John Reed's Downfall

Traces the fate of John Reed, Jane's bully, from a spoiled child to a dissolute adult who ruins himself and dies by suicide.

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The Spoiled Boy

A Tyrannical Child Bullying Jane John Reed is a stout, unhealthy boy who torments Jane. He is indulged by his mother and grows up without discipline. He is cruel and selfish. School and College John is sent to school but hates it. He goes to college but is "plucked." He shows no aptitude for study or work. Dissipation John falls into bad company, gambling and drinking. He runs up debts and brings shame on the family.

Ruin and Death

A Wretched End Financial Ruin John's extravagance forces his mother to sell part of the estate. He demands money and threatens violence. He is arrested for debt. Suicide John kills himself in his London chambers. The manner of his death is shocking. His mother suffers a stroke upon hearing the news. Legacy John's death leaves the family impoverished and broken. His life is a cautionary tale of unchecked privilege and moral decay.

Jane's childhood

a few years after Jane left Gateshead