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bonny_kateI just finished Jane Eyre last night. A most remarkable story. It starts out quite interesting, but slow. It becomes slowly more interesting, until, without realizing it, you are deeply entrenched in the book, and stay up much too late to finish it. It is, I think, much more successful because of the slow buildup. It allows for a greater build, and eventually a much deeper interest than the sort of book that tries to snag you immediately and hold you with that same energy level. Of course, the downside is that it starts slowly; it spends a good deal of time detailing the first years of Jane. Some modern readers may find this annoying, or not read further.
However, I have come to recognize that it is another way of writing a great book; where each chapter builds in intensity. While the first part may seem unnecessary, it performs the useful function of giving all the necessary background, and establishing Jane's character, without having to go into detail at the important bits. It is important information. It is also, I think, a nod to the reader who will continue to read the book. It is as though the author tells you to stick around, because it will be better and more exciting, and then it is.
It was quite a satisfying read.
One of my profesors once said that you are either a Jane Eyre or a Jane Austen sort of person. If so, I am most assuredly a Jane Austen sort of person. While both do me much good, I think Jane Austen much less likely of doing me harm. It is a very good thing that I did not read Jane Eyre when I was younger, for it is exactly the sort of book that I shouldn't have read, what with its gloomy and romantic setting. I would have missed the point that gloomy and romantic is all well and good, but you must still be good, honorable, and sometimes horribly practical. It would have been, I think, too subtle for me. Jane Austen, with her cheerful heroines (particularly Jane and Lizzie), and her cheerful landscape, did me much good by showing me that romance can be cheerful. Pride and Prejudice is a sunny novel, with only an occasional shower, but Jane Eyre is a novel full of thunderstorms and fog, with the sun occasionally breaking through.
There is one question, though, that I still have unanswered in Jane Eyre. Why is Mr Rochestor so appealing? I don't find him a bit appealing (although this may be due to the age difference). I quite like Jane, but am still a bit puzzled as to why she falls in love with him. Why does she fall in love with him? In order to think about that, I've been thinking about another question; why does he fall in love with her? It is a good thing for his character that he falls in love with Jane, because she is so good, and especially since she refuses to marry him when he already has a wife. To fall in love with something good would seem to show that there is something good in him to want that. So, what in him is drawn towards her?
Another question that I've been thinking on - is Mr Rochestor redeemed by Jane? He seems to be. His eyes are opened, even though they are blinded (a common thread in literature). He finally sees that he could not have been happy with Jane when his wife was alive, but is finally able to be happy forever with her - he says something to the effect that their honeymoon will never end. Strangely enough, he is physically dependent on her, until he is able to gain back a bit of his sight. This seems to mirror the way that he is dependent on her guidance in other matters.
It is interesting, of course, how near the book comes to tragedy so many times. Jane almost marries Mr Rochestor, is in fact in the church to be married, before the solicitor tells her of his wife. Jane almost dies in the cold, before being rescued by her cousin, St John. Mr Rochestor loses his sight, and nearly loses his life, in the fire. Life often seems to be tragic, but in the end, it is very happy. Jane finally marries Mr Rochestor, and quite everyone (except possibly St John), are very happy. So, what is the relation in Jane Eyre between tragedy and comedy? Between tragic beginnings and happy endings? Is one of the themes the redemption of the tragedy of life?
To end, I shall say that I am quite glad that I read the book, and even more glad that I bought it, so that I may read it again later.
However, I have come to recognize that it is another way of writing a great book; where each chapter builds in intensity. While the first part may seem unnecessary, it performs the useful function of giving all the necessary background, and establishing Jane's character, without having to go into detail at the important bits. It is important information. It is also, I think, a nod to the reader who will continue to read the book. It is as though the author tells you to stick around, because it will be better and more exciting, and then it is.
It was quite a satisfying read.
One of my profesors once said that you are either a Jane Eyre or a Jane Austen sort of person. If so, I am most assuredly a Jane Austen sort of person. While both do me much good, I think Jane Austen much less likely of doing me harm. It is a very good thing that I did not read Jane Eyre when I was younger, for it is exactly the sort of book that I shouldn't have read, what with its gloomy and romantic setting. I would have missed the point that gloomy and romantic is all well and good, but you must still be good, honorable, and sometimes horribly practical. It would have been, I think, too subtle for me. Jane Austen, with her cheerful heroines (particularly Jane and Lizzie), and her cheerful landscape, did me much good by showing me that romance can be cheerful. Pride and Prejudice is a sunny novel, with only an occasional shower, but Jane Eyre is a novel full of thunderstorms and fog, with the sun occasionally breaking through.
There is one question, though, that I still have unanswered in Jane Eyre. Why is Mr Rochestor so appealing? I don't find him a bit appealing (although this may be due to the age difference). I quite like Jane, but am still a bit puzzled as to why she falls in love with him. Why does she fall in love with him? In order to think about that, I've been thinking about another question; why does he fall in love with her? It is a good thing for his character that he falls in love with Jane, because she is so good, and especially since she refuses to marry him when he already has a wife. To fall in love with something good would seem to show that there is something good in him to want that. So, what in him is drawn towards her?
Another question that I've been thinking on - is Mr Rochestor redeemed by Jane? He seems to be. His eyes are opened, even though they are blinded (a common thread in literature). He finally sees that he could not have been happy with Jane when his wife was alive, but is finally able to be happy forever with her - he says something to the effect that their honeymoon will never end. Strangely enough, he is physically dependent on her, until he is able to gain back a bit of his sight. This seems to mirror the way that he is dependent on her guidance in other matters.
It is interesting, of course, how near the book comes to tragedy so many times. Jane almost marries Mr Rochestor, is in fact in the church to be married, before the solicitor tells her of his wife. Jane almost dies in the cold, before being rescued by her cousin, St John. Mr Rochestor loses his sight, and nearly loses his life, in the fire. Life often seems to be tragic, but in the end, it is very happy. Jane finally marries Mr Rochestor, and quite everyone (except possibly St John), are very happy. So, what is the relation in Jane Eyre between tragedy and comedy? Between tragic beginnings and happy endings? Is one of the themes the redemption of the tragedy of life?
To end, I shall say that I am quite glad that I read the book, and even more glad that I bought it, so that I may read it again later.
