Jane Eyre: Movie Version

By Gigi Mack

Study Guide compares the novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte to the movie version Jane Eyre (2011) starring Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell, and Judi Dench. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga.  A Ruby Films production. This film compares accurately to the novel.  The movie uses flashbacks to cover Jane's childhood and school years, but essential plot points and characters are included in the film.  Only 5 out of 38 chapters are omitted. 

- A Teacher Time-Saver - Perfect For CCSS - Distance Learning or Homeschooling -

The Common Core Standards call for comparing the novel text to a different version, especially a film version. Movie Version study guides provide reliable information about the comparison to know if student responses are accurate. Movie Version study guides compare the movie of a book to the book itself.  The study guides cover both the plot and characters in the movie and the book.

Each study guide contains:
The Movie:  A scene-by-scene comparison with chapters in the book, including errors and omissions in the movie.
The Book:  Complete chapter-by-chapter summaries of the book.
How Accurate is the Movie?  Each study guide rates the movie's accuracy according to Plot, Characters, Setting, Structure, Symbols, and Theme and reveals what's in the movie that's NOT in the book and what's in the book that's NOT in the movie.

Digitally download the movie version study guide today to find out how the movie is not like the book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: MovieVersion.com LLC
• Release date: Apr 29, 2024
• ISBN: 9781937714406

Book preview

THE MOVIE VERSION OF JANE EYRE IS NOT LIKE THE BOOK by Charlotte Bronte

RECOMMENDED MOVIE: Jane Eyre (2011) starring Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell, and Judi Dench. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga. A Ruby Films production. This film compares accurately to the novel. The movie uses flashbacks to cover Jane’s childhood and school years, but essential plot points and characters are included in the film. Only 5 out of 38 chapters are omitted.

HOW ACCURATE IS THE MOVIE VERSION OF THE BOOK?

WHAT’S IN THE BOOK THAT’S NOT IN THE MOVIE?

Mr. Lloyd, Miss Temple as Jane’s mentor, typhus outbreak at Lowood School, Jane’s sketches of Blanche Ingram and Rosamond Oliver, Mr. Rochester disguised as an old woman fortuneteller, chestnut tree struck by lightning, Bertha destroys Jane’s wedding veil, Jane begs for food in Morton, the Rivers are Jane’s cousins, the innkeeper, Mr. Rochester loses a hand and an eye in the fire, Jane’s marriage to Mr. Rochester.

WHAT’S IN THE MOVIE THAT’S NOT IN THE BOOK?

Flashbacks, Helen is beaten with a cane, Mr. Rochester helps Jane put out the fire to his bed, Bertha spits on Jane, Jane jumps out the window to escape Thornfield Hall, Jane’s sketch of St. John, the burnt doll, Jane’s encounter with Mrs. Fairfax in the ruins of Thornfield Hall.

WHAT’S THE SAME?

The Red Room, Lowood School, Jane’s job as governess for Adele, Mr. Rochester’s proposal, Bertha’s insanity and confinement, Jane’s rescue by the Rivers family, Jane’s inheritance, the destruction of Thornfield Hall, Jane’s reunion with Mr. Rochester.

THE MOVIE: SUMMARY

The following is a scene-by-scene comparison of the movie to the corresponding chapters in the book.

THE MOVIE: CHAPTER 1

Opening Scene: Jane Eyre, a young woman in England in the mid-1800s, opens a door and hurriedly leaves a house. (ACCURATE, but in the book this scene is in Chapter 27) The young woman stands at a crossroads on the moors. (ACCURATE, but in the book this scene is in Chapter 28) At first she takes one of the roads, but ends up on the moors. (ERROR: In the book she does not take one of the roads immediately) She is on the moors alone sobbing. (ACCURATE, but in the book this scene is in Chapter 28) She trudges on across the moors in the rain. (ACCURATE, but in the book this scene is in Chapter 28) She approaches a lighted house in the distance and knocks at the door. (ACCURATE, but in the book this scene is in Chapter 28) A man finds her and carries her inside the house. (ACCURATE, but in the book this scene is in Chapter 28) The man’s two sisters tend to her and feed her milk. (ACCURATE, but in the book this scene is in Chapter 28) When they ask the young woman her name, she does not answer. (ERROR: In the book in Chapter 28, she answers Jane Elliott)

A FLASHBACK to Chapter 1 of the book begins. (ERROR: In the book there are no flashbacks) A ten-year-old orphan Jane Eyre lives with her aunt, Mrs. Reed at an estate called Gateshead Hall. (ACCURATE) Mrs. Reed’s son John, a fourteen-year-old bully, comes looking for Jane. (ACCURATE) Jane hides on a window seat behind drawn curtains. (ACCURATE) She reads a book on birds. (ACCURATE) John calls Jane a rat. (ACCURATE) John finds Jane behind the curtain. (ERROR: In the book Jane comes out of hiding and confronts John, calling him a murderer like the Roman emperors) John throws a book at Jane causing her head to bleed. (ACCURATE) John and Jane wrestle on the floor. (ACCURATE) Mrs. Reed breaks up the fight and orders Jane to be locked in the red room. (ACCURATE) Jane says, No, it’s haunted! (ERROR: Not in the book)

OMISSIONS:

Mrs. Reed does not like Jane. She is generous to her own children Eliza, John, and Georgiana, but detests Jane.

THE MOVIE: CHAPTER 2

Two servants, Bessie and Miss Abbott, drag Jane away. (ACCURATE) Jane resists until they threaten to tie her up. (ACCURATE) Miss Abbott adds that God will punish Jane, and if she will not repent something bad will come down the chimney and take her away. (ACCURATE) Bessie and Miss Abbott shut the door and lock it. (ACCURATE) A puff of smoke comes down the chimney and scares Jane. (ERROR: In the book Jane sees a light on the wall that scares her) Jane rattles the locked door and screams. (ACCURATE)  Jane faints. (ERROR: Not in the book)

OMISSIONS:

Bessie reminds her that if it were not for Mrs. Reed, Jane would be in the poor house. Miss Abbott tells Jane she is not equal to the Reed children because they will inherit money and Jane will not. Miss Abbott says Jane should be humble to the Reeds. Bessie advises Jane to be pleasant or she will be sent away.

The red room is a spare bedroom with pinkish walls. The carpet, bed curtains, drapes, and a tablecloth are red. The bedspread is white, and a chair is white. The room is cold. Jane’s uncle Mr. Reed died in the red room. Jane sits on an ottoman and wonders why she is always suffering, browbeaten, accused, and condemned.

Mr. Reed was Jane’s mother’s brother. He took Jane in when she was an orphaned infant. Jane thinks if her uncle were alive, she would not be mistreated. Jane sees a light moving across the wall. She thinks it may be the gleam from a lantern from across the yard. The eerie light scares Jane. When Jane rattles the locked door and screams, Bessie, Miss Abbott, and Mrs. Reed come to see what is wrong. When they see that Jane is not ill or in danger, they accuse her of playing a trick on them. Jane begs to be allowed to stay in the nursery. Instead Mrs. Reed extends Jane’s punishment for an additional hour.

THE MOVIE: CHAPTER 3

This chapter is omitted from the movie.

Jane wakes up at midnight in her own bed. Bessie and Mr. Lloyd, the apothecary, are with her. Mr. Lloyd tells Jane she fell sick with crying. The next day, Jane is depressed. She can’t eat, and does not want to