Jane Eyre Reading Response

"You think too much of the love of human beings; you are too impulsive, too vehement: the sovereign Hand that created your frame, and put life into it, has provided you with other resources than your feeble self, or than creatures feeble as you." "Besides this earth, and besides the race of men, there is an invisible world and kingdom of spirits: that world is round us, for it is everywhere and those spirits watch us..... angels see our tortures, recognize our innocence." "Why then should we ever sink overwhelmed with distress, when life is so soon over and death is so certain an entrance to happiness- to glory?"

To me, people like the idea of a white or black response but there is nothing that can be that simplified. Jane and Helen's views contradict each other which glorifies into an explosion of unanswered questions that pertain to the idea of actual life and purpose. Is it saying that death blooms into something good? Once you hit rock bottom can only goodness stem from there? Obviously, life and death are on two sides of the spectrum like Helen's views and Jane's views. But overall are the concepts of life and death so different? I used to be certain but now I'm not so sure. No life can guarantee freedom and happiness but can death? The cycle is never ending.

-Breeana P

Food for Thought

     After reading the blog for January 16th 2011, 17 and Baking, I realized that I will soon be in a position similar to hers, where she has to return to the "college life" and leave her loved ones behind. I like how she uses sensory detail in her writing, how she describes the setting of her story instead of blatantly stating where she was with no enthusiasm. I also liked how she had a story embedded within a story, which is similar to Frankenstein was written (where there was one story, then another story took place, then another). These literary devices are very useful in everyone's writing, and with great practice, your story may be perceived as a phenomenal piece of art...like Frankenstein.

Shanyce R.

Just a Thought

     After reading Jane Eyre, I learn that the author, Charlotte Bronte, used the motif of solitude, as well as abuse, throughout the novel. Reading these incidents repeatedly made me wonder if Bronte had ever experienced these types of hardships because it may be a fiction, but there is always a motive for the author to write. In this novel, it is difficult to find isolation without abuse in the midst of the occurrence. For example, when Jane is detained in the Red Room for retaliation against her cousin, John Reed, she is isolated from everyone in the house, and she sees it as abuse because she fears her uncle's ghost may haunt her whilst in the room. Jane Eyre's thoughts and anger must have clouded her mind while in the room, because what she thought may have been the ghost of her uncle, may have been only a figment of her imagination.
     Early last week, we, as a class, were given the task of comparing and contrasting the themes we came across in the novels we were reading. I chose abuse as my topic, because the connotation of the word then, and now, do not nearly have the same denotation. Abuse back in Jane Eyre's time seemed as if it was a regular event, and no one thought much of it; it was the way to earn respect from those who had lower statuses in society. However, now, abuse is seen as inhumane, and instead of being viewed as punishment, it's seen as a crime. On the other hand, solitude is perceived, for the most part, the same in both aspects. It is difficult to have solitude without abuse, or vice versa, because people need to have a social life in order to continue growing as a "normal" person in today's society, and somehow...I believe Charlotte Bronte was missing that part of her life.

Shanyce R.