Wednesday, September 17, 2008

The tree of life, dead... (DON'T READ IF YOU ARE NOT AHEAD OF PAGE 330!)

So, Jane's dreams are freaking me out. The last time she dreamt of a baby, her cousin committed suicide, and her aunt died a few weeks later. This time, she dreams of accidentally KILLING a baby, along with the tormenting absence of Edward, and everything else. And who is that woman? Or creature? Vampires in Romantic English novel of 1840? I don't really know the time period of Dracula or anything, but... I will say I am a firm believer of vampires, and the creatures of the night. Needless to say though, this one really creeps me out. At first, I came up with this wicked picture of a jealousy-driven-to-madness Blanche Ingram, with her long black curls disheveled and whatnot. But how would Blanche become purple? And besides, Blanche doesn't love Rochester; there was no passion. She only wanted his money. So, I throw Ingram out of the scene and replace her with this other creature that Jane so perfectly describes. No trace of Grace Poole in those vibrantly red eyes, but who else would be haunting the house at a strange hour? Yet, if it were the likes of Grace's character, why did she not kill Jane in her sleep? OH, How I wonder what will turn out next.
The most disturbing part of the entire chapter is indeed Rochester's blantant disregard. No doubt he is hiding something. Could he possibly know exactly what this creature is? If so, how can we trust Rochester now? I am confussed, mystified, and still curious!
So, we go off to the church with the happy couple. (Jane is infurating me by this point, hwo she shows barely any affection towards Rochester, and how Mrs. Rochester is a woman not borne yet. I wanted to slap her. She will not be a different person after matrimony. Compelled with passion and love that simply entices her character, but no, she will not miraculously change to another person. Whatever)
Anyways, these strange people are at the church, and I immediatly knew it was a sign of trouble, because nothing terrible happened in the last chapter. Worried and over stimulated, I sort of just scanned the entire ceremony up until the words seeps from the page and I could just hear that horrid voice yell: "this wedding cannot proceed" (Those probably aren't the correct words....) And Mr. Mason steps out of the shadows, and instantly I replay Rochester's voice saying: "His tongue will be my downfall. He will hurt me accidentally." Well, this betrayal didn't seem like too much of an accident. It seemed pretty blunt.
AND WHAT OF THIS? rOCHESTER? PREVIOUSLY MARRIED? Immediatly my mind jumped to Grace, and I was sooooooooooo confused. What did poor Rochester do to poor grace to make her go mad? ah, but this is only a fraction of my curiosity, so I read dilligently!.
Werepire indeed. Bertha freaky Mason......oh she creeps me out. The poor woman! Why does Mr. Rochester hate her if he is not angered by her madness? Oh, this story just becomes more bizzarre every moment!
The tree that split in two, I was so worried it would foreshadow Jane & Edward's relationship. Yet, I was wrong again. It is symbolic solely of Edward's and Bertha's marriage. Living together with an ounce of life, for who can call being locked up in a room all day living? Yet blackened and burnt by a horrible storm - madness, lightning, rage, natures' powerful wrath..... And finally never able to mend itself because there is no love left in the two halves. (may i remind you that Jane is the one who made all of these observations?) Oh, the sad turn of events. Yet, strangely, I am more mad at Jane than Mr. Rochester..... Maybe my views will quickly change!

1 comment:

David Lavender said...

"Poor woman" indeed (great post--too much to comment on just now, but I'll trust this all comes up during class). But what about Bertha? Here we have another passionate woman locked in a room (at one point, even Jane expresses sympathy for her). Should we feel sorry, or simply freaked out (or both)? And what does her appearance do to the 'feminist' underpinnings of the novel?

Hmmm...