I have been really enjoying Jane Eyre, which to be honest surprises me I am not a fan of wordy narroration and I expected Jane Eyre to be very wordy. I am very pleasantly surprised to find that I can read it quickly and I feel that the book is well paced. I like the self aware narroration. The story is being told by an adult Jane who is very much aware of how trivial and exaggerated things were when she was young, I noticed many place where the adult Jane seemed amused by the thoughts and trials of her young self. During class Erica mentioned that a child would never express themselves in the way Jane does. I think that the adult Jane is not giving a straight account of what happened word for word she is instead interputting for the young Jane at the time would of been less "articuable" ( made that word up). This dynamic between the remembered young Jane and the Remembering old Jane is fascinating. Many of the characters that Jane interact with seem to be archetypes found through out literature. Catharine Burns is the "angel" she it the long enduring good doer similar to Beth in "Little Women". Mrs. Reed is the "evil stepmother" of fairy tale fame, very similar to Petunia Dursley of Harry Potter. Her children are similar to the "ugly step sisters". Bronte uses these well known archetypes with out making the story feel flat or one dimensional.
Well, I can't remember who, but it was brought up that Bessie comes to Jane whenever she is going through a transition. It reminded me that Bessie told Jane what had happened to her old "family". And among them, Georgiana had tried to elope with a higher status man, but got caught by her sister. It kind of mirrors her parents life, right? Since her mother had eloped with her "poor" father, and both had died. However, it occurred to me that Bessie asked Jane if she had been contacted by her father's family, because seven years ago, (supposedly) Jane's uncle had come to visit. Unfortunately, he could only stay for a short time before he left to Madeira where they made wine. Bessie had described that the Eyre's must be somewhat of nobility equal that to the Reed's. It kind of made me wonder why he had taken so long to try and contact Jane.
Also, after Miss Temple had left, it was mentioned that she "desired liberty, for liberty I gasped, and for liberty I uttered prayer" and during her prayer, she asked to be granted new servitude. She also hinted that her old emotions were coming out, indicating that during her stay at Lowood Institution with Miss Temple made her more subdued, but now that she was gone, Jane began to feel her old emotions of curiosity come forth.
I find Jane’s character to be breathtakingly real. She is honest, assertive, and passionate but levelheaded. Jane is honest with her narration. For example, when she describes other people, such as Mrs. Reed and John, she tells it like she sees it. Jane is assertive because she knows what is right and what is wrong. An example would be when she was locked in the red room. She knew it was wrong to be trapped in a haunted and scary room, and had no problem expressing her disgust at the punishment to Mr. Lloyd. Also, Jane is passionate but levelheaded. The feelings she possesses for Rochester are indeed passionate, but she has enough common sense to know that a relationship with Rochester would be disastrous. In class, we had discussed the various places of hostility that Jane had found herself in. The places were Gateshead Hall, Lowood, and Thornfield. We all agreed that each place was less hostile than the one before it. But because Jane grew up in such non-idealistic situations, it makes me admire her character. Because of Jane’s upbringing, you would think that she is a very unkind and very unloving person. But when in actuality, Jane is the farthest thing from those traits. She is the opposite of unkind and unloving, as evidenced by her treatment of Helen Burns and Adele. Jane wants to be loved also. A quote that she had said to Helen that proves this theory is, “If others don’t love me, I would rather die than live – I cannot bear to be solitary and hated.”
So far I have actually enjoyed reading Jane Eyre, which is surprising to me because I was expecting to hate the book (no offense). One thing I do not like about the book is how Brontë constantly reminds the reader that they are just reading ("so reader"). But this also allows me to feel more connected with Jane because within the book it says that Jane loves to read, and by reading the book it shows we too like the book, therefore interconnecting us. I think in comparison to Wide Sargasso Sea, Jane is a much more trustworthy narrator compared to Antoinette. She appears to be a much more levelheaded character that also knows how to keep her passion in control. She seems to fear her passion at some points in the book, such as when she first starts to have feelings for Rochester. She knows these feelings are wrong but at the same time she cannot help but like him. But she is also very honest with her thoughts, like when Rochester asks her if she thinks he is handsome and Jane has no problem answering no. By appearance, she seems bland and unmoved but she is quite the opposite. She is smart and has a passion within her waiting to blossom. Lastly, Rochester really is starting to aggravate me. He seems to be playing with Jane's emotions, and he needs to pick a side. He can't just keep pulling her in and then pushing her away. He needs to choose one or the other
I have really been enjoying Jane Eyre, which has surprised me. I had always heard that it was extremely wordy and that turned me off from it at first. Bronte does become very wordy at times but for the most part it has worked. There have been times where it has been too much but those times are few. I am enjoying the character of Jane Eyre a lot. She is very honest. If she is wondering why something is the way it is she will usually ask. For example, when she was talking to Helen Burns about the novel Helen was reading. Jane wanted to know what it was about and why Helen was reading it. More people need to do this in the world. It would save us from a lot of conflicts.
In class, it was brought up that Helen is the “angel” character. This is a brilliant statement because out of everyone that Jane has met so far Helen has been the nicest one. When Jane was asking about the novel Helen wanted to be left alone but since she is the “angel” character she continued to talk to Jane and answer her questions; this lead to the two of them becoming friends.
The relationship between Mrs. Reed and Jane really struck a nerve with my class. Some of the class believed that Jane had to have some feelings for Mrs. Reed or she would not have been so offended by what Mrs. Reed said about her to Mr. Brocklehurst. If Jane did not have some feelings for Mrs. Reed she would not have cared about what Mrs. Reed said about her. The relationship Mrs. Reed and Jane have is not a hate relationship but more of a tough love.
I can honestly say Jane Eyre is proving to be one of the most rewarding books I've read, at least for school purposes. The constant changing of living conditions and different hostilities of environments and surrounding characters leaves something to be considered in relation to our high-school to college transition.
In class discussions we dwelt for a bit on the varied degrees of acceptance and isolation/displacement of Jane in each new location. All three of the "homes" described in chapters 1-16 were comfortable in their endowments at least, the characters that filled them seemed to set Jane off more than the location itself.
At Gateshead, for example, the juxtaposition of Jane with the Reeds showed the extreme of passion: the emotion lacking reason. Surrounded by these people, Jane's passion overtook her in several instances of fighting with John, as well as pouring insults over Mrs. Reed.
Lowood presented the opposite extreme: reason without passion. Brocklehurst gave us a picture of stern choice in which reason to follow, inventing right and wrong for himself, but never exploding in honest passionate spiels. While Helen also chose a set of laws or beliefs to govern her life by. Allowing her faith and curious mind to guide her, she never deliberately diverted from the social norm within Lowood. Jane, here, developed a type of control over her passions, which she deduced to be reasonable given her current situation.
The new attitude and calm control she developed at Lowood, she carried with her to Thornfield, where a contrast of both her experience at Gateshead and Lowood resulted in internal indecision. Though composed for most of her stay there, she eventually broke under the weight of the passions within her. Rochester, for Jane, was a manifestation of both reasonable passion, and passionate reason. His choices were weighted in emotion, yet he never allowed only his emotion to govern his choices. Nor was he overcome by the coldness of Broklehurst's rationale. So Jane again, mimicked her juxtaposed social situation. Allowing passion and reason to conflict, presented her with the painful judgments to come.
The question is, if her true self alters its means of appearance in each new location, is she dependent on the people around her for the form she takes or is she autonomously choosing to be a person more suiting of each situation? Much of the next few chapters mentions the significance of balance between identity in others and identity in self, which direction will Jane sway? Or will she settle in between?
Jane Eyre has been a surprisingly interesting read, especially given my usual unceasing disdain for having to read something written in the 19th century (mostly due to the verbiage, e.g. Dracula.) I have, however, found Jane Eyre comparatively terse, but it's likely that the words are no less numerous, and just feel less superfluous.
Due to my tastes, I've been keeping an interested eye on the supernatural elements brought up throughout the book, which we touched on only lightly in class discussion (if I recall correctly.) Most of them have been interesting, but rarely have they been tense. There seem to be two primary causes for the lack of tension: Firstly, the language makes it initially unclear that she is in any sort of supernatural danger (this may just be because I am used to modern language.) Secondly, and more importantly, is that most supernatural scenes presented in the book are immediately rationalized, and the ones that are not are often paired with something rational. In the first scene in the book she is imagining supernatural creatures based on drawings in a scientific text. When she is trapped in the red room, she explains that the “ghost” she saw was probably light from a lantern outside in practically the same sentence. After going on for a page or so about Gytrash (prior to meeting Rochester) she seems to chastise herself for having such flights of fancy. The genre that the book is based in is a response to the Enlightenment period, so perhaps these juxtapositions make sense (in more context than just Jane's character, at least.) The book is both playing with the genre's love of the unknown, unknowable, and supernatural, and with the society's greater understanding of the world.
Our class discussion regarding the first chunk of Jane Eyre was very wide ranging and exploratory. For this I was thankful, as it gave me a better grasp on the novel and the intricacies that come with each chapter.
The first part of our discussion that immediately struck me was when we began talking about Rochester and Jane in terms of who they really are, and ultimately, what makes them attractive to one another. When we started to look deeper we realized that they are both in fact solitary figures, withdrawn or different from society, and lacking a real constant in their life. Jane is plain and simple, starkly honest and logical, yet completely vulnerable and inexperienced when it comes to men and her sensuality. Coupled with Rochester's aura of danger, his need for control and elements of jealousy, the two make a volatile pair.
The class discussed in length Bronte's technique of contrasting characters and what effect they have on the mood of the novel. The contrasts of Jane and Helen, Jane and Blanch, and most importantly, Jane and Rochester, dominated the conversation. Each character that contrasted with Jane usually did so in a demeaning manner. What I mean here is that the contrast usually portrayed Jane is a negative manner. For example, Helen was an angelic character, (like Fiona mentioned), with strict, "good" religious values. Jane was far from orthodox, mostly because of her logical and questioning manner. Because of this difference in personality and manner, the two characters clearly contrasted, adding an underlying tension to their interactions. Another foil, perhaps more obvious then that of Jane and Helen, was the contrast of Jane and Blanch Ingram. Blanch, being a stunning, accomplished, older woman, acted as a means of jealously for Jane, as Jane realized their glaring differences, and that she may never be good enough. Lastly, I was was most intrigued by the not so blatant contrast between Rochester and Jane. While they have similarities, Rochester's impulsive, controlling and stubborn manner starkly contrasts Jane's simple and naive personality.
As a class, I think we covered a great amount of detail while still discussing major themes and points involving Jane Eyre. Ranging from the elements of a Gothic and Romantic novel, to existence and identity, we were able to cover a lot of ground, and by doing this, I began to understand Jane Eyre even more.
In class when we discussed about how Jane was always in a hostile environment and how those hostile environments can create better development for character or story, I had to agree. Lowood was environment that treated Jane terribly, but shows her compassion and can show her dependance on others. Jane's compassion and dependency is shown when she befriends Bessie while attending there. At first they both needed each other to get by. After Bessie dies, another hostile situation, Jane becomes more independent until she meets Rochester. As our class discussed about how Bessie can be put in the story for transitions, what transition does the grave scene at the end of that chapter give? I believe it will bring a big change later in her life (as expressed with a 15 years later part). I think the pacing in the book could be a little faster. I agree that there should be parts that slow down to develop character and story, but the story would feel boring if it stayed at the same slow pace the entire book. I think that Rochester is a Byronic hero but, Jane is not. Which makes it weird to have someone like Jane, fall in love with someone like Rochester. Jane does not fit the definition of a Byronic Hero at all. Jane does not need to be needed, but can feel like she needs someone. Jane also is not charismatic compared to Rochester. Both of them in a way, are opposites of each other, but Jane still wants to be with him.
I am totally into this book; it is extremely captivating and the level of writing is right up my alley. Not Shakespearian, yet not simplistic. I’d like to take the liberty of contesting Sarah’s assertion regarding Rochester. His choices are not only weighted in emotion, they are governed by it as well. It is, in my eyes, the classic old English thing to do. Emotions and emotional whims are clearly what govern the actions of Rochester, but these actions are carried out under the guise of reason and rationality. Anything seems reasonable if it is a logical action intended to produce a desired result or outcome. The desire that drives it is the key, that is the emotion and the whim. Hidden quickly behind reasonable sounding words and English mannerisms, the desire is just as quickly accepted to be rational and reasonable, and the consequent decisions and actions taken to carry out this will seem the same. It is easy to fall in to this trap. I agree with Sarah in that Jane changed dramatically at Lowood. Her restraint and calm temperment were greatly increased and evident afterwards. I think, however, that she is struggling with her nature in the face of Rochester and her burgeoning affection for him. Rochester is emotion, simply hidden behind this restrained manner and cloak of rationality. He is impulsive, sudden, susceptible to many variant moods at any given moment. These things are all masked by his restraint and his calm, cool speech. So Jane’s true self does not alter depending on where she is, like a chameleon, it is affected like a boat is by the sea. Also, I, like Lucas, found little raw tension in the flowing speech with which Jane presents the predicaments she encounters. That is, until episode of the gytrash and the night of the fire. I was very tense as my imagination took the idea of the gytrash and ran with it to new levels of terror, and the fire scene needs no such imagination. “This was a demoniac laugh – low, suppressed, and deep – uttered, as it seemed, at the very keyhole of my chamber door. The head of my bed was near the door, and I thought at first the goblin-laughter stood at my bedside – or rather crouched at my pillow.” Heebie Jeebies right there.
I was and continue to be surprised by the interest I have in Jane Eyre. I, like many of my peers, expected to be bored and unenthusiastic about the book. However, I love the complex relationships and interesting variety of literary devices. The work is beautifully composed, and the content is relevant.
One of the most interesting aspects of Jane Eyre for me is its context in historical (and present) social issues. We discussed that initially, Charlotte Brontë published Jane Eyre under her pen name, Currer Bell - a gender-neutral name. The public thought that it was written by a man due to its socially relevant content that would be a scandal if written by a female. When it was discovered that Currer Bell was actually Charlotte Brontë, the reaction was general outrage (though I imagine some women were secretly thrilled); women were not allowed to publicly speak about their displeasure with the social order. I think it is wonderful that Charlotte Brontë was brave enough to publish it, and I believe her audacity shows through in Jane Eyre. The idea that we discussed in class about external beauty versus plainness and how it is portrayed in the novel is directly related to Charlotte Brontë's view on the matter. As shown by the characterization of Jane, Brontë clearly valued internal beauty and intellect over social status and attractiveness. It is interesting to me that Brontë chose a character such as Rochester to share these views with her; it is evident that Rochester is more compelled by plain but intellectual individuals such as Jane versus the shallow but lovely type of Blanche Ingram, and as previously stated, I venture that Brontë also held more value in intelligence. Rochester being a slightly antagonistic character, I find it curious that Brontë chose such a character to match her perspectives. I think it adds another nice dynamic to the book, the author, and its relevance to society.
Like many others, I did not have faith in Jane Eyre and I thought it would be a chore to read. However, the first sixteen chapters have truly changed my thoughts and I feel silly for being so judgmental. My first impression of Jane was similar to my thoughts of Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter. Hester is so proud and I think that Jane has the same attitude about her life; Jane has lost any shame she might have had about her situation as Hester shed she shame about the scarlet letter. Like Hester, Jane is isolated and so she is then able to speculate and think about the world for herself. I also immediately thought of Mrs. Reed as the ‘evil’ stepmother in Cinderella. One topic that stood out during discussion was the relationship Jane has with Mrs. Reed. I argued that Jane has to feel something like affection for Mrs. Reed or she would not have been so devastated by their argument and the cruel words said about her. I think that Jane wants to be accepted by everyone but she also wants to stand up for herself and she has difficulty finding a balance between the two. Jane says she would rather die than have people not like her. I think that Jane is greatly affected by her surroundings and alters her emotions when necessary. Jane knew that Helen was sick and yet she never visited her until Helen’s death, instead almost replacing her with Mary Ann. Jane uses her ignorance as an excuse for not going to see Helen until she finally takes the initiative to learn of the seriousness of Helen’s condition.
In class we discussed the decisions Jane makes through out her life, and i feel although she is older she is mentally young. She has no real world experience, she lived in the school for eight years of her life, and they were the more important developmental years in someones life. So Jane didn't know much about life outside the school, because she lived on their routine for so long. This caused her to develop a needy personality, she always has to be a part of something were she isn't in complete control of her decisions. She stayed at lowood to teach for two years, but left right after Mrs. Temple left, because she no longer felt safe with out Mrs. Temple. This need for support followed her when she went to thornfield, This is much alike the need of the invisible man to be part of a larger group. It is a technique that the author uses to help create the character's identity. When i noticed this small trend of a need for a continuous support from r=the same people every day i wondered what she would be like if she never went to thornfield, and instead went in to London to find another job that offered a little more change. This of course would change the pattern of the book, but it wouldn't be such a bad twist of the story, i think it would be interesting for Jane to need more people and to develop into a stronger person mentally.
The discussion of Jane Eyre in class was a great way to expand upon ideas I had while reading the book. I found that Jane's character is both fascinating and frustrating and that Jane sometimes states her feelings as one way, but hints at her feeling the opposite. This was apparent to me first with her childhood adversary, Mrs. Reed. At first glance, one takes Jane's descriptions of her feelings at face value. However, upon examination of Jane's near obsession of Mrs. Reed's dislike of her, you can see that Jane has hidden emotions concerning Mrs. Reed. Jane feels a desire to be loved by Mrs. Reed, or at least to be accepted. Jane’s focus on Mrs. Reed’s every poisonous word shows Jane’s connection to the woman who so openly looks down upon her. Mrs. Reed’s words hurt Jane. If Jane did not care for Mrs. Reed, in any form, she would not take such offense to Mrs. Reed’s accusations. Jane dismay shines through when Mr. Brocklehurst arrives to interview Jane. Mrs. Reed immediately begins to denounce Jane as a liar. This ultimate betrayal shatters Jane’s hopes of being loved by another. Mr. Brocklehurst has what he assumes to be truths thrust upon him, giving him a biased view of the lonely girl that stood on a stool in front of him. Jane is wounded not merely by Mrs. Reed’s opinion of her, but more so of her cruelty that comes from ruining a relationship Jane could have had before it even began. Mrs. Reed’s importance dwindles as Jane departs for Lowood, but the scars left by her ripping remarks stays with Jane for the remainder of her life.
Skipping ahead through the events at Lowood to the Thornfield estate, Jane has changed considerably. Helen’s submissive and accepting view of the world leaves footprints on Jane’s heart, as Helen walked away into death. Jane’s previous immaturity and disregard for authority and higher powers has dissolved into the woman she has become. Thornfield holds as many opportunities for Jane as it does hardships and obstacles. The introduction of Rochester flips Jane’s previously steadfast character upside down. Suddenly she is caught in an internal struggle between professionalism and the tender roots of what may grow to be love. Rochester’s character is as much of a mystery and obstacle as anything else Jane has yet encountered. The book shifts to a tone of Jane’s struggle for what she wants, but thinks she may not have. A forbidden fruit hanging upon the tree. However, this fruit proves to hold conflicting flavors in itself, just as Rochester displays his flashes of a more demanding and dark nature between the smiles and suave persona.
An interesting thought occurred to me as we discussed Jane’s internal struggle over Rochester. The night of the fire in Rochester’s room, Jane is writhing inside with doubt and restraint, and then yearning and longing. As she seems to be reaching a breaking point which would decide in her commitment to either choice, the fire erupts in Rochester’s room. I felt a connection between the two events, not just as a plot device to draw the mysterious Grace Pool back into the story. I feel as if Jane’s struggle is manifested in the fire. It consumes from the bottom up, destroying all in its path unless acted upon. This is much like a decision weighing heavily upon you. One can feel hopelessly lost within choices, squirming inside like the tongues of flames licking upon its fuel.
I have been really enjoying Jane Eyre, which to be honest surprises me I am not a fan of wordy narroration and I expected Jane Eyre to be very wordy. I am very pleasantly surprised to find that I can read it quickly and I feel that the book is well paced. I like the self aware narroration. The story is being told by an adult Jane who is very much aware of how trivial and exaggerated things were when she was young, I noticed many place where the adult Jane seemed amused by the thoughts and trials of her young self. During class Erica mentioned that a child would never express themselves in the way Jane does. I think that the adult Jane is not giving a straight account of what happened word for word she is instead interputting for the young Jane at the time would of been less "articuable" ( made that word up). This dynamic between the remembered young Jane and the Remembering old Jane is fascinating.
ReplyDeleteMany of the characters that Jane interact with seem to be archetypes found through out literature. Catharine Burns is the "angel" she it the long enduring good doer similar to Beth in "Little Women". Mrs. Reed is the "evil stepmother" of fairy tale fame, very similar to Petunia Dursley of Harry Potter. Her children are similar to the "ugly step sisters". Bronte uses these well known archetypes with out making the story feel flat or one dimensional.
Well, I can't remember who, but it was brought up that Bessie comes to Jane whenever she is going through a transition. It reminded me that Bessie told Jane what had happened to her old "family". And among them, Georgiana had tried to elope with a higher status man, but got caught by her sister. It kind of mirrors her parents life, right? Since her mother had eloped with her "poor" father, and both had died.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it occurred to me that Bessie asked Jane if she had been contacted by her father's family, because seven years ago, (supposedly) Jane's uncle had come to visit. Unfortunately, he could only stay for a short time before he left to Madeira where they made wine. Bessie had described that the Eyre's must be somewhat of nobility equal that to the Reed's.
It kind of made me wonder why he had taken so long to try and contact Jane.
Also, after Miss Temple had left, it was mentioned that she "desired liberty, for liberty I gasped, and for liberty I uttered prayer" and during her prayer, she asked to be granted new servitude. She also hinted that her old emotions were coming out, indicating that during her stay at Lowood Institution with Miss Temple made her more subdued, but now that she was gone, Jane began to feel her old emotions of curiosity come forth.
I find Jane’s character to be breathtakingly real. She is honest, assertive, and passionate but levelheaded. Jane is honest with her narration. For example, when she describes other people, such as Mrs. Reed and John, she tells it like she sees it. Jane is assertive because she knows what is right and what is wrong. An example would be when she was locked in the red room. She knew it was wrong to be trapped in a haunted and scary room, and had no problem expressing her disgust at the punishment to Mr. Lloyd. Also, Jane is passionate but levelheaded. The feelings she possesses for Rochester are indeed passionate, but she has enough common sense to know that a relationship with Rochester would be disastrous.
ReplyDeleteIn class, we had discussed the various places of hostility that Jane had found herself in. The places were Gateshead Hall, Lowood, and Thornfield. We all agreed that each place was less hostile than the one before it. But because Jane grew up in such non-idealistic situations, it makes me admire her character. Because of Jane’s upbringing, you would think that she is a very unkind and very unloving person. But when in actuality, Jane is the farthest thing from those traits. She is the opposite of unkind and unloving, as evidenced by her treatment of Helen Burns and Adele. Jane wants to be loved also. A quote that she had said to Helen that proves this theory is, “If others don’t love me, I would rather die than live – I cannot bear to be solitary and hated.”
So far I have actually enjoyed reading Jane Eyre, which is surprising to me because I was expecting to hate the book (no offense). One thing I do not like about the book is how Brontë constantly reminds the reader that they are just reading ("so reader"). But this also allows me to feel more connected with Jane because within the book it says that Jane loves to read, and by reading the book it shows we too like the book, therefore interconnecting us. I think in comparison to Wide Sargasso Sea, Jane is a much more trustworthy narrator compared to Antoinette. She appears to be a much more levelheaded character that also knows how to keep her passion in control. She seems to fear her passion at some points in the book, such as when she first starts to have feelings for Rochester. She knows these feelings are wrong but at the same time she cannot help but like him. But she is also very honest with her thoughts, like when Rochester asks her if she thinks he is handsome and Jane has no problem answering no. By appearance, she seems bland and unmoved but she is quite the opposite. She is smart and has a passion within her waiting to blossom. Lastly, Rochester really is starting to aggravate me. He seems to be playing with Jane's emotions, and he needs to pick a side. He can't just keep pulling her in and then pushing her away. He needs to choose one or the other
ReplyDeleteI have really been enjoying Jane Eyre, which has surprised me. I had always heard that it was extremely wordy and that turned me off from it at first. Bronte does become very wordy at times but for the most part it has worked. There have been times where it has been too much but those times are few. I am enjoying the character of Jane Eyre a lot. She is very honest. If she is wondering why something is the way it is she will usually ask. For example, when she was talking to Helen Burns about the novel Helen was reading. Jane wanted to know what it was about and why Helen was reading it. More people need to do this in the world. It would save us from a lot of conflicts.
ReplyDeleteIn class, it was brought up that Helen is the “angel” character. This is a brilliant statement because out of everyone that Jane has met so far Helen has been the nicest one. When Jane was asking about the novel Helen wanted to be left alone but since she is the “angel” character she continued to talk to Jane and answer her questions; this lead to the two of them becoming friends.
The relationship between Mrs. Reed and Jane really struck a nerve with my class. Some of the class believed that Jane had to have some feelings for Mrs. Reed or she would not have been so offended by what Mrs. Reed said about her to Mr. Brocklehurst. If Jane did not have some feelings for Mrs. Reed she would not have cared about what Mrs. Reed said about her. The relationship Mrs. Reed and Jane have is not a hate relationship but more of a tough love.
I can honestly say Jane Eyre is proving to be one of the most rewarding books I've read, at least for school purposes. The constant changing of living conditions and different hostilities of environments and surrounding characters leaves something to be considered in relation to our high-school to college transition.
ReplyDeleteIn class discussions we dwelt for a bit on the varied degrees of acceptance and isolation/displacement of Jane in each new location. All three of the "homes" described in chapters 1-16 were comfortable in their endowments at least, the characters that filled them seemed to set Jane off more than the location itself.
At Gateshead, for example, the juxtaposition of Jane with the Reeds showed the extreme of passion: the emotion lacking reason. Surrounded by these people, Jane's passion overtook her in several instances of fighting with John, as well as pouring insults over Mrs. Reed.
Lowood presented the opposite extreme: reason without passion. Brocklehurst gave us a picture of stern choice in which reason to follow, inventing right and wrong for himself, but never exploding in honest passionate spiels. While Helen also chose a set of laws or beliefs to govern her life by. Allowing her faith and curious mind to guide her, she never deliberately diverted from the social norm within Lowood. Jane, here, developed a type of control over her passions, which she deduced to be reasonable given her current situation.
The new attitude and calm control she developed at Lowood, she carried with her to Thornfield, where a contrast of both her experience at Gateshead and Lowood resulted in internal indecision. Though composed for most of her stay there, she eventually broke under the weight of the passions within her. Rochester, for Jane, was a manifestation of both reasonable passion, and passionate reason. His choices were weighted in emotion, yet he never allowed only his emotion to govern his choices. Nor was he overcome by the coldness of Broklehurst's rationale. So Jane again, mimicked her juxtaposed social situation. Allowing passion and reason to conflict, presented her with the painful judgments to come.
The question is, if her true self alters its means of appearance in each new location, is she dependent on the people around her for the form she takes or is she autonomously choosing to be a person more suiting of each situation? Much of the next few chapters mentions the significance of balance between identity in others and identity in self, which direction will Jane sway? Or will she settle in between?
Jane Eyre has been a surprisingly interesting read, especially given my usual unceasing disdain for having to read something written in the 19th century (mostly due to the verbiage, e.g. Dracula.) I have, however, found Jane Eyre comparatively terse, but it's likely that the words are no less numerous, and just feel less superfluous.
ReplyDeleteDue to my tastes, I've been keeping an interested eye on the supernatural elements brought up throughout the book, which we touched on only lightly in class discussion (if I recall correctly.) Most of them have been interesting, but rarely have they been tense. There seem to be two primary causes for the lack of tension: Firstly, the language makes it initially unclear that she is in any sort of supernatural danger (this may just be because I am used to modern language.) Secondly, and more importantly, is that most supernatural scenes presented in the book are immediately rationalized, and the ones that are not are often paired with something rational. In the first scene in the book she is imagining supernatural creatures based on drawings in a scientific text. When she is trapped in the red room, she explains that the “ghost” she saw was probably light from a lantern outside in practically the same sentence. After going on for a page or so about Gytrash (prior to meeting Rochester) she seems to chastise herself for having such flights of fancy. The genre that the book is based in is a response to the Enlightenment period, so perhaps these juxtapositions make sense (in more context than just Jane's character, at least.) The book is both playing with the genre's love of the unknown, unknowable, and supernatural, and with the society's greater understanding of the world.
Our class discussion regarding the first chunk of Jane Eyre was very wide ranging and exploratory. For this I was thankful, as it gave me a better grasp on the novel and the intricacies that come with each chapter.
ReplyDeleteThe first part of our discussion that immediately struck me was when we began talking about Rochester and Jane in terms of who they really are, and ultimately, what makes them attractive to one another. When we started to look deeper we realized that they are both in fact solitary figures, withdrawn or different from society, and lacking a real constant in their life. Jane is plain and simple, starkly honest and logical, yet completely vulnerable and inexperienced when it comes to men and her sensuality. Coupled with Rochester's aura of danger, his need for control and elements of jealousy, the two make a volatile pair.
The class discussed in length Bronte's technique of contrasting characters and what effect they have on the mood of the novel. The contrasts of Jane and Helen, Jane and Blanch, and most importantly, Jane and Rochester, dominated the conversation. Each character that contrasted with Jane usually did so in a demeaning manner. What I mean here is that the contrast usually portrayed Jane is a negative manner. For example, Helen was an angelic character, (like Fiona mentioned), with strict, "good" religious values. Jane was far from orthodox, mostly because of her logical and questioning manner. Because of this difference in personality and manner, the two characters clearly contrasted, adding an underlying tension to their interactions. Another foil, perhaps more obvious then that of Jane and Helen, was the contrast of Jane and Blanch Ingram. Blanch, being a stunning, accomplished, older woman, acted as a means of jealously for Jane, as Jane realized their glaring differences, and that she may never be good enough. Lastly, I was was most intrigued by the not so blatant contrast between Rochester and Jane. While they have similarities, Rochester's impulsive, controlling and stubborn manner starkly contrasts Jane's simple and naive personality.
As a class, I think we covered a great amount of detail while still discussing major themes and points involving Jane Eyre. Ranging from the elements of a Gothic and Romantic novel, to existence and identity, we were able to cover a lot of ground, and by doing this, I began to understand Jane Eyre even more.
In class when we discussed about how Jane was always in a hostile environment and how those hostile environments can create better development for character or story, I had to agree. Lowood was environment that treated Jane terribly, but shows her compassion and can show her dependance on others. Jane's compassion and dependency is shown when she befriends Bessie while attending there. At first they both needed each other to get by. After Bessie dies, another hostile situation, Jane becomes more independent until she meets Rochester. As our class discussed about how Bessie can be put in the story for transitions, what transition does the grave scene at the end of that chapter give? I believe it will bring a big change later in her life (as expressed with a 15 years later part). I think the pacing in the book could be a little faster. I agree that there should be parts that slow down to develop character and story, but the story would feel boring if it stayed at the same slow pace the entire book. I think that Rochester is a Byronic hero but, Jane is not. Which makes it weird to have someone like Jane, fall in love with someone like Rochester. Jane does not fit the definition of a Byronic Hero at all. Jane does not need to be needed, but can feel like she needs someone. Jane also is not charismatic compared to Rochester. Both of them in a way, are opposites of each other, but Jane still wants to be with him.
ReplyDeleteI am totally into this book; it is extremely captivating and the level of writing is right up my alley. Not Shakespearian, yet not simplistic.
ReplyDeleteI’d like to take the liberty of contesting Sarah’s assertion regarding Rochester. His choices are not only weighted in emotion, they are governed by it as well. It is, in my eyes, the classic old English thing to do. Emotions and emotional whims are clearly what govern the actions of Rochester, but these actions are carried out under the guise of reason and rationality. Anything seems reasonable if it is a logical action intended to produce a desired result or outcome. The desire that drives it is the key, that is the emotion and the whim. Hidden quickly behind reasonable sounding words and English mannerisms, the desire is just as quickly accepted to be rational and reasonable, and the consequent decisions and actions taken to carry out this will seem the same. It is easy to fall in to this trap.
I agree with Sarah in that Jane changed dramatically at Lowood. Her restraint and calm temperment were greatly increased and evident afterwards. I think, however, that she is struggling with her nature in the face of Rochester and her burgeoning affection for him. Rochester is emotion, simply hidden behind this restrained manner and cloak of rationality. He is impulsive, sudden, susceptible to many variant moods at any given moment. These things are all masked by his restraint and his calm, cool speech. So Jane’s true self does not alter depending on where she is, like a chameleon, it is affected like a boat is by the sea.
Also, I, like Lucas, found little raw tension in the flowing speech with which Jane presents the predicaments she encounters. That is, until episode of the gytrash and the night of the fire. I was very tense as my imagination took the idea of the gytrash and ran with it to new levels of terror, and the fire scene needs no such imagination. “This was a demoniac laugh – low, suppressed, and deep – uttered, as it seemed, at the very keyhole of my chamber door. The head of my bed was near the door, and I thought at first the goblin-laughter stood at my bedside – or rather crouched at my pillow.” Heebie Jeebies right there.
I was and continue to be surprised by the interest I have in Jane Eyre. I, like many of my peers, expected to be bored and unenthusiastic about the book. However, I love the complex relationships and interesting variety of literary devices. The work is beautifully composed, and the content is relevant.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most interesting aspects of Jane Eyre for me is its context in historical (and present) social issues. We discussed that initially, Charlotte Brontë published Jane Eyre under her pen name, Currer Bell - a gender-neutral name. The public thought that it was written by a man due to its socially relevant content that would be a scandal if written by a female. When it was discovered that Currer Bell was actually Charlotte Brontë, the reaction was general outrage (though I imagine some women were secretly thrilled); women were not allowed to publicly speak about their displeasure with the social order. I think it is wonderful that Charlotte Brontë was brave enough to publish it, and I believe her audacity shows through in Jane Eyre. The idea that we discussed in class about external beauty versus plainness and how it is portrayed in the novel is directly related to Charlotte Brontë's view on the matter. As shown by the characterization of Jane, Brontë clearly valued internal beauty and intellect over social status and attractiveness. It is interesting to me that Brontë chose a character such as Rochester to share these views with her; it is evident that Rochester is more compelled by plain but intellectual individuals such as Jane versus the shallow but lovely type of Blanche Ingram, and as previously stated, I venture that Brontë also held more value in intelligence. Rochester being a slightly antagonistic character, I find it curious that Brontë chose such a character to match her perspectives. I think it adds another nice dynamic to the book, the author, and its relevance to society.
Like many others, I did not have faith in Jane Eyre and I thought it would be a chore to read. However, the first sixteen chapters have truly changed my thoughts and I feel silly for being so judgmental. My first impression of Jane was similar to my thoughts of Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter. Hester is so proud and I think that Jane has the same attitude about her life; Jane has lost any shame she might have had about her situation as Hester shed she shame about the scarlet letter. Like Hester, Jane is isolated and so she is then able to speculate and think about the world for herself. I also immediately thought of Mrs. Reed as the ‘evil’ stepmother in Cinderella. One topic that stood out during discussion was the relationship Jane has with Mrs. Reed. I argued that Jane has to feel something like affection for Mrs. Reed or she would not have been so devastated by their argument and the cruel words said about her. I think that Jane wants to be accepted by everyone but she also wants to stand up for herself and she has difficulty finding a balance between the two. Jane says she would rather die than have people not like her. I think that Jane is greatly affected by her surroundings and alters her emotions when necessary. Jane knew that Helen was sick and yet she never visited her until Helen’s death, instead almost replacing her with Mary Ann. Jane uses her ignorance as an excuse for not going to see Helen until she finally takes the initiative to learn of the seriousness of Helen’s condition.
ReplyDeleteIn class we discussed the decisions Jane makes through out her life, and i feel although she is older she is mentally young. She has no real world experience, she lived in the school for eight years of her life, and they were the more important developmental years in someones life. So Jane didn't know much about life outside the school, because she lived on their routine for so long. This caused her to develop a needy personality, she always has to be a part of something were she isn't in complete control of her decisions. She stayed at lowood to teach for two years, but left right after Mrs. Temple left, because she no longer felt safe with out Mrs. Temple. This need for support followed her when she went to thornfield, This is much alike the need of the invisible man to be part of a larger group. It is a technique that the author uses to help create the character's identity. When i noticed this small trend of a need for a continuous support from r=the same people every day i wondered what she would be like if she never went to thornfield, and instead went in to London to find another job that offered a little more change. This of course would change the pattern of the book, but it wouldn't be such a bad twist of the story, i think it would be interesting for Jane to need more people and to develop into a stronger person mentally.
ReplyDeleteThe discussion of Jane Eyre in class was a great way to expand upon ideas I had while reading the book. I found that Jane's character is both fascinating and frustrating and that Jane sometimes states her feelings as one way, but hints at her feeling the opposite. This was apparent to me first with her childhood adversary, Mrs. Reed. At first glance, one takes Jane's descriptions of her feelings at face value. However, upon examination of Jane's near obsession of Mrs. Reed's dislike of her, you can see that Jane has hidden emotions concerning Mrs. Reed. Jane feels a desire to be loved by Mrs. Reed, or at least to be accepted. Jane’s focus on Mrs. Reed’s every poisonous word shows Jane’s connection to the woman who so openly looks down upon her. Mrs. Reed’s words hurt Jane. If Jane did not care for Mrs. Reed, in any form, she would not take such offense to Mrs. Reed’s accusations. Jane dismay shines through when Mr. Brocklehurst arrives to interview Jane. Mrs. Reed immediately begins to denounce Jane as a liar. This ultimate betrayal shatters Jane’s hopes of being loved by another. Mr. Brocklehurst has what he assumes to be truths thrust upon him, giving him a biased view of the lonely girl that stood on a stool in front of him. Jane is wounded not merely by Mrs. Reed’s opinion of her, but more so of her cruelty that comes from ruining a relationship Jane could have had before it even began. Mrs. Reed’s importance dwindles as Jane departs for Lowood, but the scars left by her ripping remarks stays with Jane for the remainder of her life.
ReplyDeleteSkipping ahead through the events at Lowood to the Thornfield estate, Jane has changed considerably. Helen’s submissive and accepting view of the world leaves footprints on Jane’s heart, as Helen walked away into death. Jane’s previous immaturity and disregard for authority and higher powers has dissolved into the woman she has become. Thornfield holds as many opportunities for Jane as it does hardships and obstacles. The introduction of Rochester flips Jane’s previously steadfast character upside down. Suddenly she is caught in an internal struggle between professionalism and the tender roots of what may grow to be love. Rochester’s character is as much of a mystery and obstacle as anything else Jane has yet encountered. The book shifts to a tone of Jane’s struggle for what she wants, but thinks she may not have. A forbidden fruit hanging upon the tree. However, this fruit proves to hold conflicting flavors in itself, just as Rochester displays his flashes of a more demanding and dark nature between the smiles and suave persona.
An interesting thought occurred to me as we discussed Jane’s internal struggle over Rochester. The night of the fire in Rochester’s room, Jane is writhing inside with doubt and restraint, and then yearning and longing. As she seems to be reaching a breaking point which would decide in her commitment to either choice, the fire erupts in Rochester’s room. I felt a connection between the two events, not just as a plot device to draw the mysterious Grace Pool back into the story. I feel as if Jane’s struggle is manifested in the fire. It consumes from the bottom up, destroying all in its path unless acted upon. This is much like a decision weighing heavily upon you. One can feel hopelessly lost within choices, squirming inside like the tongues of flames licking upon its fuel.