I love “Jane Eyre” so far. This story absolutely fascinates me. I’m used to all of the dark and gothic elements and settings, and I have read countless books containing them. Yet, even though “Jane Eyre” is similar to many of these books, I have never read anything quite like “Jane Eyre”. I think what makes this book so unique is the way Charlotte (I say Charlotte not Bronte because her sisters had the same last name and published books too) never quite tells you exactly what’s going on. She just gives the reader enough information to understand the story, but she never gives enough for the reader to say “Oh, I know what’s going to happen next!” She has the reader constantly searching for more clues to solve the puzzle, and when you finally get another clue she throws a whole other element into the plot.
Jane has grown and changed a lot since the beginning of the book. She still has the same stubbornness as she did when she was just a child. The difference, though, is not in her opinions and attitude, but rather in the way she betrays them. At the beginning she was impulsive and acted quickly on her feelings and opinions, but now she keeps them more to herself and when she does act it is thought through and clever. When before she would fight or yell when she was upset, she now uses her words to betray her feelings. Although, I did see a glimpse of her clever use of words when she was a child once or twice, for example when she told off Mrs. Reed and used Mrs. Reed’s own promises to her late husband against her. I have only mentioned her control of her feelings in reference to her anger, but she also shows an example of this control at the end of Chapter 16 when she realizes her feelings for Mr. Rochester. She forces herself to forget her feelings for him because she told herself he would never love her back and then she drew a picture of herself and then of a beautiful woman Mrs. Fairfax described. Then she told herself that whenever she had feelings for Mr. Rochester she would look at the two pictures and compare herself to the other woman and then remind herself that Mr. Rochester could marry this woman if he wanted to and that he would never pick Jane over her.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Jane eyre #5
I am personally not enjoying this book so far. I know it is a classic, and I do really like some classic novels such as Animal Farm, The Catcher in the Rye, The Great Gatsby, and I want to read more classics such as Catch 22 and As I lay dying. I like to read book's that I can personally relate to when I am reading them or that are in the same time period as me. I can not relate to this book at all, so I think if I took place in the 21st century I might be a little bit more intrigued but this book is not. I am not a fan of this "Gothic" literature. I think it is good to be exposed to all kinds of culture and not just stick to what you know because you might find something you know could like even more. Not just with books but with anything; clothes, locations, music, foods, people, hair colors etc. it never hurts to try something out, so I guess reading this book is another way of doing that. I have learned that this is not the kind of genre I would like to read about.
In Chapter 14 Jane becomes pretty much talking journal to Rochester. He always spills his guts to her, even when he is extremely moody. Rochester decides what's in the past will stay their, similar to me in a way that I live without regrets, or dwell on the past. He has become less moody after his big confession. He tells her about everything from his past and who Adele's mother is. I think Jane has stronger feelings now for Adele because she now can relate to Adele on being left.
#4
"the problem with fairy tales is that they set a girl up for disappointment"
Jane Eyre is a lot like lots of different heroines. Jane Eyre is Similar to Rapunzel in the way she was trapped in the red room, and how Rapunzel was stuck at the top of the castle, but besides that they have nothing in common. Jane Eyre is most like Cinderella. Cinderella, is mistreated by her step-mom/ step-siblings, in Jane's case that would be her Aunt/ cousins and her teachers/ classes. In Cinderella, the step-sisters are ugly, and Cinderella is pretty, in Jane Eyre's case at school they make everyone have very short hair that isn't related to the headmaster. So they are attempting to ugly down Jane and all the other students looks. Mrs. Fairfax would be considered the fairy godmother in the story, because she is so caring. Rochester is described as not very attractive, violent, but he is good to his workers. in fairy tales all of the guys are marvelous looking, violence doesn't exsist and Cinderella dates a prince. I personally am creeped out by the description of Rochester.
# 3
Miss Temple is a very caring woman, she is the exact opposite of Brocklehurst and pretty much all of the other adults in the book so far, except Bessie. I feel bad for Jane that she always has to deal with such difficult people, it reminds me of this show that used to be on television called, "The Best Years." The main Character Samantha Best became an foster child at the age of seven and was toss from foster home to foster home until she was 18, which at that age the government kicks you out of foster care. She learned to fend for herself. The girl on television focused on her education and got out of her struggles and into and ivy league college. Jane is a younger is like an outdated younger version of her. In Chapter Six Helen tells Jane she and everyone should do what God does and forgive and love everyone, even people who are not very kind to them. Helen likes how Jane can maintain such an ability to work hard on everything while Helen is more of a day dreamer. I kind with Helen's philosophy, I personally am a very forgiving person and let people walk all over me. My personal philosophy is now I will forgive everyone, but because I forgave them does not mean I need to continue to maintain a steady friendship and help them with everything, because in the end I will end up getting used. I think Brocklehurst is the worst educator ever, putting a student on display for humiliation is not going to make them want to learn more, if anything it is going to make them want to not do anything. Labeling Jane as a careless liar was not right because he didn't know her well enough to do so, first impressions are not everything.
#6
As the book progresses, I feel that Jane’s story gets more and more intriguing. I actually enjoy reading it now and her growth throughout this section of the book is impressive. She’s gone threw so many different scenes and stages so early on in her life which totally characterizes this story as a bildungsroman. I think this particular story is a really good example of this gothic form of writing because Jane has gotten so far and matured without anyone’s help, which kind of makes her growth more her own. I personally think the story got lot more interesting now that Jane has a thing for her boss Mr. Rochester. Its cute, she has her first crush and its natural for her to feel sad that he’ll be away at a party with lots of more mature beautiful girls. I find this normal since she is young, and looks up to him, all girls have a crush on an older, mature guy at some point. However, I do find it rather strange that Mr. Rochester might have feelings for Jane too, he’s older, and her boss, and I cant help but feel like that might even be a little perverse, this brought up by the fact that he asked her if he was handsome. I feel like this might indicate the beginning of a whole darker side of the novel and I’m excited to see if Jane acts on her feeling towards her boss and how it all turns out in the end.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Assignment 6
Jane Eyre continues to become more and more interesting as we continue to read it. Chapter 16 was very interesting in that the mystery of Rochester’s bed fire remains unknown and the growing feelings Jane has for him. Jane is certain that it was Grace Pool who lit his bed on fire, yet is shocked when the next morning, no one seems to be alarmed and Grace acts like nothing happened. All the servants assumed his story was true and that he just fell asleep with the candle lit. Jane’s growing feelings for Rochester become obvious, as she talks about him frequently in the book. She is very disappointed to find out he will be gone for a week, attending a party with women much more beautiful than herself. As a bildungsroman novel, Jane has achieved much growth throughout the first third of the novel. She has lived in many places, from Gateshead and Lowood, now at Thornfield. She has grown from a small child living in a terrible environment, subject to physical and psychological violence. From there she lived in a harsh boarding school in squalor conditions where she slowly began to blossom and create an identity for herself. She is now a young woman, withholding a substantial job and becoming more independent. Although Jane has grown significantly in a positive way, there is still that air of mystery that keeps you guessing as to what will happen next. Her increasing infatuation with Rochester hints at a possible obsession that may develop, especially since this is her first experience with love.
Assignment 6
I think that Jane Eyre is very different from what I am used to reading, but think now I am starting to become interested in the story. I thought that chapter 16 was crazy because it finally seemed to bring in some of the gothic elements that we talked about in class. I liked chapter 16 because it was kind of mysterious. It kind of reminded me of when she first saw that strange entity in the beginning. I liked it because I had no idea what was really going to happen due to the events prior to chapter 16. I think that this story has been a clear depiction of Jane's growth into a stronger, independent woman. I think that even though she has not fully grown older, she seems to be getting a better mindset. I think a good example is when she saved Brocklehurst. I thought it was really cool for her to know what to do and just do it. I thought it also showed her growing feelings for him. Based on this last chapter, I am looking forward to see what happens from this point on in the story.
Assignment 5
I liked these chapters because it was both humorous and weird. I think that Mr. Rochester for me is a big question at a romantic hero. It seems like is very difficult character to describe because of his actions throughout various chapters. He does not seem very romantic in them to me, just a little compassionate, but he also seems aggressive. I think that he does appear to like Jane, but at the same time their relationship is very awkward. For example, when he was drunk and telling her that their relationship to him is not as a servant. Plus I think that it is even more difficult to call romantic because when he asked her if she thought he was handsome. She said no on the spot and that seemed to me as though she had her mind already made up. Their relationship seems a lot to me like Pertruchio and Katherine's. However, I think that although she may fear for his safety, I can't seem to understand why she would start to have feelings for him. I think I like the book now more so when I first started reading it. I think I have gotten used to the numerous use of detail in her writing. I thought it was interesting because she didn't seem to use a lot of detail in the chapters, except for when she is talking about Rochester's time away. I think that Jane may have grown more affectionate towards Adele because of what Rochester told her about her mother Celine. I think that she feels as though she could be somewhat like a mother figure to her.
Assignment 6 -- Jane Eyre, Chapter 16
Write 250 words reflecting on what you're thinking/feeling of "Jane Eyre" now that we're about a third of the way through it. If we categorize this as a bildungsroman, what sort of growth/development have you seen in Jane so far?
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
pg 177 -211
I think the deeper I get into this book the more “tolerant” I become of Jane. I used to think that reading all about her sad, pathetic, life was going to be boring but I now find it interesting to see how she is growing and the people she meets along the way. Its like life lessons in a nut shell. I’m actually starting to like it. Mr. Rochester is quite a character himself and they’re conversation reveals that he’s not as bad as I thought he was, he’s actually quite a nice, witty, guy who considers himself above the rest but also gives out masked compliments like the ones he gives to Jane when they are arguing. He seems to be pretty slick and charming actually, enough so that even little Miss. Grudge, Jane, is okay with the guy. I think Jane realizes in this section that not all adults are just good and bad. There are some grey areas, in which adults can be a little bit argumentative and hard to get along with, but not flat out cruel, which is where I think Mr. Rochester stands. Jane also develops a sense of sympathy for poor little Adele when she finds out her mother abandoned her in Paris, and starts being nicer to her and might feel like they have a sort of connection because of their missing parents. I feel Jane grows a little in this sense too, she’s learning that the world isn’t out to get her, but that there are other people out there who are suffering as well.
pg 177 -211
I think the deeper I get into this book the more “tolerant” I become of Jane. I used to think that reading all about her sad, pathetic, life was going to be boring but I now find it interesting to see how she is growing and the people she meets along the way. Its like life lessons in a nut shell. I’m actually starting to like it. Mr. Rochester is quite a character himself and they’re conversation reveals that he’s not as bad as I thought he was, he’s actually quite a nice, witty, guy who considers himself above the rest but also gives out masked compliments like the ones he gives to Jane when they are arguing. He seems to be pretty slick and charming actually, enough so that even little Miss. Grudge, Jane, is okay with the guy. I think Jane realizes in this section that not all adults are just good and bad. There are some grey areas, in which adults can be a little bit argumentative and hard to get along with, but not flat out cruel, which is where I think Mr. Rochester stands. Jane also develops a sense of sympathy for poor little Adele when she finds out her mother abandoned her in Paris, and starts being nicer to her and might feel like they have a sort of connection because of their missing parents. I feel Jane grows a little in this sense too, she’s learning that the world isn’t out to get her, but that there are other people out there who are suffering as well.
Assignment 5
So far I am enjoying the book much more than I thought I would. Jane Eyre is a dark novel with many mysteries woven through it. As soon as it starts to get a little tedious, something big happens and the book catches your attention once again. When I first read this book, I was a few years younger at the time and didn’t understand the language as much, which led to me not enjoying it. In chapters 14 and 15, the conversation between Rochester and Jane gave the reader more information on Rochester. He revealed to Jane that Adele’s mother was a French singer and dancer with whom he loved. He indulged her with all the money, clothes, and jewellery she wanted, and she ended up cheating on him with another man. He told Jane how he got revenge and, months later when Adele’s mother abandoned her and claimed she was his, denied the truth but still took her in anyway. During the course of their conversation, Jane immediately noticed he was drunk and he continually made her uncomfortable and eager to leave. Jane becomes closer to Adele after their conversation, understanding that the situation between her parents was not her fault and becoming more accepting of her faults because they reflect those of her selfish mother. I believe Jane feels a connection between her and Adele because they both know what it is like to feel abandoned and parentless.
Assignment 4
I like the beginning of this chapter because it was a nice shift in the story. I thought we really saw her break down as a character because she had been so strong and independent for such a period of time in the last couple of chapters. I did not like to see that she was broken up, but I just thought it was weird because of what we said in class about that notion of being without parents as a main character. Not knowing what to do because she does not have anyone for support, and being in this new environment at Lowood feels almost like a trap. However I liked how everything seemed to change for her because of how Helen treated her. Unfortunately, Jane Eyre being the gothic novel it is, had to crush the good moment faster than it took to come into the picture, with Helens death. I think that Jane Eyre's situation is fairly similar to fairy tale princesses due to similar situations in their stories. I think that the only difference is that Jane has found more adversity more often than anything, despite her somewhat feminist attitude. I thought that the use of Mrs. Fairfax's descriptions of
Assignment 4
Jane continues to endure a hard life at Lowood, although her blossoming relationship with Ms. Temple helps her to tolerate being there. Soon, Helen dies from the consumption and Jane makes a new friend, Mary Ann. After telling Ms. Temple the truth about her life growing up, Jane is excused from all things accused of her by Mr. Brocklehurst and begins to excel in school. After completing six years as a student and two years as a teacher, Jane decides to leave school in search of a new life after Ms. Temple leaves. She receives a letter from a Mrs. Fairfax inviting her to teach a young French girl named Adele at Thornfield Manor. A while after being there, Jane unknowingly meets Mr. Rochester, the owner of Thornfield, while out mailing a letter. She later comes back to Thornfield to find him there and discovers who he is. Jane has a very similar story compared to other mistreated heroines such as Cinderella or Snow White. As a child, her life is very grim, living under the control of negligent family members and has very few friends. She is taught that she is always the one at fault and deserves her punishments. Mrs. Fairfax’s description of Rochester leads the reader to believe he is a respectable, warm and responsible man who is respected throughout the community and household. He is however, a somewhat mysterious character in the way that he is rarely at Thornfield and takes care of business from afar. Rochester’s appearance in the book states that he has a dark face with stern features and a heavy brow and is somewhat younger looking. He’s not quite handsome nor charming, but there is something about him that makes you think twice. He is somewhat abrupt and upfront in his manner, so comparing him with the more classic romantic hero makes him seem a bit odd.
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