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September 25, 2004
Jane Eyre
I just finished watching the A&E version of Jane Eyre. I cannot believe it. It was an awful story, and I feel lessened for having seen it. I hope it was just the movie, because if the book is this utterly terrible, then I cannot imagine why anyone would like the story. Perhaps I have missed the entire point. I will spoil the story just now, so if any of you don't want to know what happens, skip the next few paragraphs.
The story is about an innocent girl, Jane Eyre. After a very rough childhood, she finds work as a governess in the house of Mr. Rochester. He is a much older man, and uses jealousy and deceit to get her to fall in love with him. When they are at the altar to be married, it comes out that he is already married. His wife is mad, and he tells Jane, "Our love is so great, I was willing to commit bigamy for you!" The next several minutes are filled with such selfish drivel, and finally to my joy, Jane leaves. She travels ceaselessly to get away, and finally collapses after several day's journey.
When she wakes, she finds herself in the house of a brother and sister, close to her own age. She finds work as a teacher in the school, and after several months, the brother tells her of his affection, and asks her to go with him to India as his wife to serve on the mission field. She flatly refuses, hearing the haunting of Mr. Rochester's voice, and runs off.
She makes her place back to the Thornfield manor, and finds it burned to the ground. Upon further discovery, she finds that her beloved Mr. Rochester is indeed not dead, but has only been injured in the fire that killed his mad wife. She then tells him she will never leave his side, and the next thing they have two kids and it all ends.
I hate the story. I hate it. Jane falls in love at an early age with an older man who really has nothing going for him except he is an older man. He is selfish, deceitful, and lies to her. After being blessed to be free of the man, Jane finds another man. He is kind, loves God as she does, unlike the beloved Mr. Rochester. He is young, near to her own age. He is attractive. He sees the strength in her, and wants to marry her.
But she is so blinded by her irresponsible infatuation that she cannot see what is just before her. I hate these kinds of romances. It furthers the idea that you cannot control whom you love, which is a total crock. Romantic love is something you feed. If you feeding it, it will grow, just as the converse is true. It is entirely within your control and your reach. Love is a choice.
I have no patience for a story such as this right now. Silliness. Jane Eyre is a silly girl. Ask me in person what I really think of it.
Did I just miss the point?
(Okay, I was misconfused (yes, I realize that is not a word, Miss English) on the last name. It is not Thornfield, but Rochester. Duly changed).
I will be back in Boston late Sunday night. It will be good to be back to the place really has become home. Missouri has been good, but somewhere along the way, Boston has become my home. The people, the Wilson House, my job: all of it has become home. I miss the people there, and I have really missed church at Grace Street. Unfortunately, I get back so late on Sunday that I will have to miss the second week in a row.
And why am I missing church? Why am I returning home so late that evening? Why, it is the fault of the worst airline, American. I originally had a flight Sunday morning at 6 am, which would give me enough time to get back into Boston, go to church, and rest a little before work on Monday morning. I got a message on my voicemail. It was American, telling me of a "schedule change." When I called to find out what happened, I discovered that they had just decided to cancel the flight. I was now on a later flight in the late afternoon. My other option was to fly out at 6 am on Saturday morning, which was tempting. But I had already made plans to spend time with friends, so this was not an option. Unfortunately, American is the only airline that flies into my hometown, so they are really just about my only choice.
They say the definition of insanity is when someone keeps doing the same stupid thing, expecting a different result than the time before. I must be mad. :)
Listening to Avril Lavigne, I'm With You
isn't anyone tryin to find me
won't somebody come take me homeit's that damn cold night
tryin to figure out this life
won't you
take me by the hand
take me somewhere new
i don't know who you are
but i
i'm with you
i'm with you.
Entry posted by byscuits on September 25, 2004 03:15 PM
Comments
I have not seen the movie or read the book, but based on your synopsis alone, it sounds like a pretty sickening plot. I hate stories (real life ones included) where a decent virtuous woman falls madly in love with some guy who has no redeeming qualities. DOES NOT COMPUTE
Comment posted by chosetec at September 25, 2004 04:28 PM
I remember reading this because it was required reading for english class in high school.
And in class, I remember trying to convince a female friend of mine that Jane Eyre was foolish. That did not go over too well. I would say the story is more of a tragedy. It's too bad she kept stinkin' fainting. I appreciate robust women.
Comment posted by wabeezh at September 26, 2004 01:36 AM
Then it struck me. maybe these stories are written for that audience made up of lawless dirty old married men who fantasize about seducing innocent girls and wanting to feel more ok about it.
which might not be a small number of people.
Comment posted by chosetec at September 27, 2004 12:11 AM
i've never had to read Jane Eyre, but i sorta feel bad for her. as much as she's really really really grossly dumb for going back to Thornfield, i imagine that we do such dumb things like going back to sins & habits that we know are wrong but keep doing (like mm... eating excessive chocolate.. mmm.. :)
Comment posted by sly at September 27, 2004 12:05 PM
ROAST HER ALIVE!!!
Comment posted by bc at September 27, 2004 01:01 PM
yeah, i thought the thing sucked also =b i'm not a big fan of literature of that era in general
Comment posted by fugu at September 29, 2004 12:30 AM
Oh my goodness. There are a great many classics which should never have attained such a status (Great Expectations and Catch 22 come to mind first), but Jane Eyre unquestionably deserves its high billing. A few things:
1. His name is Mr. Rochester, my friend--Thornfield is where he LIVES, but his name is definitely Rochester. At least get his name right before you bash him.
2. If Jane was foolish, why did she leave Rochester in the first place? Why didn't she just marry him when everything was arranged? If she was truly blinded by infatuation, she would have ignored the fact that he was married and just gotten on with it, married or not.
3. Did it ever occur to you that Rochester is a changed man by the end of the book? He is no longer powerful or wealthy or influential--he is a poor cripple. And he is different. If he was as all terrible as you make him out to be, and without honor, would he have risked his life to try and save Bertha? Absolutely not. By the end of the book he has been humbled, he has repented of his sins, acknowledged his mistakes, and acknowledged his need for love and forgiveness. Jane is willing to give it to him--are you? (p.s. WWJD? Hmmm?)
4. Love is a choice, yes--but oh my goodness, don't tell me it's a great idea to marry someone to whom you are not in the slightest bit attracted. Yes, you need to marry someone who shares your beliefs and values and love for God--but there has to be attraction, too. And Dave, I can go on about this for hours but perhaps this post is long enough already. We can discuss this when you come visit me. But bottom line--Jane would have been miserable if she had married missionary man. And HE would have been miserable, too--do you want a spouse who married you merely out of a sense of duty?
Comment posted by RedHeadedEnglishMajor at September 29, 2004 08:47 PM
ROAST HER ALIVE!!!!
Comment posted by bc at September 30, 2004 05:07 PM
