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Jane Eyre
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Concluding Thoughts/Feelings/Rating (Jane Eyre)
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I'm done! already ! I have written my thoughts as a read so I'll send them to you when I can. But wow Jane Eyre was a surprise to me. When I think Victorian English protagonist, I think about a lot of thing. But Jane, how was she fierce and strong and independent! She made me feel all the feel, which I hardly ever do when I read. This would be a 5 stars for me, but there's a 100 pages I would get rid of. I was very disappointed to read of a Jane that judge "working people" when she starts to work at the country school. Sure she changed her mind, but the chapter before she was shaming the lady that wanted to leave her out of the Rivers house (sorry I forgot her name and don't have the book on hand). I just really felt that this part of the book was out of character. and I only finally found Jane back when she strongly refused St. John. As for the end. I'm quite torn because I really wanted her to end up with Mr. Rochester, but not in the condition of a "nurse" (even thought there's hope for it to end) and I was very touch to see how Jane took care of Adele to the extent she could and gave her what she didn't have. I was sad for the book to be over, I liked it so much. I'm definitely going to re-read that someday.
Is there a good Jane Eyre movie I can now watch ?
Also sorry my comment is a bit all over the place, I'm just still in the heat of the moment 🙈
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I agree with the BBC Miniseries, it's long been my favorite version. However, while the newest version is somewhat boring, I though Mia did the best of any actress with the speech to Edward about being free and his equal.
I needed time to mull through and think all my thoughts before I could come do the wrap up, so now here goes.First off: I adore the richness of the language of the book. For a time when style & words were more often dry or restrained, JE bursts out in full technicolor. Every character, even the ones I don't like, are richly pictured and fully realized. I come away feeling I met and spent time with them (wish it was a little less time with St. John!).
Second: I love the imagery of birds used throughout in regards to Jane and how many ways she was characterized as a bird, a wild untamed thing, something to carefully approach, who was wholly free, and who is incapable of being tamed. Also the imagery Rochester uses for her of being an otherworldly and magical creature. That Charlotte keeps this imagery going and ever growing from beginning to end, is one of my favorite things.
Third: the theme of restoration throughout. The darkest moments, where Jane is pressed beyond and outside herself, because she maintains her own moral steadfastness (as defined by mores of the time) she is always restored to greater things. The red room leads to getting an education. The typhus outbreak leads to first freedom of movement and then the redemption of the school. The loss of her mentor leads to Thornfield. The loss of Rochester brings her to the family she has always longed for (I love that it's 2 sisters & a brother. Symmetry makes me happy!) The rejection of destroying herself to support St John leads to being restored to Edward. And her return to Edward restores him. Restoration is such a beautiful and powerful concept and I love that it is, again and again, the gift Charlotte gives to Jane for being uncompromisingly herself.
Sorry, I am a little late to the party it seems. I have been reading the book but have not managed to log into goodreads until now :-) It's been about 10 years since I first read the novel. I remember that my very first impression was that Jane Eyre was one fierce lady, with an almost annoyingly intact moral compass. I did not like the episode in the moors (where she gets lost) and put a picture of Rufus Sewell in the book as this was how I imagined Mr Rochester.
This time around, I had no Rufus Sewell imaginary floating around but struggled to keep the movie adaptations out of my head. (Do you know what I mean? They can overlayer stories all too easily imo.) I also interpret and viewed some aspects rather differently now. While I used to be smitten by Jane/Rochester, I now had issues with their romance and wish she had decided to live a life of her own at the end. I used to see Jane as a feminist-of-sorts but could not connect to the notion now. It seemed to me that she was mainly driven by her piousness instead of emancipation? Or am I being too harsh here?
Got a chance to listen to the Orson Welles/Loretta Young Lux Radio production of Jane Eyre. So fascinating and somewhat silly, but a happy coincidence after just reading it :)
Something's you may talk about are the themes of Religion, Social Class, and Gender (feminism). Also, what do you think of the motifs/symbols/metaphors used throughout the book such as eyes, the red room, Bertha, fire and ice, mothers, and birds? Where they used successfully?
Do you think Jane and Rochester should end up together or should she be alone/with someone else?
Thoughts on main characters (Jane, Rochester)?
What are your feelings about the secondary characters such as St.John, Mrs. Reed, Bertha?
What would you have done in Jane's place, before and after finding out Mr. Rochester's secret? What do you think of her reactions?
Did you see the twists coming?
What are something's you liked and/or disliked about the book?