Jane's First Day at Lowood

Jane experiences the harsh realities of Lowood: burnt porridge for breakfast, cold and sparse dormitories, and strict discipline. She meets Miss Temple, the kind superintendent, and the other teachers. She also encounters the cruel Miss Scatcherd. During a walk in the garden, she meets Helen Burns, an older girl who is reading Rasselas. Helen explains the charitable nature of the school and answers Jane's questions. This day introduces Jane to the two key figures who will shape her time at Lowood: the benevolent Miss Temple and the stoic, intellectual Helen Burns.