Charlotte Bronte – Jane Eyre
Genre: Bildungsroman
Plot Outline: The orphan Jane Eyre has none to call family except the cold Reeds, her cousins and her mothers’ sister-in-law. Later, she fares no better at the charity school of Lowood. After eight years at the institution, six as a pupil and to as a teacher, she takes up a position as a governess at Thornfield hall, teaching Adele, the ward of Mr. Rochester. A love affair follows; broken only by Jane’s sense of what is right, when a dark secret reveals itself.
Characters: Written from an autobiographical point of view, we are able to see the character of Jane in a closely detailed and rich way. Though the other characters are seen through her own (some would argue obviously biased) eyes, there still seems to be fullness to them. In this novel, there seemed to be no characters that stuck out as completely unrealistic, for each had their flaws or small nuances that made them seem actually human. Jane herself confesses to her flaws. I also liked the way in which a distinction was made in terms of the looks of the characters. In many books, the protagonists are usually beautiful, handsome, or have some other endearing trait. Bronte is quick to admit that her characters are normal, somewhat plain if not ugly in some respects, people. Since this is a bildungsroman, it is also able to see the development of character as the years roll by.
Style: Another book that is easy to read. Some events are taken into detail a lot more than others, for obvious reasons…but it doesn’t stagnate, and you aren’t left wondering why that big leap forward occurred. Bronte uses an ascribed reader, meaning that it feels as though the book itself is being spoken to you in an informal chat during an evening. It does however, tend to break up the flow on certain occasions, bringing the reader back out of the happenings and telling them in no uncertain terms that they ‘are’ just a reader and that they therefore have no cause to get too involved. All in all however, the books reads very well, though one or two small paragraphs of description tend to slow it down here and there.
Opinions: Although this is one of my personal favourite books of all time, admittedly, this novel wouldn’t be for everyone. Those who prefer Fantasy / Sci Fi and other such books may find it boring or tedious. Personally, I’d recommend getting it out of a library and having a go at reading it before you spend money on the book. It’s one of my all-time favourites, but it tends to divide readership.
Critics: Well, if the books ‘The Wide Sargasso Sea‘ and ‘The mad woman in the attic‘ are anything to go by, Jane Eyre has already had its fair share of critics pulling it apart. The theme of ‘the other’ and ‘madness’, as well as ‘religion’ all play a large part for critics within the novel. Such people would, and already have, commented upon the many themes.
Audience: Young adults +
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