| “ | It's like I'm on the outside looking in. Or like, you know, I see this life and this moment and it's so wonderful, but it doesn't quite belong to me. | ” |
–Jane Chapman | ||
Jane Chapman is one of the three lead female protagonists of the HBO series Big Little Lies. She is portrayed by Shailene Woodley.
Biography
New to the area, Jane is a single mother. Her son Ziggy is in the same class as Chloe, Amabella and Skye.[1]
Appearance
Jane is a small, petite woman with pale skin and dark brown hair. Her hair is cut short and is often pulled back. Jane often wears casual clothing, such as flannel shirts or t-shirts. She doesn't wear a lot of makeup and doesn't really care about things like appearances. She is still very pretty and does get attention for her natural beauty.
Personality
Jane is soft-spoken, kind, and timid. She prefers to stay out of the way instead of being the center of attention. She has a good sense of humor and likes to laugh with the girls. Jane is slower to trust others, but once she does, she's very open. She has a close and protective relationship with Madeline and Celeste.
Jane is a very loving, doting person, especially with her son, Ziggy. She cares about Ziggy more than anyone and just wants to make sure he lives a happy, healthy life.
Jane struggles with sadness and occasional depression, especially when thinking about the sexual assault she went through. Jane tries to forget to live a happier life, but the memory returns to her often.
Plot
Season 1
In Season 1, Jane moves to Monterey to have a fresh start, with her son Ziggy. They fly under the radar for their first few weeks in town, but once Madeline meets Jane- she starts to invite her out with the girls so she can meet other moms. Jane obliges and seems content to make a few friends in the town.
Jane brings Ziggy to the local public school, where he meets the children of Madeline, Celeste, and Renata. Jane really wants Ziggy to assimilate and fit in so he can have an enjoyable school life. Amabella accuses Ziggy of hurting her, and Jane is faced with an issue at school, specifically with Renata Klein. Jane claims that Ziggy is a sweet, gentle boy who would never do something like that. She has to defend her sign and deal with the accusations of the other mothers.
Jane is single in the first season. She is raising Ziggy by herself and claims that she does not know who the father is. Through a series of flashbacks, we learned that several years ago, before Ziggy was born, Jane was flirting with a tall, good-looking man, who sexually assaulted her. Jane became pregnant from the rape. She decided to have the baby. Jane never knew who the man was, although the memory haunted her for many years. Eventually, Jane finds out who he is at the end of the first season.
Throughout the season, Jane tries to follow leads to figure out who raped her. At the end of Season 1, Jane meets Celeste's husband, Perry Wright and she recognizes him. He was the man who raped her and Ziggy's father. Horrified, she tells the girls the truth about Perry, leading to him being killed in a struggle.
Season 2
Jane is eager to move on from the death of Perry. She starts working at the local aquarium. She meets a nice, but odd, boy, Corey Brockfield, who asks her out on a "non-date" date.
Jane also allows Ziggy to connect with Celeste's sons as family, being pleased when they all bond.
Relationships
Friends
Romantic
Enemies
Family
Memorable Quotes
It's like I'm on the outside looking in. Or like, you know, I see this life and this moment and it's so wonderful, but it doesn't quite belong to me. |
Gallery
Appearances
| Season 1 Appearances | |||||||||||
| "Somebody's Dead" | "Serious Mothering" | "Living the Dream" | |||||||||
| "Push Comes to Shove" | "Once Bitten" | "Burning Love" | "You Get What You Need" | ||||||||
| Season 2 Appearances | |||||||||||
| "What Have They Done?" | "Tell-Tale Hearts" | "The End of the World" | |||||||||
| "She Knows" | "Kill Me" | "The Bad Mother" | "I Want to Know" | ||||||||