Creepy!

At the end of the reading to page 237 i was freaking out. Mr. Rochester pretending to be the gypsy was so strange. At first i thought for sure it was Grace Pool pretending to be the gypsy, but when he revealed himself i was shocked! The fact that he noticed Jane's infatuation with him must signal that he too has an interest in Jane to have noticed it. Jane mentions how she can't seem to think why Mr. Rochester would marry Mrs. Ingram because she is far from genuince and lacks passion. She implies that Mr. Rochester and herself are made for each other when she says 'he is not of their kind. I believe he is of mine - ' (Pg. 203) Then on page 208 Mrs. Ingram explains that it is okay for a man to not be handsome as long as he is manly, while a woman who is ugly is just a blot on the face of creation. She seems to be directly slandering Jane's appearance and complementing Mr. Rochester's. When Mr. Rochester demands Jane to be present while his visitors are here he seems to get caught up in her, because when he bids her farewell he stops mid-sentence when saying 'goodnight, my -' i think he is truly falling in love with Jane. In this reading we see the reappearance of the tweener time - at dusk when Jane is waiting for Rochester to return, and Mason shows up. Jane sees that Mason has the same vacant look as Mrs. Ingram, such as they behold no purpose or passion for life. I wonder what this resemblance indicates. When the "gypsy" is talking to Jane he says you are cold because you are alone, which brings about the prevalent relationship between ice and solitude, fire and passion. At the end of the chapter Mr. Rochester says 'I wish i were in a quite island with only you;' and then Jane refers to Mr. Rochester as a friend rather than a master, their relationship is becoming much more openly intimate. I think their future romance is soon to come, now that they have both admitted to have feelings for one another.

Nobility vs. Humility

Throughout this book I have begun to realize that Bronte is poking fun at the higher class. One will note that Jane describes Miss Ingram as "too inferior to excite the feeling," (215). Another observation I made was the fact that almost all the upper class people, Mr. Mason, the Ingrams, Mrs. Reed, Mr. Rochester, etc., have an appearance similar to that of cavemen; sloping foreheads, heavy set eyebrows, bodies like "pillars." Jane even hints that Lord Ingram has no "vigour of brain," (202). All of these descriptions and appearances help to show the inferiority of the upper-class.
One will note that on page 201, a very drastic change in tense takes place. It changes from past to present tense. I will remind you that this part of the book is when Jane has been called down to the sitting room observes the party from her own corner. At this point in the book, the style of writing also seems to take on a more playwright fashion. It is as if Jane and the reader are the audience and the nobility are the actors. Throughout this passage, Jane puts the "actors" in an almost humorous light. It is as if we are supposed to laugh at the scene and, perhaps, poke fun at the actors. Jane is the intelligent one, staying away from the gossip and chatter. She realizes that everyone is not what they appear on the outside. No one in front of her, especially the Ingrams, are as intelligent as her, and the reader understands this. All of the elite are dummies, with the exception, perhaps, of Mr. Rochester.

Confidence is Building

For the first time we see a true confidence in Jane. She has experienced so much through out the course of her life and now she is finally, really growing up. When Jane finally admits her real love for Rochester a new air seems to come about her. She is proud of her ability to acknowledge reality and not be ashamed of anything. She has never felt love before, and the feelings are amazing. She is so confident in this decision to love Rochester. She has been confident about other things in life, certaintly, but this she knows is the right thing to do. Inside her, this new passion, this new fire sparks a confidence that is seen through the sudden change in language. She states directly she is not jealous of Ms. Ingram. This is surprising to me, Jane knowing she is very plain compared to the lovely woman. But Jane also knows what she feels for Rochester is real. She believes that Ms. Ingram is beautiful, a gem even, but not solid like Jane herself. Jane says she is not original, almost finding a comfort in the originality of herself. This confidence makes the book brighter and different. The mood is VERY changed. Jane has grown up and is suddenly on a different path.

Hum..

Charlotte Bronte's writings are very unique and exquisite, I have come to enjoy her as a writing as I have proceeded into the book. The way in which she uses her language to paint the pictures of which Jane illustrated was very tasteful, not only did she place upon the reader a great visual, but she added significant meaning to each piece as an individual item. In addition, Bronte has Jane speak with such eloquence, it has demonstrated to me how much English has been butchered being passed down from generation to generation. Today the vocabulary used is at a primitive level, whereas during Jane’s time the vocabulary had much more depth and range. Moreover, I have enjoyed Bronte’s passages in which she talks directly to the reader. As the reader, being directly addressed adds excitement and pulls me back into the story.
Furthermore, though reading about Ms. Ingram I have come to greatly dislike her. She is stuck-up and prissy. She has illustrated a stern hatred towards Jane, where none is called for. At this point I see no reason for Ms. Ingram to be so foul and unappreciative of Jane’s presence. It brings up the question of jealously. Does she shun Jane because she feels that she has something with Mr. Rochester, or has she merely deemed her as a lesser equal?
Additionally, from the beginning I had a feeling that Mr. Rochester was behind the incident with the gypsy. However, he himself playing the role of the gypsy threw me off guard. Had he wished to see Jane in order to uncover her emotions? In throwing out the announcement of the marriage between Ms. Ingram and himself, was he searching for a distinct reaction from Jane? Then, after concluding this session, he stated he wished that he could be on a private island with Jane. By doing so he is demonstrating that he desires to be alone with Jane for an extended period of time. Does he mean what he says or is he fiddling around with her youthful emotions? I presume that these are questions that can only be answered in continuing reading. I look forward to reading the rest of Jane Eyre. In the beginning this book was difficult to get into the flow of, but now that I have gotten into the book farther it is captivating my interest, and difficult to put down.

The Little Game of Love

To say least Mr. Rochester, has turned out, ultimately, to be a weirdo . Initially he is introduced to Jane in a scene where he does not admit to his identity, and he follows up by dressing up like an old gypsy, again pretending to be someone he is not. To be honest, I don’t really have the background information of what people did for entertainment back in the 1800s, but I am guessing that a man dressing up as a woman and playing a practical joke, wasn’t really considered normal. Perhaps Mr. Rochester has developed an obsession of deceiving people to find out what they truly think, because of his past encounter with Adele’s mother. In any case, I think that this bantering or what he might consider “wooing” (flirting), is actually messing with Jane’s mind. However complicated love may be, Mr. Rochester seems to be going about everything in the strangest way. Like the fire that burns for Jane’s independency as a woman, there is a flame of passion igniting between Mr. Rochester and Ms. Eyre. This undeniable, for Mr. Rochester has to bite his lip to from addressing her as his “love” when bidding her good night in the hallway (210) and for Jane she knows the yearning she feels is not a simple crush, but the emotion that the heart pumps when the complexities of love of are near. The relationship between these two is emerging on the most bizarre set of terms. Why Mr. Rochester acts like an inconceivable creep and continues to omit his true identity to Jane, is past the point of what he might put fault on shyness. And why must this powerful, strong, thriving young woman we have seen Jane become in moments of fire, damper in the sight of love. To me, it is contradicting her entire image.
I hope that in the next chapters both Jane and Mr. Rochester pick it up and start taking action in this “little game of love.”

Feminism Woo Hoo

First off, a moment of silence for Helen's death( ). Thank you. One of the amazing themes of this novel is most definitely feminism (like Maddie said). For one, Lowood showed un-heard of rule within the school for that time period. There isn't really any men in a lot of situations, so we get to see a society of women ruling and taking care of themselves. It's something that men had no appreciation for, and were probably completely oblivious to our own capability of survival (which makes me wonder why there wasn't a headmaster ((male)) on board at all times, but then at the same times points to why at both Lowood and Thornfield the main man is, well, a man). But then when the man comes in he just ruins their happy little world, (happy being a rhetorical word), however after him breaking little Jane's heart we see the head woman of Lowood (name is gone now) take great measures to ensure her happiness once again. This, as well as Mrs. Fairfax's welcome of Jane to TF (Thornfield), is an example of woman comrodery!! Yes!! Women unite!!

My most recent read section, skipping way ahead now, is the part with Rochester in his wine-drunken chatty mood is conversing with Jane. A LOT of that conversation is just ramble, but looking deeper there are these little skiffs of flirtation, as well as certain truths within men and women relationships. For one, he spends a lot of time talking of his mistakes and what not, and talking about how that was going to change. We know that in order for a man to truly change, he needs the power of a woman, and from the first time R&J meet we know that there is something going down. He keeps eluding to an angel taking his heart, which HELLO she's sitting right across from you!! She doesn't seem to get it (or she's playing a type of hard-to-get with us ((readers)) and Rochester). But we know things are going on. It's great at the end of the conversation when he seems offended by her taking Adele to bed, when the night before (or several nights before, I'm not 100% sure), he was so insistent on Jane taking the child to bed. This also shows men's dependency on women attention, and the trouble most couples with children face of the husband feeling less important with a child around.

Yay.

Adele

A first impression of Rochester that he is crazy, and he has some issues. It is interesting to see him stroll in a door acting one way, then come out acting completely different. Bronte hints to us, using Mrs. Fairfax and Rochester's rambling, that his issues are deeply embedded in his past. Maybe we will find out about these later or they might just drift out of the central plot.
During of Rochester's and Jane's conversations, many life themes are discussed. One that got me thinking was when they were talking about Adele. Rochester was discussing his past and that led into Adele's. How there were questions about who was they father, and how the mom just left her. At the end of Rochester's description he says, "you will perhaps think differently of your post and protogee". This is an important question about how different people think differently. Should you not get a job because you have a criminal record, or even because your parents had a criminal record. Should you not be allowed to reproduce because you have genetical disease history? These are controversial issues today. Jane responds well saying that Adele's past doesn't affect the way she feels about her. jane does not judge or dwell on the past, she focouses on the future instead, which is a very important trait many need to improve upon. Live in the now.

Josh's Analysis Through Chapter 17

I have decided not to bore you all with a synopsis of the text, because I was chided for doing so in my previous post.  Anyways, I have just finished reading the elegant party scene, and am beginning to wonder if the color white is congruous with the symbol of ice.  We all know that fire portends Jane's passion and whatnot, and on the contrary, ice represents all that tries to debase and suppress Jane.  At the party, all of the guests that treat Jane with scorn just happen to be wearing white.  I have no idea if this is merely a coincidence.  Furthermore, it is a bit outlandish that the people who were treating Jane with cruelty just happened to be women.  Isn't this supposed to be a novel that empowers women?  Such cruelty seems very incongruous with the rising moon and such.  It seems a bit ludicrous that a feminist novel should have women debasing Jane.  Could social class and wealth be another theme in this novel?  The Reeds, Mr. Brockelhurst, and these new wealthy folk have all treated Jane with disdain.  

Josh's Analysis Through Chapter 17

Jane and Mr. Rochester

Until we had our discussion in class i didn't really make the connection between Jane and Mr. Rochester sexually. Wile i don't think the two will ever find more than a attraction for one another and maybe physical encounters i see the feelings that have arose. Even when Mr. Rochester orders her to do something in a demanding way he often time corrects him self and tries to ask it in more of a sympathetic manor. Jane also seems to feel that his company is enjoyable and hopes he stays at the property for a lengthened time. There first encounter may have produced initial problems. When Mr. Rochester crashed his horse in attempt to avoid Jane. He blamed Jane for this encounter even if it wasn't entirely her fault. These hard feeling were probably short lived. I believe one thing that kindles their attraction is how Jane is always helping Mr. Rochester when he is in desperate need. She helped him when he was on the ground due to his crash with a sprained ankle. In this case, Jane is a young women with less power and of a lower class than Mr. Rochester. But it seems he is being degraded because she is the one helping him when he is in such a fragile state. Then again on the verge of death Jane saves his life. From these actions i believe Jane has become a special figure to Mr. Rochester with a lot of meaning. There long conversations at night and when Jane gets exited for him to get home add to the emotions that build.

Part 2

okay so the book has gotten way better, I'm actually really interested in it now and want to find out what happens next. There is much more underlying meaning in this book that contributes to the bigger story as a whole, which i find interesting. This whole thing with the color red and its connection with maybe passion perhaps is pretty interesting.I'm not quit sure where this whole idea is going but I think it has a connection to something later in the book.

"...they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer...they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings".  I found this kind of offensive I can understand that during this point in time people were sexist and women were expected to be the typical house wife but regardless this whole paragraph bugs me just because of the way they choose to portray women. 

I totally think that Jane and Mr. Rochester are going to end up getting together in the end. Just by the way they talk to each other. In the beginning i felt like it was more Mr. Rochester who was pushing for it and making intentional comments but Jane also starts showing interest. They argue back and forth in sort of a playful way, which makes me think in a way they are just disagreeing to disagree because they have some sort of fancy for each other.

Something that does bug me about this book is Adele always speaking in a different language because we are never able to decipher what she is saying so its like why even have it in there. they could at least translate it for us or something.

I find the whole fire thing really strange but its def a good thing in the book because it makes things way more interesting. The whole situation was really weird. I think that it was Mrs Poole who started the fire but for some reason I think that it was plotted by Mr. Rochester. I'm not really sure how but I think he had something to do with the whole ordeal. 

It also bugs me how Mr. Rochester leave without saying anything to Jane after the night of the fire but at the same time its kind of a good thing because it keeps the reader whats  wondergoing to happen next.

Improvement & Symbolism

I must say, this book is constantly getting better. I had no aversion to it even in the beginning (which now seems boring in comparison to the exciting events now); It would even be accurate to say I appreciated the language despite the less-than-exciting plot. But now, now with the prospect of romance, occurrence of many more human interactions with dialogue and the constant appearance of symbolism and a developing theme really makes this one of the most pleasant works of literature I've read for school. It may be a slight stretch to say that I purely read it for leisure, but every time I pick it up, it's easy to get engrossed and engaged with the text. 

I've also found reading with a pen in hand really is quite helpful and lets me underline well written phrases and make side notes when, on occasion, I have earth shattering revelations regarding major theme development or the connection between two key images. As for the symbolism and connectivity in the book, I have a educated guess about certain images. My though is, fire represents masculinity and men while women and femininity are represented by ice, the moon and the color red. On a literal level, these things are related: fire is the opposite of ice but it also contains red hues. Symbolically, it seems that Bronte is trying to imply that men and women are very different, in fact, practically opposites. They contradict each other and maybe are not able to coexist. On the other hand, they are also very intertwined. Women are part of men, just as red is contained in flames. 

I had this amazing light bulb-like, amazing ah-ha! moment on page 152. For some reason, something just clicked and I decided to write my idea of this symbolism in the margin, just on a whim. It may be completely off mark, not even remotely close to what these reoccurring images truly stand for, but I thought I'd give it a shot.  In conclusion, this book continues to impress me and I look forward to reading more.

Tansition in the Dark

In the first few scenes of the novel we see the absurdly wicked environment Jane called home. Mrs. Reed’s lack of love for her niece is shown when Jane is locked alone in the red room. She is full of superstitions and her mind is filled with Bessie’s stories. Her mind leads her to believe things that may or may not be true. When she screams out Mrs. Reed is not happy, but this is the beginning of Jane’s resistance to conformity. This is also the first time we see Jane alone. She is embraced in the darkness of the room and her mind spins with different things that she hears and sees until she has to stop it all and move on (whether that is screaming or leaving a room.) Another time we see Jane alone, in the dark, and listening only to the superstitions in her mind is the night of the fire. Lying there in bed she hears noises in her head. She claims they are real and in the end they turn out to be. Before she knows that she is once again, similar to the dark room, confided in her own space not knowing what is best to do . In the red room she asked herself if she should move from the corner and go to the door. In her new room at Thornfield she is once again, alone in the dark, not knowing if she should bolt the door or go out into the hall to investigate the sounds she is hearing. In the end, Jane decides to leave her room. This in a way is similar to when she screamed in the red room. Both things she is not completely sure about and doesn’t know if it is the right thing to do, but she does them none the less. Both times of uncertainty seem to lead to something new. In the red room she is lead to her final leave from Mrs. Reed’s home. At Thornfield her uncertain decision leads her not only to save Rochester’s life, but also to find that she is truly and honestly in love this man. Both of these times in the dark seem only to lead to times of excitement and transition in Jane’s life.

Jealous Jane

This was quite the interesting 20 pages. From Mr. Rochester's past story of his love and where Adele really came from. Does Adele know the whole story?  When Mr. Rochester talks about jealousy Jane refuses to have ever had any. Later in the chapter when Mrs. Fairfax and Jane are talking of the party that Mr. Rochester was at, Jane becomes very interested in the females attending the party. Jane has started acting jealous! They are totally going to get together. Oh and Grace Poole is creepy. At first I thought Jane was seeing a ghost when she was hearing things at night but it turns out Grace Poole was trying to kill Mr. Rochester. I wonder why this is. This book is getting more interesting with each chapter. 

Falling in Love: Jane Eyre

And so the beginning of the real story! Our lonely orphan, who has grown up for years as a slave to the modest life of a hypocritical clergyman, is now a governess in a huge manor that is pretty much empty except for the few servants, the manager of the estate, and the little girl (also an orphan...am I sensing a trend?). And then, lo and behold, in strolls our mystery man: Edward Rochester...hmmmm a very interesting man. A somewhat difficult character to cope with if I do say so myself. I mean, he's so...just so...moody! So dang moody...and just difficult in general! His feelings of superiority are agitating...and his general ere is one of a nonchalant, aloof teenager. You know, the one who sits in the corner and barely comes out to speak to anyone?
I find it fascinating, by the way, that one can actually compare such a book as this to regular life between the ages of twelve and thirty. Between pages 183 and 188, Jane ends up sitting with Mrs. Fairfax and finds herself interrogating the poor woman about women that Mr. Rochester would possibly find interesting....such a common strategy to any person investigating someone they like. She asks about her looks, character, charm, the usual stuff that a woman falling for someone would ask; only then to slander herself in the mirror because she is not that woman. How sad...I wish it wasn't that way for her. I wish she could look at their encounter that night and feel excitement about it, going over and over it again and analyzing every little detail she could possibly squeeze from it; instead, she sits worrying that she isn't good enough...but then again, that has always been a human flaw, has it not?

Random Hunch

This is probably totally wrong, but I keep getting the feeling that Mr. Rochester was in some way responsible for the death of his brother. He continually talks about his "guilty conscience" and is unable to appreciate Thornfield. (maybe his brother died there?) It might have something to do with the Rochester inheritance that Mrs. Fairfax spoke of, and Mr. Rochester's small share as the younger brother. I think in one of his deep conversations with Jane he will reveal this, to her horror.

much more interesting

I am extremely happy  that the book gets more interesting. I was excited when jane got to leave Gateshead. Bessie is one of my favored characters i like that she sees Janes struggle and disagrees with the way that Mrs. Reed treats her, She seems to be quite fond of jane after the red room incident. When jane arrived at Lowood i thought it was gonna be alot better for her, But then her new best friend helen  dies in her arm which was  a great twist in my opinion. Miss temple seems to be the only cool teacher and she helps Jane a lot with school and personal issues. The principal made her stand on a stool for the whole day while he announced that she is a liar to everyone, at 5 when all the students leave jane collapses to the floor..... this seems like a cruel and unjust punishment to me. She explains to miss temple that she is not a liar and when she gets a conformation letter from Mr. Lloyd the reeds doctor, miss temple publicly announces she is not a liar which helps jane a lot. Jane then focuses on her studies and excels in painting, and she improves in french.

When spring time rolls around everything seems perfect but with the damp warm forest it is a breeding ground for Typhus the disease that killed her parents. More than half the girls come down with the disease but jane remains healthy. Helen dies but not from Typhus, she dies from consumption. Mr. Brocklehurst the principal is found to be one of the causes of the Typhus epidemic. A new crew is sent to run the school, Jane excels in her studies for the next 6 years and after 2 years teaching decides its time for a change which i was really hoping for. Part of the reason for this is miss temple marries and retires. She finds a place to work at in Thornfield, Her new house in thornfield is all great at first but Mrs. fairfox is not she is an elderly woman who is the housekeeper. She watches the house while the owner Mr. ROchester is away. She finds our he has a violent history and also meets Grace an uneasy and unpredictable Seamstress who works in the house. Jane learns she will be tutoring an 8 year old french girl who is pretty intelligent. I think this will be good for Jane, But i think that something bad will probably happen between jane and Mr. Rochester.

This is as far as i have got so far in the book. I think this is a good book and i am excited to see her future conflicts. I would like for Mrs. Reed to die still, that might make Jane even happier. I also hope that the reed kids all do bad in life and go through major struggles for how they treated jane while she was living there. Jane seems to be a very mentally strong woman, she would have to be to make it through the struggles she has. This is what i think of the book so far and i hope it gets even better so i stay interested.

love is all you need.

Throughout the beginning of the book, we see Jane struggling with her aunt Mrs. Reed, and her cousins. She is constantly teased by John and is neglected by her aunt. Jane is never "loved"; not necessarily in a way that she needs a man in her life to be her boyfriend, but in the sense that she doesn't feel as if she matters to anyone at all. The only person who regarded her as important enough to care for was her uncle, however he is dead and cannot control the lack of attention Jane gets from Mrs. Reed. When Jane arrived at Lowood and met Helen, she felt important enough that someone was willing to be her friend. I felt so sorry for Jane when Helen got sick and passed away, but I was also somewhat relieved when Jane got to be with Helen during her minutes. Helen and Jane comforted each other, and that was a new concept for Jane. Before they became friends, she had never felt as if she mattered to anyone. Also, when Jane is leaving for Lowood, Bessie expresses the fact that she cared for Jane very much when she was at Gateshead. This is another example of someone who loved her, but very quickly disappeared from her life. It seems that as soon as someone begins to love Jane, they are taken away from her.

Lemonade

When the case of typhus breaks out at the hallow halls of Lowood, it seems as though it is almost welcomed by the young Jane Eyre. When at a time that most children would be panicked about this outbreak Jane almost finds a sense of happiness out of it. I guess considering that Jane has been dealt a bad hand of cards all of her life, she has learned to always see the bright side of things. It appears her optimism is the only thing that keeps her sane throughout her troublesome life. She sees the typhus outbreak as bigger portions at meal times and more freedom around campus. Its not until her dear friend Helen is on her death bed that we see Jane negativley affected by the outbreak. However I feel as though Jane almost forces herself to always see the brightside of things. All she has ever been raised to know is that no one will feel sorry for her so why should she feel sorry about herself? I mean after dealing with such poor conditions all her life, anyone in her shoes would do as she does; simply learn to see the brightside in every situation. Maybe we all could learn something from Jane, that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

Jane Eyre

Thus far I find this book incredible hard to get into.  The action seems slow and much to depressing to follow, not to mention the language is sometimes hard to follow.  However, I throughly enjoyed the scene where Jane yelled at Mrs. Reed, and although it was a low blow I liked that she brought up her dead uncle.  Some people really draw the short end of the stick and I think that Jane is one of those people.  Right now the tables have begun to turn, she seems happy at Thornfield Hall but honestly it sounds boring.  

I thought it was really funny when Brocklehurst visited the school and saw the little girl with curls and yelled at her.  I thought that it was really ignorant that he was basically fighting with nature.  I'm know there was no such thing as a straitening iron back then so I don't know how Brocklehurst proposes to straighten a girls hair, especially since natural curls usually occur in humidity.   I found Brocklehurst to be a huge hypocrite but I know I wouldn't have stood up to him so I probably would have done the exact same thing Jane did if I were in her situation.

Mr Brocklehurst

If there is one person that I really hate strongly in this book, it is Mr Brocklehurst. He thinks that everyone in his school should conform by acting the same and looking the same. I hate conformity, it is the pure root of evil. All terrorist groups and all wars are started because of conformity. Well anyway Mr Brocklehurst makes one of the students cut off all their hair because they have naturally curly hair. His own daughters have curly hair but he doesn't say anything about that. This man is a hypocrite and he is an evil human being.

Hottie Jane

Guys...she's not hot. No way. She dressed "Quaker Like" for her tutoring gig...this is not hot. Now had we got some shapely corsets and some flattering-scoop neck lines...then Jane would be hot; however she wears the equivalent of a black garbage bag. I bet Helen was hot.... may she rest in peace.

Language

The language in this novel seems a little hard to understand until you get used to it.

is jane a man?

i dont neccesarily agree that jane should be so ugly! I think since she is so hated that she should at least be a hottie. Anyway the beggining of the book is very boring to me and i hope it gets better. If i was jane i would kill everyone else in that house, that way she could have all the money, the house, the cars and she would be a baller like lil wayne..."with black hat, black shades, black diamonds, oh behave!... but since she sucks too much i think its her fault she is in such a bad situation. She may be too ugly to be a woman so my question is.... is she a man?

Jane Eyre #1

The beginning of Jane Eyre reminded me of Cinderella, her cousins were very abusive as were the sisters in Cinderella, and the Aunt was similarly unfair to the Step-mother. However, I have pity on Jane for having to undergo such difficulties and unfairness’s at such a young age. She not only had to experience the public humiliation inflicted upon her by Mr. Brocklehurst, convicting her as being a servant to the devil, but she also lost a good friend as well. If I was to be put into Jane’s position regarding her past acts towards her aunt in front of all my peers, I would most likely be ill-equipped emotionally to handle it. At the beginning of this act, I thought that Jane was going to be broken down and emotionally unstable, as she had mentioned that she would be in earlier passages. However, she surprisingly showed strength, and took a firm stand upon her shameful stoop. In addition, Jane Eyre is a very well written piece of literature; I enjoy reading Charlotte Bronte’s way of outlining details and lengthened vocabulary. I look forward to continue my readings.

I'm Still ot Sure What to Think

When I was first handed this book i thought to myself oh gosh another book I have to read. As I sat down to read this book I realized that I have heard this book is great. Maybe it will be great. Now that I have started reading it I have grown to like it more and more. I usually don't like books that take place in this era but this one is intriguing. For the first few days I did not have a book so I think I am a little behind but so far I am thinking Cinderella. The girl with no parents living with another family member only to find herself even more alone. Her horrible cousins beat her, her aunt is also cruel and she just wants to go to school. I was proud of Jane when she found out that she will be going to school. Although Jane did not get a good response from yelling at her aunt and finally telling her off it was uplifting because it shows that Jane is maturing and becoming her own person. I still am a little lost on if I like this book just due to the fact that I don't normally read this genre, but I think I am getting used to it and am liking it more as a I read.

The Beginning

So far, Jane Eyre has been pretty good. By far, my favorite aspect of the autobiography thus far is the way it's written - Bronte does an excellent job of painting vivid pictures in readers minds. It seems she really enjoys using very descriptive and catchy two word phrases such as "agitated hesitation," "careworn countenance," and "unsophisticated accommodations." I don't know why, but for some reason the homophone-like or alliteration filled phrases really catch my attention and interest the literary side of my mind.

Not only does Bronte use superb short expressions, but some of her longer passages are also very mind pleasing. One of my favorites is "comparative silence quelled the Babel clamour of tongues" (56). It feels like so much thought and feeling was poured into each and every description and choice of words - I like that it seems as Bronte is very particular about her writing. Maybe I appreciate this so much because I'm the same way - needing to get every single sentence to sound just right - but nonetheless, I'm quite fond of this work of literature thus far. Every other book I've read in my entire school career may have had excellent theme development or superb foreshadowing but none written with as much care as this one. That's probably completely not true; writers such as Margaret Atwood and Nathaniel Hawthorne most likely thought excruciatingly in depth about their works. I guess it's just nice to finally relate to an author on this level.

lowood

As the first hundred pages have slowely moved forward the rethym of the book has taken for with an intricut form of imagery. From the point of no return (leaving her so called family) and headed off to Lowood i have gained a better understanding of who she is and what type of person she is. The main shock at the moment is the strickness of the teachers taking their religiouse teachings to a hole new level. The first lesson of this book has occured in the form in learning that the love and affection of others is not the most important thing through school.

jane is a hottie

idk about u guys but there is somthing about Janes free fire thinking and firey passion that makes me turn, she is just so intense in the way she views and feels certain things that make her iresistable thts just my personal feelings

jane is a hottie

its getting better

When I first picked up this novel, I had no idea what to expect. The first few chapters made me doze off a couple of times reading it, and I found that it is alot easier to read a book when its not 11:00 PM. But then I soon found that it wasnt as borring in the fifth chapter. There wern't so many descriptions, and the book was not always talking about Jane having to defend herself from her cousins and aunt. I am glad that this book isnt as hard to read anymore, and that I dont mind taking time out of my day to read about Jane Eyre.

Pain Tolerance

Alright, so for the first chapter plus, I had no clue what was going on. It was virtually impossible to understand the language; getting into the book a little more, I found that you need to get into the groove to begin understanding. So now, being on chapter, what, like nine or something (IX), I've finally been able to decode what the hell they are trying to say.

One of my favorite parts of the book is when the headmaster man comes and checks in on the school and he is talking to the headwoman. He tells her that he has created this school basically to condition the girls, and doesn't want them growing up with a luxurious lifestyle under their belt. I love that; although it is cruel, it is an awesome way to do things. Unfortunatley these girls will look at their childhood filled with pain from the deaths of their parents, and then the brutal emotional scarring from the Lowood home, and they'll probably be horribly upset by their pasts for years and years, but on the brightside they'll be very happy with what they come to find in their future; nothing will hurt as bad as their childhood.

I love Helen Burns, too. Instead of reading the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, we should just all be like Burns. She doesn't succumb to the scrutiny of her elders, just kind of goes with the flow. Her internal character is very strong. I appriciate that Charlotte Bronte was able to create such a stong character and not only let us see her strength through external actions, but internally we can feel her strong character. It's awesome. I don't feel like the character of Jane Eyre is that well portrayed internally, even with all her time spent in front of us.

Partially Enjoying It

Unlike many books from this era, and this is what made it controversial, is the fact that it constantly questions and opposes Christianity. This girl is frowned upon for not embracing Christ as her one answer to the world. This was some progressive thinking for the times at which this book was written.

Loving It

From the start Jane Eyre has had an extremely brutal life. She starts out living with her cousins that absolutely despise her. Then she ventures to school in Lowood, School for her sounds pretty terrible, she gets served horrible porridge every morning. Another horrific experience she encounters is that her friend Helen dies. Once she leaves Lowood things start to get a little better. She moved to Thornfield, where she first encounters Mr.Rochester I feel that this first encounter is a start to an extraordinary relationship.

Blogtown

Adventures in the world of blogging. . .

The first several chapters of Jane Eyre bored me, I actually fell asleep trying to read the other night. These first sections have been as plain of an autobiography as I've ever read. Her simple daily woes and thoughts make up 95% of the text. And then, as a sudden twist of plot, she wishes to do something different with her life; her idea of different though, is just going somewhere else to teach (her current occupation). Maybe this was all women could do back then, maybe this was radical and life-changing back then. A women probably couldn't pack up their stuff and stick out their thumb as they might today. I can imagine people reading this when it was first published, shocked at the daring and nerve of the young Jane Eyre, inspired by her actions. Literature is immortal, but its affect is ever-different. When I was reading about Jane's walk, I was tired of her thinking about her thinking, and when she met the random horse rider in the road, I thought it was the excitement of the chapter. But I found out later that the occurrence had more importance, the style of the book might be changing. I have much more to read, so I have yet to see...

First 138 pages

The book thus far as been some what entertaining, its not the best book I have ever read but it does have some good qualities to it. It started out slow and not very good but its gotten better. Im starting to get more interested, since she moved out of lowood its been a better read, not as boring and slow. It was sad when Helen died but it added more excitment to the story. It kind of caught your attention and put some emotion into the text. I also thought it was cool how Bessie came to see her before she left lowood. When she left Gateshead we as the readers were left wondering what happened to the rest of her extended family and friends. So when Bessie came back all of our questions were answered and like I said above it made the book more interesting. I also though it funny how the cousin that was mean to her ended up not doing very well in the end. I found it even more interesting when towards the end of page 138 the whole thing with the guy on the horse and the dog played out. They ended up being at the house when she arrived home. Im excited to read on to see what happens in the up coming pages with the man on the horse and Bessie.

Firstt 138 pgs.

When I first started reading this book it did not grab my attention. I was bored and thought this book was going to be another read like the Scarlet Letter (sorry Lavender ha). But later the book started to interest me more. After she moved to Lowood the reading started going much faster. The way the time elapses as she grows older makes the book more interesting. It's more fun to read about people who are closer to our age. I like how Jane and Mary Ann Wilson escape to the wilderness, nature is a good place to go.
I thought the part when Helen Burns dies was very strange. It was nice to go say goodbye but things got a litle intimate between the two, which was kind of bizzare. It's sad when she does die though because she was the first person other than Bessie to treat Jane with kindness. It's exciting when Jane makes plans to find a job, it made me excited to read ahead and find out where her new experiences lead her.
When she arives at Thornfield, Adele reminds me of a young Jane when she was living with Mrs. Reed, just under better circumstances. It kind of makes me proud to see how Jane has grown up.
My favorite part of the 138 pages is when she has the run in with the horseman and his dog. It's the first time we've seen interaction between Jane and another man. I predict they get together.
I think that the reappearance of Bessie shows that throughout the novel Jane's past will come back and effect her life some how.
Also when Mrs. Fairfax is showing Jane her room, she is strong to infere if there have been any ghosts in the room. I wonder if she will see a ghost at Thornfield.

Jane Eyre first impressions

When I first began to read the book I found myself finding it rather difficult to read unless I forced myself to commit. The language in the book reads strangely, with different forms of cases and other words, but that wasn't the biggest issue. I believe that the biggest thing that got me was a strange plodding sensation to the plot. The moment when she was thrown into the red room though, it inspired me to look a little more at the book instead of tossing it aside the second I finished the required pages. At first Jane seems like a very fiery girl. When her cousins and aunt oppress her and treat her unfairly she reacts with anger and indignation, that often gets her into trouble. The two impressions I received of Mr. Brocklehurst were quite different, so it seems it was to Jane as well. When he first comes into view he is a calm man who leaves in her a sense of hope and banishes the never-ending torment and injustice she seems to feel. But the second time, he inflicts the same injustices on her as she was receiving from the Reeds before she left. I found most of the school area dull and uninteresting, though I did find the character of Helen Burns quite interesting. She seems to go through life as a quiet genius who accepts her lot in life simply and complains not. When Jane is staring off into the distance longing for adventure and the ability to escape from the prison-seeming area she resided in. It amused me how she then asked for a new servitude, and the same old bell rang out, calling her back to her old servitude. This also shows a new change. I thought that she would stick to her prayer for liberty, instead she longed for servitude! The younger Jane Eyre would certainly have never wished for servitude, but more and more liberty. Then the book moves on again and she comes into occupation as the governess of Adele, the young girl. Once again the dreary life of solitude begins. And once again I became dragged into the dreariness, though for me the French was exciting to see. Then when Jane once more longed for adventure and set out on the path to send the mail! Such a simple thing, yet I understand the longing for adventure and have gazed many times out my own window at the massive windows, wishing I could start off on some adventure. The encounter on the road with master Rochester suggests, in the language that it was written that it has a much larger import than was hinted at in the book. So far, the first few chapters were dull, but at the same time, fiery, for Jane was active and always about doing something, or getting in trouble, or complaining about unfairness. Then she begins to become more of a passive person, just sitting there watching the world go by her instead of jumping in and taking charge. The book has begun to enthrall me at the same time as it pushes me off, if the excitement or fiery passion would return, I would enjoy this book more at the moment. We'll see in the coming chapters.

To me the first section of the book when Jane is staying with Mr. and Mrs. Reed is a good introduction for the reader to see the inequality of her life. Once you find out that she is going to boarding school her troubles with the Reeds gives a perspective of further troubles that could occur. Up until this point of the novel each stage has encountered controversy. Usually with a specific person first being Mrs. Reed then Mr. Brocklehurst and eventually Mr.Rochester. In the mean while there were other teachers and people that influenced in the hardship that Jane suffered. I’m still interested in learning more about Mr. Rochester. At times he doesn’t seem so bad like when he and Jane first encountered each other. Then he appears negative when he has lunch the following day with Jane. He didn’t look upon Jane in a welcoming way. Then we learn from the book that he was an outcast in his family and comes from a history of violence. This can give us further inside of what can happen later in the novel between the two. While Jane has had people bringing her life down she has other people beside her who are great influences. At the Reeds Betsy was a great supporter of her and always stood by her as a friend. At school Helen and Ms. Templeton played a crucial role in her success at the school and carrying her through the tough times early on. Unfortunately Helens death added to her adversities in her life. This experience added a different spin this time with a death and not mistreatment from people around her. She has lived her life dealing with the loss of her parents but has no recollection of it in her memory. I can imagine Helens death may be one of the hardest problems Jane had dealt with in the book. As a reader you have to feel sympathy for Jane because of all the difficult things her life has consisted of. They stand out in your mind but she also has some good people around her helping her get through her troubles.

Imprint

This book is surprisingly amazing. I typically have problems reading literature from the 19th century, but for some reason I am loving this book more by the second. The characters are extrememly compelling and are having to deal with very real problems, unlike your typical science fiction, fantasy, or thriller novel.

Another amazing qualitity that makes this book so intriguing is the many different levels one can disect through. One such scene is the conversation Jane has with Helen Burns in which Helen describes her "different creed" that she follows. A creed that allows her to accept criticism on various levels be they extremely severe as Ms. Scatcherd makes her criticism to be (with lashing of the throat) or subtle pointers as Ms. Temple does.

What makes her determination even more haunting, powerful, heartbreaking (insert proper adjectiver here), is the fact that she has a terminal illness (Tuberculosis) that is slowing killing her throughout the short period of time we know her. It is thus that her words become more poignant, more profound, more heartbreaking! The emotional connection and imprint she leaves on Jane would seem only to serve as such a guiding force and will without a doubt be played on more throughout the novel.

This emotional imprint culminates on pages 96 through 98 in which Helen welcomes Jane to be there for her dying breath (though not as plainly as I have stated). It is so powerful when Helen on page 98 says "Good night Jane," as these were her last words, and she knew it. Jane on the other hand simply believes that Helen is sick and weak, not nearly as far gone as she was. When Jane wakes up and over the course of the next few days that Helen had died in her arms, it permanently changes the tone of the novel. No longer are the days of innocence (in fact the next chapter begins by stating that she now has jumped ahead in her autobiography 8 years bringing Jane to the age of 18 which is, in our modern society, the age one is considered an adult).

Lobo's Post #1

Jane Eyre is an amazing book. I must say that it is even better the second time through. Lots of interesting connections I am making that I didn’t catch the first time. The one big thing that stood out to me in the first 130 pages was Helen Burns. This time I can see how much of an effect she had on Jane. Helen’s subtle nature, submissive doctrine, and the scope of her knowledge inspire and motivate Jane. Helen’s influence becomes central to Jane’s personality later on. When Helen died in Jane's arms it had to have been a great shock, one strong enough to deeply implant the memory of the way she conversed to those she respected. In fact the Latin quote which adorns Helen's tombstone "Resurgam - I shall rise again" foreshadows Jane's adaptation of Helen's subtle manners, and the religious strength shown in her dieing speech, which comes largely into play later in the book.

Another thing I think affected Jane greatly was seeing the difference in how the teachers treated the students. Looking at the difference between Miss Scatcherd's treatment of Helen, and how Miss Temple dealt with Mr. Brocklehurst's telling of Jane's character shaped Jane and gave her a stong idea of how she wanted to act as a teacher.

And thats my little spiel.

Lowood

Lowood is the first institution that Jane Eyre encounters. It is good that Jane goes to this school because she is surrounded by many others who have grown up with the same conditions as herself. They are all orphans. They are refered to as "charity children" in that friends give 15 pounds a year to put the orphans through school. I find it interesting that Jane asks a girl reading a book common questions like "Are you an orphan" or How long have you been here? She answers them with little interest. Instead of engaging the conversation the girl decides to continue reading her book. The portions of food at Lowood are not conducive to their health at all. They get a mug of coffee with a half a slice of bread for dinner. These portions could be close to identical to amounts that inmates get for meals.

Reminiscent of Emerson and Thoreau?

As many have previously commented, Jane seems to be a truly loveable character. Well, perhaps ‘loveable’ isn’t the right word; she certainly was a feisty thing when she was younger (particularly in the company of Mrs. Reed) yet sadly, I feel that her transition to Lowood and then Thornfield Hall has stifled that passionate desire to revolt. Granted, her life is going more smoothly compared to the descriptions in the earlier chapters so there isn’t a reason to revolt.

While on the topic of Jane’s more rebellious side, I’ve noticed that nature seems to have an ironic effect on her. While it calms her greatly it also opens up her mind to new possibilities and thus seems to make her restless. At Lowood, she felt uninhibited when sitting on the rock in the middle of the creek; she is free from the scrutiny of her teachers and even the shackles of discipline. Whilst at Thornfield, however, when she sees the landscape before her from the roof she suddenly feels trapped—as though there are even more possibilities that await her outside of Thornfield.

It seems imminent, then, that whenever Jane connects to nature, her views on her current situation change. I have a feeling though that soon she will be introduced to other, more personable, reasons to stay or leave her current situation.

Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre's life is sad and depressing. At the beginning of the book i feel bad for her, she lives with her aunt Mrs. Reid and her cousins who hate her and want nothing to do with her. she is abused by her cousin John. She leaves her aunts house and goes to a school called lowood were she meets a girl named Helen Burns and becomes good friends with her.later on in the story half the school gets sick and her good friend Helen Burns soon dies.

Yah!!

I so called that! As I was reading the horse-falling incident, I was trying to guess who it was, and I thought that it would be Mr. Rochester. On a different note, the book started out really slow, torture to read through endless descriptions, made worse by the fact that I had to read it out loud. (I live with four dogs who love to bark, not to mention the TV, so I read out loud to better concentrate on what I was reading.) Learn from me, if you are not crazy about the book, do not read out loud! Once Jane left for Lowood, I found the pages easier to read, as they got more entertaining, and better able to keep my attention. (Listen to me, I sound weird!) I can kind of...connect to Jane better when she is eighteen. Her emotions are more stable, and easier to relate to. It's kinda exciting to read about how independent she is when she is mailing her ad and making the decision to go and teach somewhere, and she is given that freedom easily! It's different and...cool...neat...I can't find the word...to read about freedom like that. I regret now reading the back cover, because now as I am reading, I am only waiting for when Jane will realize that she has fallen in love with Mr. Rochester! Hopefully it will happen soon, I don't think that I can wait much longer.

jane eyre

jane's life has been pretty rough so far. satrting off with loossing both of her perants and being sent to mrs. reid who did not like her in any way. until she was 8 she lived at an orphanage where she was treated awful. after being excluded from the masses at the orphanage, she was able to leave and go to school. in her eyes this was the first good thing that has ever happened to her. when she got there she wasnt quite sure what to expect because no one told her anything. she was thrown in with the masses and treated like prisoners in the all girls school. but she had no other choices . for 8 years she was a student learning french and art. then she was old enough to become a treacher at the school. then she left and went to thornfield where she taught a litle girl.

I dig the language-- Jane Eyre is beautifully written, Charlotte Bronte clearly had an incredible handle on the English Language. The story itself is alright. So far it hasn't inspired me-- provoked me to think or changed my perspective on anything. However, she's got another 400 plus pages to accomplish that. Jane is a pretty identifiable character, extremely innocent, misunderstood... a little too eager to please. The book is groovy enough for me Mistah Lav!

Wuthering Heights vs. Jane Eyre

Ever since the first chapter of Jane Eyre, I cannot help but think how similar it is the Wuthering Heights. The writing style, time period it was written in, and romance theme carry over between the two novels. Clearly, because the two authors are sisters, their books are both to be similar. I do like Jane Eyre more because more events occur with less boring decriptions, but I am still able to picture the scenes in my head. Wuthering Heights was full of pages of details of what one room looked like. In Jane Eyre there are exciting events that occur that make me want to keep reading. I think that as the story progresses and Jane continues to grow up, it will only get me interesting, at least I hope so.

My Turn

From the begining of the story Jane Eyre's life was depressing and unfair. I hate her fat little cousin that used to beat her strictly for pleasure. I felt sorry for her at first, living in a home with a careless family that had no concern for her. When she left for Lowood it didn't get much better. Although she had made a couple of friends it didn't erase the past. After Helen died I was convinced that she was just going to be angry and unhappy throughout the rest of the story. When she left with Ms. Temple I knew it would be a turn in her life. I think that she is going to be a lot better now that she is in a better environment.

Jane Eyre

To tell you the truth the first 100 pages of this book were hard for me to read. Jane's character showed no interest to me, and I thought that she was just another life walking the earth. Now why would I care about another life, I mean I already have my own life to worry about. I feel like the part of the book where she is a young girl is just the introduction and now the real reading starts. Once she grew up I could relate to her as another human and not just another character in a book. I have to say that the "introduction" to this book was way way to long. I also noticed that Charlotte Bronte adds these little details that really don't matter. The reading made me angry because of her lame family. I wish that she would burn their house down while they were sleeping!!!!

my thoughts on charlotte bronte

So far charlotte bronte is treatin me pretty good. i like how Jane Eyre sucks you into the book. the more you read the more you feel like your in the book. there are some parts of the book that are hard to under stand. There also is alot of big words that make it a little harder to under stand, but other than that its really a good book. Jane is a really strong person mentaly and phsyically. because of the things shes had to do. having to loose your family and move to different schools is hard. so far so good.

Jane

Jane Eyre is a plain girl, she needs to set something on fire or even just runaway because her life is full of solitude and confinement. She is happy to be at Thornfield but inside she knows it sucks and just wants to be in the free world. If i were her i would cause some trouble because her life sucks. The people there are to nice and need to have some discipline, you never learn anything if everyone is nice to you all the time.

What Will thinks of Jane

When someone says Plain Jane it makes me angry because there is so much to her that makes her the dynamic charactor that is so fun to read about. infact in the preface Charlotte Bronte says, "appearence should not be mistaken for truth."

jeez louise!

so the story is unbelievable! the story is just a lot of fun to read. It was sad to see that Jane's life has been compared to Cinderella, which is very true. Her cousins and aunt just hate her and wish she was dead. Read on!

Dont we all love jane

This book so far, one could presume that the novel is boring. Just because the speed of the novel is going slow and we have difficult language to deal with as well as this book is hundreds of years old. Consider this book in its day. Many would just throw it into their fire place without a second glance. It was seen as racy and provacative. We must remember that this was a time when if a women were to so much as lift up her dress, it was considered flirtatous. With this context the book is a fun and dangerous read.

blog

As the book starts its clear to me that Jane's life is much like many popular stories of today. Jane Eyre is suffering after her parents die, and lives a life with relatives who treat her horribly. Very comparable to Harry Potter, Jane escapes her life of torment to a new school. She learns the way to be a lady, and when the book leaps forward it is clear she has become one. So far I'm mildly intrigued by this book, though i feel the real story has yet to begin. I feel as though we are still in the part of the story that sets up the main action of the novel, but i guess thats just me being used to modern novels filled with action. I do like the characters. I think Jane is a strong character and will continue to grow throughout the novel. Though i dont think Jane will gain magical powers anytime soon, I'm eager to see her transformation and growth in the rest of the reading.

UH OH!!

Jane Eyre has it's ups and downs. Her life in the beginning of the book obviously sucks, but you of course already know this readers!!! I suck at this stuff so I'm just going to post what I think is fit... The book itself actually isn't that bad. It starts with Jane as a little girl living with Mrs. Reed in Gateshead, she then moves to Lowood to go to school, ect. The book skips ahead to where she is the age of 18, and now works at the school. I haven't gotten to anything really exciting, the only thing that I thought was surprising was when she was surprised by Bessie when Jane was about to leave for Thornfield...

Jane Eyre

I am unsure how I feel about Jane Eyre (the book, not the character). The book seems so slow, even though we've seen three different settings in the first 138 pages. Perhaps that is what Charlotte Bronte is trying to achieve. Maybe she is trying to show the character how plain and simple life was for young women during the middle 1800's. Jane, however, is awesome. Ever since her response to Mr Brocklehurst's question of escaping hell, I've loved her. She has a sense of urgency and restlessness, which defines some of the decisions she begins to make. I am, however, waiting for something capturing to happen, for I've grown sick of her 3 different "experiences". Jane is bored, and I am too. Because of this, I'm hoping for some actual experiences with Jane. I've read the back of the book, and I'm expecting Mr Rochester to bring some action to this novel and liven it up. In this book I've notices several similarities between it and other novels we've read. On page 79, Jane describes her humiliation on the "pedestal of infamy" when she gets called out by Mr. Brocklehurst in front of the class. This reminds me of The Scarlet Letter, when Dimmesdale stands on the pedestal under the moonlight, admitting his faults. The description of Lowood gives me that erie feeling that The Handmaid's Tale also gave me. All the girls must wear plain clothing, study basic things, learn to be a housewife, and publicly humiliate themselves if they have done something wrong. I've begun to see how this book ties in with Lavender's feminist qualities. Jane begins to rag on the stereotypes and expectations of women and how they are at fault. Finally, this book is starting to comment on the female handicaps at this time. I'm expecting more feminist rants by Jane as she gets more experience of the actual world.

Chap. 10-13

It seems painfully obvious to me that Jane will get romantically involved with Mr. Rochester. She is longing for a change in the monotony of her life and the opportunity has just arrived. I also believe she will make some not-so-smart decisions in the process, that could jeopardize her position and reputation. I think there is something going on with Mr. Rochester that will be revealed only after Jane is in love with him; he doesn't seem the type (from the limited exposure we've had of him) to bring a little girl across the world and then leave her to his servants, and Mrs. Fairfax does describe him as "peculiar" (p.124). Another thing I find interesting is the untranslated French, which tells more about the time period than the story. Obviously, most educated people who would be reading it have a decent understanding of French, just as Jane does.

Fighting For Women Since 1847

As corny as this may sound I really admire Jane’s inner objective to support the independent woman in 17th century England. In chapter twelve she claims that “Women are supposed to very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties and a field for their efforts as much as their brothers do.” Jane is a powerful role model for women, which is why this story can be considered a contemporary novel in the modern world. Women today are still fighting against a male dominant society. Gender issues today still inflict concerning issues within the work place, home life and school environment.
Throughout the story the reader meets an array of different woman. We learn to love and admire some (like Bessie and Helen), as well as, despise and hate others (like Mrs. Reed). It is interesting how Charlotte Bronte includes women from all backgrounds and aspects, but in the end we all aspire to be more like Jane. Although men do play a role in the novel, women dominant most if not all of the scenes. Mrs. Reed runs the Gateshead household alone, all the teachers at Lowood are female, and Mrs. Fairfax is the manager at the Thornfield. These women hold positions that have at least a little bit of authority. The men that we have thus encountered are not perceived as great or noble in any sense. Mr. Lloyd is only an apothecary who is used for the lower classes and Mr. Brocklehurst is presented as a harsh man with an evil heart. Neither holds a physically powerful role in the story. Women have been doing the good deeds, and maintaining encouraging images the keep the story moving. We have to yet to meet a man that dominates the scene in a positive manner. I have inkling that Mr. Rochester will fulfill this missing void.
Overall Jane Eyre is an intriguing novel that I have come to really enjoy.

Jane Eyre: Helen Burns

Helen Burns is an extremely interesting character. Puting aside the fact, for a moment, that she is dead, let us examine her in the beginning. A quiet girl who has learned to take her pain in stride. One who accepts punishment.....if she were a modern day girl, it would be easy to see her being pushed around by the popular girls or taken advantage of by a creepy guy. She also seems to be the "omega" in this sense: the scapegoat for everything the teachers could possibly think of; picked on relentlessly. Why must the adults be so cruel to her? What has she done besides do their bidding in a quiet, no-fuss way? She even acknowledges the mistakes she makes, and her inner flaws. For a young women to do that in such a situation and only silently say, "It is something I can improve upon", is a sign of maturity far beyond her years. As a wise woman once said, "Courage does not always roar; sometimes it is that quiet voice at the end of the day whispering, 'I will try again tomorrow.'"
In a sense, she is a good example for Jane: strong and willful, but not in a violent, persistent way. Helen pushes back with her own form of dignity, a silent protest, such as in the way she thinks of the world and her own beliefs in God. Even so, Jane can also teach Helen the meaning of a fighter. Jane is strong-willed and stubborn, wishing to be flexible only when she is rewarded for it. Brave, yes, but considerably harder to deal with then Helen. Helen could teach Jane the importance of a silent fight, rather then being dragged forward kicking and screaming.
Despite her death and very small reference in the book, Helen has left a lasting impression on Jane that, I think, will become more apparent as Jane grows up.

A Cinderella Story?: First Impressions of Jane Eyre

Jan Eyre is very much a Cinderella story. One lonely girl with no parents living with her evil aunt and wicked cousins; she is beaten, abused, and feels the ache of loneliness and the anger of being unwanted…Can someone scream “cliché”? I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, but must all stories like this be such a copycat? What’s going to happen next: the fairy godmother magically appears and whisks her away to find her one true love? I'm hoping that this does not end up being too fairytale like.

Rambling

When we started off reading this book, Mr. Lavender remarked that this book was the Harry Potter of its day. I couldn’t agree more. Jane’s life is much like Harry’s. Both live in closets with people who despise them. Both have no parents and have to survive on their own. Other than this, there are not many similarities. When Lav-Dawg mentioned that this was the Harry Potter of its day, he perhaps was talking more about its popularity status. I feel that, back in the day, this book was a very revolutionary book. Jane is a very individual character. Most importantly however, she is a female. There are several points throughout the book where she stresses a woman's importance. A prime example is on page 130. This book recounts the struggle of an orphan girl. What could be more inspiring? Not only is Jane an orphan, she is surrounded by people and places that are less than welcoming; Mrs. Reed, Lowood, etc. She has to brave all of these hardships.
One thing I've noticed, that perhaps is irrelevant, is an emphasis on the color red. There are numerous places where this color shows up. However, I have no idea as to what it could represent.
Jane is a very intelligent character. We like her, we want her to succeed. She is caring, wants to be loved, strong, and extremely smart. What could be better.

Josh's Analysis Chapters 10-12

Before I begin to impart my analysis upon you all, I feel that a brief synopsis of the text is appropriate.  (Though I have no doubts that you all have read the chapters)  8 years have past since we have last seen Jane.  She briefly abridges these years by telling us that after the amelioration of the conditions at Lowood, she excelled in her studies.  She teaches at Lowood for the ensuing 2 years, and by the time she turns 18, she decides that she wants to leave Lowood for the promise of less seclusion at another school.  She accepts a position at Thornfield hall, where she teaches an 8-year-old French girl, named Adele.  Before she leaves Lowood, she receives a visit from her former maid at Gateshead, Bessie, who accounts her with tales of her cousins.  Jane eventually departs for Thornfield, and ultimately finds her new abode very comfortable.  One night, while watching the moon, she witnesses a man, traveling by horse, wreck, as the horse slips on some ice.  She helps the man, who unbeknownst to her is the owner of Thornfield, Mr. Rochester.  Upon returning to Thornfield, she learns the identity of the very same man, as he is coming for a visit.  As for my analysis:  To begin with, I am very elated that the story has become less despondent, and has taken a supposed turn for the better.  In addition, I am curious as to how long Jane will dwell in Thornfield.  She was never content at Lowood, (although who could blame her?  In addition, the departure of Ms. Temple was a large factor in her decision to move)  and now although she finds her new life comfortable, she still finds it somewhat boring and lonely.  I do however, do not blame Jane for longing for a life of excitement, especially given her scenario.  Oh well, much remains to be seen.  

Blast from the Past

After finding herself to be an accomplished young woman at Lowood, Jane is prepared to move on from what she knows and leave the past behind. Although, before she can do this, the past must once again grasp her once again within its strong hold and send her sailing on a cloud of resentment and wonder. When Jane finds Bessie at Lowood she is over delighted to have found the company of an old friend. Bessie is grown with a young boy and Jane is pleased to know that Bessie has made something more for herself than a life at Gateshead. Jane is saddened when Bessie informs her with frankness that Jane is all she would have ever expected her to be. None the less, Jane continues on to inform Bessie of her accomplishments and Bessie finds in Jane a certain accomplished greatness far beyond what she ever thought. It surprised me that Jane continued to ask for information from her past. She wanted to know every detail, even as to what her cousins looked like. Her true emotions seemed covered by a hidden anger that she will always carry forward about the Reed family. I thought it most shocking when Bessie informs Jane of the visit of Mr. Eyre. She said he seemed a true gentleman, although Jane’s lack of interest shocked me. To think she didn’t want to inquire further about her true family, possibly a family that could love her more than the Reed family ever had. Indeed, they had come searching for her and apparently been disappointed when she was not still residing at Gateshead. The past is gone when the two woman finally part. They “both go their own ways” to start new chapters in their lives. This moment, I would have assumed to be sad is more exciting and overwhelming. Jane has become more than anyone thought she would be, and she is persistently moving on in her own direction towards something that seems better, leaving the past behind.