Lavender's AP Lit Class Blog
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Jane Eyre
It's hard to choose a topic to write about when it comes to Jane Eyre, not because the topics are scarce, but because there are so many, it's hard to make a decision between them all. What to choose? Gender relations, proto-feminism, passion vs reason, Rochester vs St John, or Jane vs Helen? So many choices! I think though I have come to the conclusion that the idea which intrigues met eh most and could extract the most critical thinking from my mind would be Charlotte Bronte's ability to break the traditional characters in Romance novels of her time. As opposed to plotting a story led by a damsel in distress, she sketched a story around a strong independent woman, who, if anything, was the one saving her leading man. That may be another reason she wrote under a pseudonym, because she knew that the notion she was suggesting about empowering women in novels, no matter how lovey dovey they may be, would not be as eagerly accepted, let alone acknowledged, if it came from a woman, because it may be seen as a sort of self promotion, or gender bias.
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I think this is especially appropriate in our society which is turning to feminine dominate, rather than masculine dominate. For the current graduating class of 2013, the Department of Education estimates that women will earn 61.6% of all associate’s degrees this year, 56.7% of all bachelor’s degrees, 59.9% of all master’s degrees, and 51.6% of all doctor’s degrees. Overall, 140 women will graduate with a college degree at some level this year for every 100 men. - ( http://collegepuzzle.stanford.edu/?tag=women-exceed-men-in-college-graduation#sthash.B2TVjUCP.dpuf ) However, in the past it was different. Most labor was physical, where women had a disadvantage. So they drifted to more 'household' roles instead of working one. In Aristocratic society in many places in the earth, the lands, titles, and power always passes to the men. There were only a few exceptions to this, and most of them were ironically in England. As we are reading, the women in Jane Ere still are inferior.
ReplyDeleteSo why the sudden change? Well, this could tie in to the passion vs. reason argument. Modern society, in the first world at least, has changed to trade and business and specialized skills, where reason is the reason for success, not anything physical. And in this, women are not at a disadvantage, because men and women are equal in their ability to think. So they are able to push ahead, and work hard, and excel.
Charlotte Bronte was able to see ahead, and change the traditional romanticism view to more match what it is today. After all, some modern romantic novels (that are also tied with other genres, like fantasy and science fiction) have women play the hero role, like in the hunger games, and men are the ones who must catch up.
I really like this topic, I think it will be hard one to write, but I'm sure it will be good once finished. I like it that you are talking about the author and not only just the happenings inside the book. It's a change which I like, can't wait to read it. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteI was considering doing a similar topic, of the unconventionality of men over women. In many scenes of this book Jane is not afraid to stand up to the men in her life, John Reed, Rochester, and now St.John. I think this essay will take some deep analysis and critical thinking, but in the end will tie in nicely to the larger theme of the book.
ReplyDeleteChambri,
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're off to the races--just keep your analysis rooted in the novel itself. (I like the conversation your post engendered above!)