A poster of the main character.

Jane Eyre

No doubt Jane  Eyre is the main character in this story, so I'd like to speak about her a bit.

From very beginning I imagine the little girl who sees nothing but cruelty and injustice. She likes reading and a book is her only friend. Her life in the school is not much easier. Jane looses the close friend. But she doesn't give up. She tries working hard and her efforts are not in vain. She becomes a real lady, speaking French fluently and looking like educated and broad-minded person.

Jane is self-critical. She never considered herself to be a beauty. She knew she wasn't a tall and rosy maid but she didn't complain. Probably she didn't knew but she had a special and attractive face if to say about appearance. At first sight Mr Rochester compared her to a fairy. He confessed he considered her to have the look of another world. Afterwards Mr Rochester frequently called her the similar names such as; my angel, my little friend. 

Jane is kind and cordial. She is always ready to help and she doesn't expect something in return. But this girl isn't a commonplace thing. She does have a character and that's why she deserves respect.

She likes thinking and analyzing so sometimes she can notice some hidden things. 

My opinion on a review.

I chose Jane Eyre to be my eighth classic (I know, I’m a little behind!) for two reasons: 1) I watched the adaptation last Christmas and, unexpectedly, really enjoyed it. Reading Rebecca earlier in the year also gave me confidence to finally pick it up. 2) I wanted to read The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde, but thought I may miss certain references, and so not appreciate it fully, if I haven’t read the book.

I hadn’t really planned on picking up Jane Eyre when I began the challenge, but I’m so incredibly glad I did. I’m constantly surprised at how readable and accessible the classics I’ve been reading are; it has certainly changed my perception of them. If you’ve been following me on Goodreads, you’ll know that I’ve been raving about this book and exclaiming how surprised I was to be enjoying it.

I separated the novel into three parts: Jane’s childhood, her time at Thornfield Hall, and ‘after’. I really loved the first two parts of the novel: finding out who Jane is, how her unhappy childhood and neglect shaped her, key incidents in her life that she’ll never forget, and then those people who showed rare kindness.

Jane Eyre is a fantastic character – independent, honest, blunt and dignified. Even though the book was written over 160 years ago, and I’d expect women to be complacent and submissive (and for men to treat them that way), Jane is anything but. (‘I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will, which I now exert to leave you.’). I was rooting for her all the way, yet devastating things kept happening to her, and I wondered if she’d ever get to be happy. Mr Rochester is also one of the most interesting characters I’ve come across in a novel. I’m not sure if I ever really liked him — he is complicated, moody and sometimes patronising and belittling — but I found him utterly fascinating. I enjoyed his witty, quick banter with Jane! The unconventional romance between them was also enjoyable, even though I knew what was coming. In one way, Jane Eyre is a simple, straightforward story but in other ways it’s completely mad and dramatic. I think this contrast was why I was so absorbed and fixated with the story.

The beautiful, magnificent writing was also one of my favourite things about Jane Eyre. It’s just perfect; so eloquent yet not overdone (‘Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilised by education’). I admired the characters and their superior vocabulary, and the way that Jane addresses the reader. It’s so different — more complex — from the writing style I usually come across, but so easy to read, something I’m constantly surprised to encounter.

Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy the ‘after’ as much as I had expected to. I’m not sure whether it was because I had been reading the book for longer than I usually would and it started to make me fidgety, or whether I just didn’t find the situation as interesting, but it drew me back towards the end. It’s the reason why I couldn’t give the book the full five star ‘I loved it’ rating, although I desperately wanted to. I’m hoping that I’ll appreciate it more when I re-read it someday, and it has still made it to my ‘favourites’.  

It is interesting and even a bit strange I've got the same feelings as the author of this article. I also devoured the book and wished Jane would be happy in the end. Unfortunately I cannot say it was very easyly for me to read it because English isn't my first language, but I found out plenty of unusual and really useful phrases. 
I also admire Jane and share the author's feelings. Jany Eyre has become my favourite charachter and I'd like to learn something from her. 
The author said she separated the novel on 3 parts. Willy-nilly I've also done it. And to tell the truth I absolutelly agree with the author. I enjoyed the first two "parts" especialy the second one. But I wasn't be interested in the third very much. Probably it happened because I didn't understand Jane. I even was angry with her: it is silly to love and leave Mr Rochester. what is more he begged her to stay.  But there is a differ thing: I found the lost interest at the end of the story and I reveled in the events at that part of the story. I was saticfied with the ending and completely happy that everything ended that very way.
So I also can call this story one of my favourite. And even give it five stars!

Vocabulary

1) To be a trifle beside oneself = to be out of oneself, out of control

(I could not but be a trifle myself hearing that damnable (nasty, disgusting) lies.)

2) Involuntarily - unwittingly, without any plan, suddenly, by the chance (непреднамеренно, невольно)

(The room was so posh and even pompous that involuntarily I gazed at that expensive but absolutely gaudy (ridiculous) things.)

3) Wantonly - without aim, without effect - бесцельно
(It's high time to  get down to business instead of wantonly wasting time.)

4) Hebdomadal - happening once a week; weekly
(It was the hebdomadal treat  we all looking forward the hole week.)

5) To imbibe - soak, absorb, swallow 
(She imbibed of her mother something of her nature and habbits.)

6) Slumber - sleep, dream, rest; nap,  dormancy
(She was so nervous and uptight that she even couldn't think about slumber.)

7) Lead a cat and dog life together -  not to get on well, be constantly arguing, live in a constant state of disagreement and fighting
(It was awful to watch the sisters leading a cat and dog life together.)

8) Gratification - satisfaction. pleasure, delight
( She was thinking about that event with gratification. cause she realised she had behaved in the right way.)

9) Draw on - • put on, get on
                      • approach, come on, come near
                      • attact
(Spring drew on near.)

10) Beat about the  bush - to avoid talking about a difficult or embarrasing subject because you are worried about upsetting the person you are talking to ( usually neganive).

(I'm tired of you beating about the bush, just tell me the truth.)

11) Excellent sport - something very interesting

(I don't know the rules of the game but I suppose it will be excellent sport!)

12) Bear up! - hold on, stand

(I belive in you. Despite the hard times you must bear up.)

13) Inwardly - inside, at heart, not aloud 

(Inwardly I was having an ardent conversation with myself)

14) Not a whit - nonsense, tosh

("Not a whit!" -she resented  on my replica.)

15) The land of slumber - dreaming, drop asleep

( I was so exhausted and tired that as the moment I got the pillow I entered the land of slumber.)

16) For the present - see you soon

17) To try violence - to do all one's best, 

( I was reallu eager to get that job so I was going to try violence to reach the goal.)

18) Will-o'-the-wisp - smth elusive; eternal wanderer

( I couldn't find the place I could belong to: I felt myself a will-o'-the-wisp.)

19) To fling back - to push away, to push off

(I cannot but notice you flingin me back over and over.)

20) Farewell - goodbye 

Сomment on a passage or sentence from the text.

Before writing the passage, I guess I should acquiant the reader with some latest events. Jane was sent to the school far away from Mrs Reed,  her benefactress. When she gets 18, she decides  to try teaching and writes a letter. A few time later she is invited by Bessie,  the servant at the Mrs Reed's house!

"Oh,you are quite a lady, Miss Jane! I knew you  would be: you will get on whether your relations notice you or not. There was something I wanted to ask you. Have you ever heard anything from your father's kinsfolk, the Eyres? "
"Never in my life."
"Well, you know Miss is always said they were poor and quite despicable: and they may be poor; but I believe they are as much gentry as the Reeds are;  for one day, nearly seven years ago, a Mr Eyre came to Gateshead and wanted to see you; Miss is said you were at school fifty miles off; he seemed so much disappointed, for he could not stay: he was going on a voyage to a foreign country, and the ships as to sail from London in a day or two. He looked quite a gentleman, and I believe he was your father's brother."

I concidered this passage to be intriguing and interesting. Reading the story I was sure Jane didn't have any relatives so this information is quite unexpected. Also we finds out this man seems to be a rich person. And who knows how he could have changed her life. As he was willing to see her, probably he wanted to say or do something important. But anyway if he was mentioned in the story, I suppose we would meet him again.  So the book is getting more and more interesting, let's see what's next.

Prelude

As I see this story is about a girl. She's only ten, but she has seen so much awful things. Her parents seem to be dead and the girl has to live with the benefactress Mrs Reed and her children. The older boy hates her and always tries to offend and mortify her. Jane is afraid of him so she has to put up with it. [But when I read about the John's tyrannical treatment I felt I also was going to hate that cruel and disgusting boy!] But the most shocking thing is Mrs Reed remains blind to everything. She just adores hes son. O Lord, if I were Jane I would try to leave that place as fast as possible...But I'm afraid the girl wil be punished. Finelly her patience rans out and she rebuffs to John. I don't think John is going to forbid her...To my mind the Jane's adventure must begin...

1.1

I've chosen the book Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Probably it's strange but I neither read nor watched the "Jane Eyre". By the way I liked the " Wuthering Heights" ( unfortunatelly in Russian version) by Emily Bronte, her sister. Also I heard this book is considered to be a very famous and suссessful one. So I hope I won't be dissapointed with it.