January 2026 had me reading Emily Bronte's Jane Eyre. For those daunted by length know that it was a quick read. Parts of it were extremely entertaining, the rest will linger.
Catholic guys may be put off by the idea of following around a young lady's childhood trials and tribulations and eventually the relaying of her story of love. On the other hand, dudes may find Janes' perspective helpful. Understanding human-action has always been my interest, and there was enough for everyone to study in Ms. Bronte's tale. Where I related most to Edward Rochester character, male readers will find themselves cheering on Jane's childhood reaction to injustice while further enjoy her maturing knowledge that she can take on these injustices with silence and with an eye towards improvement, even into death. There was just as much to learn about death in Bronte's tail as there was to learn about living. If we state the prayer simply each day - "Lord your will, not mine" the contrasts that Jane experience begin to offer the reader choices that may generate questions about how we choose to live our lives.
Helen Burns, Janes close friend at Lowood, offers Jane a way of life unknown prior to their meeting. Helen offers the reader an example of how obedience to His will can lead to and impact the lives of others and that love and friendship can deeply change a person. In contrast Aunt Reed offers us another example of death, a death portrayed from years struggling to bend the world to her will and failing utterly and bitterly.
The contrasting deaths show up clearly in Jane's journey of love & life as photographic negatives. The love interest of St John is a corrupt parallel to Helen Burns, a man doing His will, but without love and with vanity. Edward Rochester is a redeemed Aunt Reed, a man determined to bend the world to his will, but through his trials and a genuine remorsefulness and humility turns his gaze to His will.
Please feel free to borrow, it is now in the library.
No comments:
Post a Comment