings his own wife and daughters into the school who are wearing exquisite clothes and arrive in a fancy carriage. Brockhurst accuses the girls of being unchristian because they had simple necessities or pleasures. The headmaster of the school, Miss Temple, seems to care for the girls and wants them to be able to thrive and enjoy their childhoods. The phrase that seems to sum up this passage the best is "Oh, madam, when you put bread and cheese, instead of burnt porridge, into these children's mouths, you may indeed feed their vile bodies, but you little think how you starve their immortal souls!" This seems to be a sarcastic remark from the author, showing that just providing for kids is turning them into little heathens. This...