Summary
The Fortune Teller's Revelation
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
In this pivotal chapter, Jane encounters a mysterious fortune teller who has arrived to entertain the house party guests. The gypsy woman, seated in the library by the fire, immediately challenges Jane's composure with her bold gaze and direct manner. What begins as a seemingly typical fortune-telling scene quickly becomes a profound psychological examination of Jane's inner state and desires. The fortune teller demonstrates uncanny insight into Jane's loneliness and emotional isolation, declaring her 'cold, sick, and silly'—cold because she is alone, sick because she denies herself love, and silly because she refuses to reach for happiness that lies within her grasp. The conversation reveals Jane's defensive mechanisms and her determined independence, even as the fortune teller suggests that happiness and love are closer than Jane realizes. The mysterious woman's knowledge of household details, particularly her mention of Mrs. Poole, startles Jane and adds an element of supernatural unease to the encounter. The fortune teller probes Jane about her observations of the house guests, particularly focusing on romantic entanglements and hinting at Mr. Rochester's popularity among the ladies. Jane maintains her characteristic reserve and claims indifference to such matters, insisting she has no personal interest in any of the gentlemen present. However, the fortune teller's persistent questioning about Mr. Rochester and the attention he receives from female guests suggests deeper currents at work, setting up the psychological tension that will drive the story forward.
Coming Up in Chapter 20
I had forgotten to draw my curtain, which I usually did, and also to let down my window-blind. The consequence was, that when the moon, which was full and bright (for the night was fine), came in her course to that space in the sky opposite my casement, and looked in at me through the unveiled panes
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An excerpt from the original text.(~323 words)
The library looked tranquil enough as I entered it, and the Sibyl—if Sibyl she were—was seated snugly enough in an easy-chair at the chimney-corner. She had on a red cloak and a black bonnet: or rather, a broad-brimmed gipsy hat, tied down with a striped handkerchief under her chin. An extinguished candle stood on the table; she was bending over the fire, and seemed reading in a little black book, like a prayer-book, by the light of the blaze: she muttered the words to herself, as most old women n this pivotal chapter, Jane encounters a mysterious fortune teller who has arrived to entertain the house party guests. The gypsy woman, seated in the library by the fire, immediately challenges Jane's composure with her bold gaze and direct manner. What begins as a seemingly typical fortune-telling scene quickly becomes a profound psychological examination of Jane's inner state and desires. The fortune teller demonstrates uncanny insight into Jane's loneliness and emotional isolation, declaring her 'cold, sick, and silly'—cold because she is alone, sick because she denies herself love, and silly because she refuses to reach for happiness that lies within her grasp. The conversation reveals Jane's defensive mechanisms and her determined independence, even as the fortune teller suggests that happiness and love are closer than Jane realizes. The mysterious woman's knowledge of household details, particularly her mention of Mrs. Poole, startles Jane and adds an element of supernatural unease to the encounter. The fortune teller probes Jane about her observations of the house guests, particularly focusing on romantic entanglements and hinting at Mr. Rochester's popularity among the ladies. Jane maintains her characteristic reserve and claims indifference to such matters, insisting she has no personal interest in any of the gentlemen present. However, the fortune teller's persistent questioning about Mr. Rochester and the attention he receives from female guests suggests deeper currents at work, setting up the psychological tension that will drive the story forward.
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
Literary Insight
This chapter demonstrates how external theatrical devices can reveal internal psychological truths that characters cannot access through normal introspection
Today's Relevance
In our age of social media personas and professional facades, the need for spaces where authentic self-examination can occur remains as crucial as ever
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Sibyl
In ancient mythology, a prophetess or oracle; here used to describe the fortune teller with mystical knowledge
Diablerie
French term meaning devilry or supernatural mischief; suggests dark or magical forces at work
Quibble
An evasive or deliberately ambiguous response; avoiding the real point of a question
Characters in This Chapter
The Fortune Teller
Mysterious gypsy woman
A theatrical figure in red cloak and black bonnet who demonstrates surprising insight into Jane's psychology and household affairs
Jane Eyre
Protagonist and narrator
Maintains her characteristic composure and independence while being psychologically probed by the fortune teller
Mrs. Poole
Household servant
Mentioned mysteriously by the fortune teller, adding an element of unease and suggesting hidden connections
Key Quotes & Analysis
"You are cold, because you are alone: no contact strikes the fire from you that is in you. You are sick; because the best of feelings, the highest and the sweetest given to man, keeps far away from you."
Context: Revealing Jane's emotional isolation and denial of love
"I don't understand enigmas. I never could guess a riddle in my life."
Context: Expressing frustration with the fortune teller's cryptic insights about her situation
"It is in the face: on the forehead, about the eyes, in the lines of the mouth. Kneel, and lift up your head."
Context: Shifting from palm reading to face reading, emphasizing the importance of truly seeing someone
Thematic Threads
Self-knowledge vs. Self-deception
In This Chapter
Development
In Your Life:
When have you caught yourself believing what you wanted to hear rather than facing an uncomfortable truth about yourself or a situation?
Independence vs. Connection
In This Chapter
Development
In Your Life:
How do you balance maintaining your individual identity while building close relationships with others?
Social Class and Observation
In This Chapter
Development
In Your Life:
What assumptions do people make about you based on your appearance, job, or social media presence that don't reflect who you really are?
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
How does the fortune teller's theatrical role allow her to speak truths that would be impossible in normal social interaction?
- 2
What does Jane's reaction to the mention of Mrs. Poole suggest about the household's hidden secrets?
- 3
How does Jane's claim of indifference to romantic matters contrast with her detailed observations of the guests?
Critical Thinking Exercise
Analyze how Brontë uses the fortune-telling scene as a psychological mirror. Consider what the fortune teller reveals about Jane's character, her defense mechanisms, and her unacknowledged desires. How does this scene function as both entertainment and serious character development?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 20: The Mystery of the Third Floor
In the next chapter, you'll discover uses gothic horror to build suspense and mystery, and learn rochester's deception and jane's growing awareness. These insights reveal timeless patterns that resonate in our own lives and relationships.