Currer Bell, Charlotte Bronte, two people holding extremely varying significance in status but exactness in person. Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre was written during a time period where women very seldom were given any respect or taken seriously. They were like little children, fun to be around but holding no leadership or power. Thus, in a brilliant maneuver, Bronte creates a powerful woman, writing of romance, passion, and confinement, and in her own sly way representing what her life has been like in a world ruled by man.
It is wonderful.
The genuine quality and spice of Jane's character clashing with the restricting circumstances of her life excites the reader with each rebuttal enacted at her totalitarian superiors. Life in Thornfield is not only wonderful for Jane but wonderful for us as well. Getting to hear her inspirational earnest for exploration strikes up empathy in us, and her unique ability to speak her mind allows reading to be speedy and full of excitement. Page after page fly through my fingers as I break only to underline a funny quote or look up an alien word. The vocabulary is as stimulating as the back and forth banter between Rochester and Jane. With such language used in the mid 19th century, we are challenged with its structure and complexity nowadays. Reading this language is fantastic practice and gets easier with every session. As well, each character can be immediately related to a person of your own existence. Their masterfully executed detail so richly develops their personalities that the reader subconsciously enacts complex judgements and thoughts of each character. Charlotte Bronte has, thus far, successfully portrayed perfect human emotions and incarnate thoughts during situations we have all endured. In short, I am enjoying this book SO MUCH. It is fantastic.
Although containing a countless multitude of themes and gripping topics, I am drawn to the way in which Jane so accurately assesses people and scenarios so instantaneously. For I do the same myself. I know this is not a topic on our directions sheet but man it's something I love seeing over and over again! For i've attempted, worthlessly, to do likewise in my writing or in speech, coming up each time with something that can't exemplify this practice. To see Jane break down a scenario into its many different layers, speaking to why she thinks someone has acted the way they have, or why the situation doesn't work shows us how in tune with people Jane is. She has lived her whole life on the back line, researching her fellow man, and is now a total master in its study. Ms Eyre shows this during the final scene of our Thursday assigned reading in which she hung behind the curtain, not wishing to be any part at all in the festivities. Jane spent her time "knitting", although she was really spying on each and every one of the party-goers, creating spot on judgements from subtle actions such as Blanche's "large chin, [which had] preternatural erectness", as well as "her [deep] voice, its inflections very pompous, very dogmatical - very intolerable, in short." (200). All these extremely subtle, finite details are made within no more than a minute or two of viewing. A paragraph later Jane saw that Lady Blanche Ingram was "self-conscious — remarkably self-conscious indeed." (200) This observation is extremely unlike something you would expect from such a lady. But Jane looked through the "haughtiness" and loud voice, and beautiful looks, and confidence to realize that in the end, Ms. Blanche Ingram is very uncomfortable with herself. With so many examples, I could exclaim about this for pages and pages. But, "in short", Jane is a remarkably bright young lady who has a deep understanding of the human condition. I cannot wait to continue flipping through these incredible pages to find example after example in favor of her genius.
I completely agree with you when you said that throughout each session it gets easier and easier to understand the very complex language that Bronte uses. Our generation of people are unaccustomed to reading (and speaking for that matter) such "large" descriptive words. I often have to pause and look up these words in order to fully understand what is occurring.
ReplyDeleteI had not thought about the theme you have written about! Now that you mention it I think I will notice it as I continue to read. Looking back at what we have read, you make a very valid point. Jane is so accustomed to being on the side-lines because she is continually excluded. She has developed a unique ability to judge people's characters within a matter of moments.
You opened my eyes to a new aspect of Jane I was simply reading over! Kudos to you :)
I like that you mentioned about how Jane is more aware of the others than she lets on. She can look through their exteriors and see the person they are trying to hide. I also love to see these things but I am far from the master Jane.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jessie. I'm definitely going to pick up on whenever Jane describes a character who is being false because it's officially been brought out by you.