Jane Eyre

I haven't read any reviews yet, so please forgive me if you've already talked about this. :)

So, I just have to say that Jane Eyre...well, there's a reason it's a classic. I think everyone in the Young Women's program should read it while a Miamaid (can you imagine, Required Reading in YW's? lol) and before they start dating. I mean, it deals with the "Ugly Duckling/unpopular" situation, the "I love him but he seems to be in love with her!" situation, the "I'm just the smart girl" situation, and the ever popular, "How to choose between settling and maintaining my inner core values??!" Jane goes through HUGE hardships, has to make the HARD decisions, faces loneliness and disappointment time again, and yet maintains her humanity, her compassion and her sense of self and morality through it all.

To get right to the punch, I love that Jane is not a victim. She so easily could have been, but her hardships made her strong. Can you imagine Jane set in today's world? Bless her heart, she'd probably have been on Oprah, working her way through her role as a victim with abuse issues, abandonment issues, probably co-dependant on the wrong sorts of people (though, as a note, I know that not all people who appear on Oprah who have suffered atrocities become victims in their lives, I'm just saying Jane had a lot going against her). Who knows what she would have become. lolol. But in all seriousness, she still had her baggage and issues (don't we all!). That's what made her so real, I think, but she had gained strength and earned respect through her hardships, which made her a richer character for it.

Also, I LOVE that Jane, when faced with her utmost heart's desire (marrying her love, her kindred spirit, her soul mate, Mr. Rochester) and the most wretched of discoveries on her wedding day (of all times) becomes such an example of staying true to who you are. When she is then faced with an offer to be with Mr. Rochester, to just run away together, she stands her ground and says, NO, even though she knows she is giving him up. For anyone who's ever had to make "the hard decision," this surely resonates. Oh, it was so hard for her, and yet she did it! And the blessings that come from that decision make a world of difference for Jane!!! Goodness, can you imagine the different ending the story would have had if Jane had said, "Yes?" Sure, Mr. Rochester would probably not have been blinded/mangled, but Jane's spirit would have been.

And I love that the ending is "happy" but in a very non-traditional way. It's not like Jane and Mr. Rochester run off into the sunset, blissful to the end, because their opposition has been solved for them. There is tragedy that strikes before the concluding happiness, but this tragedy illustrates that, truly, it's a story that love in its entirety is beautiful, but finding beauty is not finding love. Jane truly is the love of Mr. Rochester's life, but there are consequences for choices we make. How interesting that the dashing Mr. Rochester himself suffers disfigurement, but is yet still desired by Jane because she loves him wholely (is that a word?). When we truly love, the physical weaknesses that we might find in ourselves and others disappear because we love the whole of the person, and so that passion that exists at the beginning of a relationship can survive because a different type of love (and passion) becomes the priority. That's what Jane and Mr. Rochester have. It is romantic and yet probably a more realistic love than exists in other literary works (even though the story is not as realistic as one might want. :) )

So, in the end, gotta say that I really really love Jane Eyre. I can't believe that it only took 37 years to read it. lolol.

Have a great day, everyone!!!

:) Laurenda