Jane Eyre - Feminist Criticism

I decided to go with the Feminist Criticism for Jane Eyre, because a lot of the book focused on the hardships Jane had to go through in being a female.

 

How are the woman’s lives portrayed in the work?

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 In the middle of the 1800’s, being a women meant that you were the housekeeper, unless you had a maid, and you would take care of the children as the male worked. Women were not looked highly upon back then, they weren’t hated, but they definitely were not anything special in society’s eyes.

Is the form and content of the work influenced by the writer’s gender?

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I do not believe that the content of the work was influenced by the writer’s gender, because when she wrote the book I don’t think her main focus was teaching about the struggles of women. She focused on the struggles of Jane herself, though she does have to struggle a lot because she is a woman.

How do male and female characters relate to one another? Are these relationships sources of conflict? Are these conflicts resolved?

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The male and female characters of the book were definitely treated differently, especially because of the time zone they were in, the 1800’s. Men were in charge of the house and anything to do with practically anything in the household. The wife had the children and possibly household chores unless she had a maid. The women did not really have jobs, or at least good paying ones, because they were considered weak and were not great in the eyes of the men. Women had to obey their husbands at all times, because of the dominant role the men played in the 1800’s. This is definitely a source of conflict, because everyone should be treated equally, not differently because of their “weaknesses” in the eyes of others. These conflicts are for the most part resolved today because in most places, men and women are treated equally.

Does the work challenge or affirm traditional views of women?

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Yes, I believe it does. Women were always expected to get married so they could start a family and continue the population and whatnot. That is mostly what women were for back then, bearing and raising the kids. If you were in more of a rich family to start off, then you probably would not have to get a job as well, but you were always expected to marry. This was very true in the book, because Jane was constantly attempting to get married, even though she couldn’t find that special someone for a while.
Thankfully, Mr. Rochester became a good husband after some ups and downs in their relationship, and they lived happily ever after.

What marital expectations are imposed on the characters? What effect do these expectations have?

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Women were expected to marry, plain and simple. Jane Eyre, being a woman, was included in that. In the book, many people tried to get her to settle down, but she was looking for the right person who she really truly loved and felt loved around. The effect that these expectations have is that Jane Eyre finally did get married, and she lived happily ever after.

What behavioral expectations are imposed on the characters? What effect do these expectations have?

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Women were expected to obey their husbands, respect others, especially men, and stay  quiet. Unfortunately, this isn’t really who Jane is. She is more of a strong-willed “I can get by by myself” kind of girl. The effect that this has is it makes Jane irritated with how life is and her rebellion against that causes many of the events of the book.

If a female character were male, how would the story be different?

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Well, for one the title would change…because I have never met a boy named Jane. Anyways, the story would lose most of it’s plot because Jane had to struggle a lot because she was a girl, and if she was a boy, then she wouldn’t have had nearly as much stress in her life. It would be an extremely short book and it wouldn’t have anything unique about it because most stories had main character boys, and that is just so unoriginal.

How does the marital status of a character affect her decisions or happiness?

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Well, I am going to guess that she was happy when she was finally married to Mr. Rochester. She seemed happy at least. I think that they were a good match for each other. Jane Eyre was pretty much a loner until she met him, and she seemed almost depressed then too, with good reason. Love can make you do crazy things. Jane Eyre had fallen in love with Mr. Rochester, and when she found out he was already married and kept his “wife” in the attic, her heart was broken, and she left. If she hadn’t loved him, then she wouldn’t have left when she found out. It was too much for her though. Then, she almost got married to St. John Rivers, but she realized that there would never be any love in that relationship, so she returned to Mr. Rochester. The marital status of Jane Eyre definitely was in control of how she reacted to things.  

Extra Blog #3 - Bertha Mason

My final blog! This blog is going to be about another character from Jane Eyre, because out of all of the essays and novels I had to read this summer, I enjoyed it the most. The character I am going to talk about is Bertha Mason. During the novel, she was Mr. Rochester’s “wife” whom he locked in the attic of his home. I, for one, feel pretty bad for her even though she has gone thoroughly insane. Mr. Rochester blames her craziness on her supposed drinking problems. When Bertha and Rochester got married, it is pretty obvious they were not meant for each other. Since she began to go crazy, Rochester did the stupidest thing ever and went and locked her up. In his house, no less. She spends a few years in a room in Jamaica, and then a decade at Thornfield. She crawls around on the floor and laughs creepily. I understand how Mr. Rochester would be afraid of that, but I am not a big fan of his actions after that. Apparently she did have some sense of perception, because she was able to find out about Jane and Mr. Rochester’s wedding and she went to destroy the wedding veil. Bertha Mason is a creepy character, but I felt she was a good character to talk about.

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Barnes and Noble Classics, 2003. Print

Extra Blog #2 - Jane Eyre's Mr. Rochester

My second extra blog is about Mr. Edward Rochester, from Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. Mr. Rochester was the man that Jane fell in love with and eventually married. He was not the most stunning man in the world, and certainly no prince charming, but he captured Jane’s heart nonetheless. He is a rough looking and stern, but Jane falls for him due to his promise to love her and give her a home. Mr. Rochester was married, even after meeting and falling for Jane, but due to the fact that his wife has gone crazy, he no longer thinks of her as a wife. He even keeps her locked up in a room in his house! How rude! He constantly flirts with Blanche Ingram, even while being “in a relationship” with Jane, but he only does it to make Jane jealous. He eventually does propose and on the day of their wedding, his secret is let out that he is already married. Because he kept this secret, Jane gets very angry with him and leaves, heartbroken. When Mr. Rochester grows sick, Jane returns to him, and forgives him for what he did. The two get married and grow old, living happily ever after.

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Barnes and Noble Classics, 2003. Print

Extra Blog #1 - Jane Eyre's Mrs. Reed

I wanted to use one of the remaining blogs to talk about Jane Eyre’s very own Mrs. Reed specifically. Mrs. Reed is Jane’s mean and cruel aunt. She is not biologically related to Jane, but she is Mrs. Reed’s husband’s sister’s daughter, so therefore, her aunt. The reason that she hates Jane so much is because she was forced by her husband’s death wish that she always take care of Jane. She also does not like Jane because Mr. Reed loved her more than their own children. She spoiled her own children and hated on Jane, treating her like garbage. She never thought of Jane as one of her own, she hardly thought of her as a child at all. She sent Jane away to school partially because that seemed to be what Jane wanted, not that she really cared, and that way she wouldn’t have to deal with her.  Mrs. Reed never realized what horrible, rude children she had until John tried to use all of her money to gamble. After she said no and he killed himself, she realized how horrible she was to Jane and wanted to try and make up for it. She couldn’t make up for it, and she died shortly after.

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Barnes and Noble Classics, 2003. Print

Italo Calvino's "Why Read the Classics?" - Question #8

My reaction to Italo Calvino’s essay was definitely an emotional one. I understand now that it is very important to have classics in your life, and that we should reread them over and over to fully understand them. “Why Read the Classics?” was written in a casual enough way that it could be read aloud and seem as if it was just coming from the mouth of a man who really knows his classics. Which, Calvino really does! It seemed as if he was just having a conversation with us. At the end, Calvino even confessed to messing up, and considered rewriting the essay because of it. “Now I ought to rewrite the whole article making it quite clear that the classics help us understand who we are and the point we have reached-.” As I read that, I remember actually laughing for a second. I really enjoyed how the essay was organized, because I am a list kind of person. Since this essay was written largely in the form of a list, I was able to follow it nicely and I actually enjoyed it. He had amazing explanations that were not hard to follow, and the definitions he was explaining made sense also. I enjoyed this essay a lot and I slightly want to go read a classic now.

Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics?" Why Read the Classics? London: Vintage, 2000. 3-9. Print.

Italo Calvino's "Why Read the Classics?" - Question #7

I believe that Italo Calvino has a lot of authority in his essay, “Why Read the Classics?”. This is partially because he is the author of the essay, so technically he is in control of anything and everything he writes in it. Within the essay, he still does seem to have a lot of authority. He has the authority to persuade us to read the classics because he knows so much about them. I believe that anyone who devotes that much of their life to reading, studying, and understanding the classics of ancient times to more present times deserves to have all the authority when it comes to that topic. Going back to how the essay was organized, Calvino had a lot of expertise on his subject of classics (giving him authority when that subject is involved), so he was able to arrange his essay in the way that he did.  His authority and expertise over the subject of classics caused him to be able to speak in a casual way, as if he was talking to you in person, or giving a speech without needing to read from a paper. “Put up your hand anyone who has read the whole of Herodotus and Thucydides.” (Calvino 3).  It really seems as if this essay was meant to be read allowed to some sort of a conference or other large group of people. He is able to do this only because of his authority over the subject.

Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics?" Why Read the Classics? London: Vintage, 2000. 3-9. Print.

Italo Calvino's "Why Read the Classics?" - Question #6

Calvino Italo did not have a true introduction paragraph like most essays do, but the beginning of his essay started with him saying, “Let us begin by putting forward some definitions.” (Calvino 3). His way of introducing his essay was by putting a different definition for every section of it. He would put a definition for classics, then take his time explaining it so the readers would understand it, and then once he was done, he would put another definition and repeat the cycle.

The way that Calvino concludes his essay is by summarizing his entire essay’s meaning. He takes from the explanations of each of his definitions and merges them together for easy understanding. He even went out there and told us casually that we must read the classics instead of not reading them. “The only reason that can be adduced in their favour is that reading the classics is always better than not reading them.” (Calvino 9). If that is not summarizing, then I do not know what is. After wards he concluded his entire essay with a quote, “While the hemlock was being prepared, Socrates was learning a melody on the flute. ‘What use will that be to you?’, he was asked, “At least I will learn this melody before I die.’” (Calvino 9) I really love it when authors end or start their works with a quote. I am not exactly sure why, but it is always a nice touch.

Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics?" Why Read the Classics? London: Vintage, 2000. 3-9. Print.

Italo Calvino's "Why Read the Classics?" - Question #5

Calvino’s “Why Read the Classics?” was organized unlike most essays that we would normally read. Essays usually start out with an introduction and then their body paragraphs build up according to importance, and then they have the conclusion. This essay was different. It was organized as if it was a list, which it was. He used the fourteen definitions of ‘classics’ and scattered them about his essay, but gave each one an explanation. A few times during the essay, the definitions only had one-sentence explanations instead of a few paragraphs explaining it, but besides that difference, the essay’s organization is pretty much repetitive. Definition. Explanation. Definition. Explanation. For the climax of the essay, Italo Calvino uses a mixture of the fourteen definitions to summarize the points of the entire essay. His points ended up merging into the overall point that classics are important to have in your life because they can greatly affect the way you understand life. Like I said earlier, this essay was organized not with a typical introduction and conclusion with paragraphs in-between, but as a giant list with explanations for each definition that all built together the climax. I enjoyed this essay also because of its different style of organization.

Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics?" Why Read the Classics? London: Vintage, 2000. 3-9. Print.

Italo Calvino's "Why Read the Classics?" - Question #4

I enjoyed Italo Calvino’s “Why Read the Classics?” a lot, because I could easily understand what he was trying to explain throughout it. I loved how he had an explanation for each of the fourteen definitions he had for the word classics. My favorite of the definitions was the first one, “The classics are those books about which you usually hear people saying: ‘I’m rereading…’, never ‘I’m reading…’” (Calvino 3). In that one definition I can see that it is a lot better to reread classics instead of tossing them aside after one time. Also, “A classic is a book which has never exhausted all it has to say to its readers,” is a great definition that I found appealing. It is a very true statement because classics, as stated by him, are different each time we read them. “Reading a classic must also surprise us, when we compare it to the image we previously had of it.” (Calvino 5). Every time we read a classic, whether it’s the second, third, or fourth, etc. time, we come at it knowing what it will be about. After reading it, we will find new things about it that we never noticed before that will affect our lives. Those were only two of the many things I found appealing about this essay.

Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics?" Why Read the Classics? London: Vintage, 2000. 3-9. Print.

Italo Calvino's "Why Read the Classics?" - Question #3

Calvino’s “Why Read the Classics?” is full of rhetorical devices. Rhetorical devices are used to make essays or other literary works more appealing to read. I noticed a simile, personification, and hypophora. A simile is when you compare two or more things together, while using ‘like’ or ‘as’. A few times on page four, Calvino mentions how reading a classic for the first time is like when you are young. He also mentions how when we reread classics it is like growing up, because we understand them more. (Calvino 4). Personification is when you give non-human or inanimate objects human-like characteristics. One example of personification I found in this essay was, “-while we continue to follow the discourse of the classics which resounds clearly and articulately inside our room.” (Calvino 8). As far as I know, books do not make sounds, so this appeared to be an example of personification. Hypophora is when the author of a literary work asks a question and then answers it within said literary work. After thinking about it for a little while, I realized that the essay itself is somewhat of a hypophora, seeing as though the title of the essay is a question and the essay is the answer.

Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics?" Why Read the Classics? London: Vintage, 2000. 3-9. Print.

Italo Calvino's "Why Read the Classics?" - Question #2

After reading through “Why Read the Classics?”, I have decided that his tone is very persuasive and passionate. The entire essay is about him explaining why we should take time in our lives to read and reread classics. He uses fourteen different definitions of classics to explain that to us! When I first looked at the essay, I thought it was just going to be a few reasons for why we should read the classics, but I never expected how in dept he would be. “Perhaps the ideal would be to hear the present as a noise outside our window, warning us of the traffic jams and weather changes outside, while we continue to follow the discourse of the classics which resounds clearly and articulately inside our room.” (Calvino 8). This was a good example of how Calvino persuades his readers. He persuades us to read classics in a quiet room with no distractions such as TV’s or computers, so that we can focus on the book and only the book. He uses many examples like this to persuade his readers to read the classics.

It is obvious that he is passionate about the classics, or else he would not have written this essay all about them. At the end of the essay, he even joked about having to rewrite the essay a second or third time so that he could revise his points (Calvino 9). Throughout the entire essay he was very passionate and persuasive about the classics.

Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics?" Why Read the Classics? London: Vintage, 2000. 3-9. Print.

Italo Calvino's "Why Read the Classics?" - Question #1

Italo Calvino’s essay, “Why Read the Classics?”, has a very implicit thesis, because it does not seem to truly be in the essay itself. I found what I believe to be the thesis by reading through it and determining what I thought Calvino was trying to say. He gave fourteen different definitions of classics, and within those definitions and the explanations after each one, I found the implicit thesis. “The classics are those books about which you usually hear people saying: ‘I’m rereading…’, never ‘I’m reading…’” (Calvino 1). Here the author is pointing out that classics are not meant to be read once and then set aside. They are meant to be read time and time again so that you can fully understand their meaning.  “A classic is a book which has never exhausted all it has to say to its readers.” (Calvino 5). Calvino is pointing out here that no matter how many times you read a classic novel, you will always discover something new that can affect your life. “ ‘Your’ classic is a book to which you cannot remain indifferent, and which helps you define yourself in relation or even in opposition to it.” (Calvino 7). I used these three definitions and their explanations to figure out a thesis for the essay. I believe that the thesis is: Classics are important in everyone’s lives because they never cease to teach us life lessons, so therefore we should reread them over and over to fully understand them. That is what I believe Calvino was trying to say throughout his essay.

Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics?" Why Read the Classics? London: Vintage, 2000. 3-9. Print.

Vladimir Nabokov's "Good Readers and Good Writers" - My Reaction

My reaction to this essay was mostly a logical reaction, instead of an emotional one. It made me realize what I should do so that I can be a better reader while reading a novel or some other form of literary work. Also, since I intend to do some writing when I am an adult or in the near future, it helped me understand what I would need to do to be a better author. I learned how I should balance out information with storyline and it will definitely help me during the next time I write. Also, one of my first reactions to this essay was that it was not as bad as I thought it would be. I feared this essay a little bit when I first looked at it, but I found myself actually understanding what he was saying by the end and I really enjoyed it. So, that could be somewhat of an emotional reaction, but overall the logic behind the essay was what really got a reaction out of me. He used a balanced amount of details and examples throughout. One of my favorite parts of this essay was the fact that he compared reading a novel and looking at a painting to each other. After thinking about it, it does make sense what he said. “When we look at a painting we do not have to move our eyes in a special way even if, as in a book, the picture contains elements of depth and development.” (Nabokov 2). Later on in the paragraph he said, “But at a second, or third, or fourth reading we do, in a sense, behave towards a book as we do a painting.” (Nabokov 2). I really enjoyed this essay because his detail in it was so remarkable; I understood what his points were throughout it.

Nabokov Vladimir. “Good Readers and Good Writers.” Lectures on Literature. 1948. 4.

Vladimir Nabokov's "Good Readers and Good Writers" - Authority

Vladimir Nabokov has a lot of authority in this essay, and he freely expresses his thoughts on the subject. You can tell through his writing how he feels it means to be a good author or a good reader and he eagerly explains it to the readers of his essay. His authority is very strong because he explains his points with a lot of reasoning and explanations to back them up. He compares his ideas to that of others and asks simple questions to make our minds think about what he is trying to explain to us. His authority throughout the essay makes me feel like what he is saying in it is the truth, and I do not doubt it. Also, Nabokov’s authority over the essay allows him to choose which point of view it is in, how it is organized, and how he explains the things he says. He uses the first person point of view and I think that helped the readers understand his points a lot better. He even put in a quiz for the readers of his essay to consider trying, he encouraged his readers to select four of the ten answers to the question “what should a reader be to be a good reader” (Nabokov 2). It was good of Nabokov to put in this quiz because it help the readers get more into his essay and really think about it instead of just skimming through and somewhat getting what he was saying. His authority over the essay helped to make it enjoyable and easier to read.

Nabokov Vladimir. “Good Readers and Good Writers.” Lectures on Literature. 1948. 4.

Vladimir Nabokov's "Good Reader and Good Writers" - Methods of Introductions and Conclusions

VLADIMIR NABOKOV’S ESSAY – Methods of Introduction and Conclusion

“Good Readers and Good Writers” has a nice way of introducing Vladimir Nabokov’s ideas. It’s introductory paragraph includes a quote, which introduces the theme of his essay. “What a scholar one might be if one knew well only some half a dozen books.” (Nabokov 1). It means that you are not a good scholar if you do not know many different varying novels and genres. Seeing as though his essay is entitled “Good Readers and
Good Writers,” this seems like a good quote to have near the beginning. Nabokov intended for his essay to explain how you can be a good author, or a good reader, so the quote was a good introduction.

As for the conclusion, Nabokov summarizes earlier stated points. That is a typical characteristic of a conclusion, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. It is good to summarize at the end of essays because then the points you wanted to be noticed will not go unnoticed. “It seems to me that a good formula to test the quality of a novel is, in the long run, a merging of the precision of poetry and the intuition of science.” (Nabokov 4). In this he summarizes the point he was trying to get out during his whole section on how to be a good writer.  Afterwards he briefly summarizes his point toward his section on how to be a good reader, “In order to bask in that magic a wise reader reads the book of genius not with his heart, not so much with his brain, but with his spine. It is there that occurs the telltale tingle even though we must keep a little aloof, a little detached when reading.” There he explains how we should merge what the author has given us with the imagination our own mind brings up to fully enjoy the novel or other literary work. I find his introduction and conclusion very well laid out.

Nabokov Vladimir. “Good Readers and Good Writers.” Lectures on Literature. 1948. 4.

Vladimir Nabokov's "Good Readers and Good Writers" - How is it organized?

“Good Readers and Good Writers” had a very standard, simple organization to it, it had an introduction, many paragraphs between, and then a conclusion. It did have a few characteristics to it that made it less organized than a standard essay, but it made it an enjoyable essay nonetheless. One of these characteristics is the fact that it’s thesis was found later on in the essay than the typical thesis, which is found at the end of the introductory paragraph. Also, his essay was organized differently in that it had a small quiz within it to find out if you are a good reader or not (Nabokov 2) and that does not normally occur in an essay. Another way the essay was like a standard essay was that fact that the facts that Nabokov was trying to point out were organized in a less important to more important way. That is the typical way that essays are organized, so that by the end the reader is enthralled in it and it has a nice, effective conclusion.  Both sections of the essay, the good readers and the good writers parts of it, are organized in this way, so that the readers does not get bored as the essay goes on. Having organization in your essay is key for your readers to not be confused or even bored as it carries on.

Nabokov Vladimir. “Good Readers and Good Writers.” Lectures on Literature. 1948. 4.

Vladimir Nabokov's "Good Readers and Good Writers" - Catching My Attention

One part of this essay that really caught my attention was the list of reasons someone is a good reader. I do not know if this caught my eye because it was a list and not paragraphs, or if it was because I just understood it a lot. The list says that you should identify yourself with the hero or heroine (Nabokov 2) and that made a lot of sense to me because often, when I am reading a novel, I find myself comparing myself with at least one of the characters. In doing so, I am able to enjoy it much more. It also says that you should have an imagination and artistic sense (Nabokov 2). That caught my attention as well because I realized that in many books, certain details are left out so that you may visualize them yourself. They are left up to the reader’s imagination. I love it when authors do this because if the reader gets a chance to use their imagination, then they can enjoy the story much more.

Another section that intrigued me was the second paragraph of the third page. It also spoke about personal imagination and an artistic mind. It said how we should use our imagination to enjoy the parts of the literary piece that the author put out there. My favorite part of this paragraph was where it said, “We must see things and hear things, we must visualize the rooms, the clothes, the manners of an author’s people.” (Nabokov 3) I enjoyed this part because I find that one of the most enjoyable part of any novel I read. The fact that you can let your imagination run wild without messing up the novel’s main plot and you have a lot of creative freedom. Nabokov is really good at explaining how a novel should be read, and that is what caught my attention.

Nabokov Vladimir. “Good Readers and Good Writers.” Lectures on Literature. 1948. 4.

Vladimir Nabokov's "Good Readers and Good Writers" - Rhetorical Devices

Vladimir Nabokov’s essay, “Good Readers and Good Writers” uses the rhetorical devices of allusion and rhetorical questions. Allusion is figure of speech where the author makes a reference to a place, time, event, work of art, or other literary work within his or her own work. I found this allusion in the first sentence of the fourth paragraph of page three. ”Literature was born on the day when a boy came crying wolf, wolf, and there was no wolf behind him.” (Nabokov 3) He made a reference to “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”, a popular literary work from the past, so therefore he used allusion.

Nabokov also used rhetorical questions throughout his essay. Rhetorical questions are questions the author asks, but does not really have a yes or no answer to. They are put in so that you can focus more on what the author is trying to say to you and to spur your mind. It helps you better understand the overall point of the literary work and they are very helpful in that sense.  Some rhetorical questions he asks are, “Can we rely on Jane Austen’s picture of landowning England with baronets and landscaped grounds when all she knew was a clergyman’s parlor?”, “Can we expect to glean information about places and times from a novel?”, or “Can anybody be so naïve as to think he or she can learn about the past from those buxom best-sellers that are hawked around by book clubs under the heading of historical novels?” He asks these questions, only so that you give thought to them so you can better comprehend his thoughts.

Nabokov Vladimir. “Good Readers and Good Writers.” Lectures on Literature. 1948. 4.

Vladimir Nabokov's "Good Readers and Good Writers" - Tone

After reading through Vladimir Nabokov’s essay, “Good Readers and Good Writers,” I realized that the tone was a very informative passionate tone. He really understands what it means to be a good reader or a good writer. He seems to have a harsh tone against other authors, such as Madame Bovary and Jane Austen (Nabokov 1), but that could just contribute to the passion that he has for the way he thinks. He also states that was should always make sure to pay attention to detail and the small things the author puts in (Nabokov 2). Also, throughout the essay he tells about how to be a good writer. He says that to be a good writer, you must have magic, story, and lesson within your writing (Nabokov 4). You can tell that Vladimir Nabokov knew what he was talking about when he wrote this essay. He has great points in it that show us how we can be an appreciative reader and a knowledgeable writer. I was able to learn a lot from this essay that I can use for the next time I read a work of writing or write something. All of these things show that he is very informative and passionate about the ways of reading and writing.

Nabokov Vladimir. “Good Readers and Good Writers.” Lectures on Literature. 1948. 4

Vladimir Nabokov's "Good Readers and Good Writers" - Thesis

I had to skim through the “Good Readers and Good Writers” essay a few times after reading it to finally find the thesis.  After finding it, I realized that it was an implicit thesis, because it was not stated near the beginning like one would expect. An implicit thesis does not appear near the beginning of the essay because it does not want the argument to be known until later on, so that you read through and decipher the meaning of the essay beforehand. Nabokov’s argument was, “In reading, one should notice and fondle details.” (Nabokov 1). After reading that, I began to understand what the essay was trying to say. Throughout the essay, Nabokov pointed out how, to be a good reader, we must take time to read through the things we are reading multiple times and take time to notice the details. If we do that, then we can fully understand what the author intended for the readers to notice. That way, we will enjoy or just understand the essay more. Usually, authors of essays like this would put the thesis near the beginning. I am more used to the thesis being at the end of the first paragraph. I do like that he was different, by putting the thesis a little later on in the first page. It made the essay a lot more interesting.

Nabokov Vladimir. “Good Readers and Good Writers.” Lectures on Literature. 1948. 4

Wuthering Heights - Question #8

This novel does seem to fit the events of the time period and setting. The way people acted and behaved around one another seems to fit the time period of the novel, the 1800’s. The relationship between parents or guardians with their children is much different than what it is in today’s society. Back then, they were not, at least in my eyes, good at their parenting skills. They hit or even beat their children when they misbehaved or did something wrong in the parent or guardians eyes. Like I said in an earlier blog, what would that help anything? That just makes the children more aggressive, which is probably one of the contributing factors to why Heathcliff is such a violent, dark man. The relationships between man and woman are not like they are today either. The man in almost any case, is the more important of the two. They were considered stronger and more important, where as the women were only important for child bearing. Heathcliff did care about and deeply love Catherine, and so did Edgar, but still, in the longrun, the men were considered more important.  That was how society worked back then, though, so I believe that this story accurately reflected events in history.

Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Random House, 1943. Print.

Wuthering Heights - Question #7

Emily Bronte uses the techniques of mystery and love, but again, mostly love. There are many mysteries found in this novel. Such as the mystery of where Heathcliff is really from. The way they described him was a dark skinned gypsy, but we do not know where that means he is from. He could be African, or Egyptian, or something else, but all we can really assume is that whatever he is, he is not European. The book all-in-all is a very mysterious one. It is dark, and suspenseful, and it has somewhat of a horror feel to it, but that is what makes it intriguing. The love story in the novel is what probably brings in most of the readers, seeing as though love is something we can all relate to. If you write romance into a good novel, then most likely the novel’s fame will rise. Also, the fact that Wuthering Heights is not your average “fair maiden and prince charming” love story, makes it more realistic, and thus more popular in society’s eyes. The combination of mystery, darkness, horror, revenge, and love makes the story a very intriguing one and it engages the audience, making the story an effective one.

Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Random House, 1943. Print.

Wuthering Heights - Question #6

Wuthering Heights is a fantastic novel that tells about the struggles of true, passionate love that is so strong, it goes on and on, even after the grave. It is an unforgettable novel indeed. It also is very descriptive and easy to enjoy. Due to the fact that it uses an older form of English than we 21^st century teens are used to, it is pretty confusing at times, but once I read through some scenes a few times, I was able to understand it all pretty well. The older form of English is not my favorite to read but I will say I did enjoy this book a lot. I enjoyed it also because it was different than most love stories, like the ones that are perfect from the start. As for timeless themes, I can say that I have never read such a dark love story. Wuthering Heights is full of love, revenge, suffering, and dysfunctional families that make it a book unlike any other. We can learn from this novel that even though love is an amazing thing, it is still hard, and no matter how perfect or imperfect it is, there are still consequences to it. We don’t always get what we most want in life.

Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Random House, 1943. Print.

Wuthering Heights - Question #5

Wuthering Heights begins in the year 1801. Lockwood narrates until Nelly Dean picks it up where he leaves off, but starts telling about the past. You can tell that the story was written during the 1800’s because of the way the characters speak. They used long, descriptive words and spoke in an all around different way than we do today. I do not know one person who talks like that today. The way people acted back then is also very different from how they act today. The way parents treated their kids when they were wrong or acted badly was pretty harsh. They would beat them or just smack them instead of lecturing them for it, as if that would teach anything. And concerning social issues, men and women were very different. Men were the more important people and women were considered weak in comparison. They did not seem to have a purpose besides bearing the children and watching over the kids. There are many differences between the behavior and social issues of then and now.

I believe that the symbolic significance of the book is that its characters are so flawed. These flaws make them seem realistic in the reader’s eyes, so it makes the book symbolic.

Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Random House, 1943. Print.

Wuthering Heights - Question #4

The hero of Wuthering Heights is probably Heathcliff, seeing as though he is a pretty important character. He is described as a dark haired gypsy, who was parentless, homeless, and had no hygiene. He was taken in by the Earnshaw’s long enough for Catherine and him to fall into a deep love. They fell in love because they were so much alike, while also being so different. He was strong and he changed a lot during his stay at Wuthering Heights. After falling in love, he became the Heathcliff he was as an adult. He was referred to a lot as somewhat of a devil, or a demon, because of his darkness. So he could represent the abstract ideas of darkness and strength. He represents darkness because of his evil, revengeful ways against Edgar after he marries Catherine. He only marries Edgar’s sister, Isabella, so that Edgar would be angry and Catherine would be jealous. Heathcliff also represents strength because he had had to be strong his entire life to deal with the numerous obstacles in his life. He suffered being a homeless, starving orphan. He endured beatings at Wuthering Heights. He also had to deal with the heartbreak of seeing Catherine married to Edgar instead of him.

Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Random House, 1943. Print.

Wuthering Heights - Question #3

Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights uses universal themes such as revenge and love, but mostly love. The way revenge is found in this novel is by Heathcliff’s need for it. Not until the end of his life, when he finally gives up on the revenge he seeks, does he truly become happy. During his life, he wanted revenge on Catherine because she married Edgar instead of him. He never wanted to hurt her badly; he just wanted her to be jealous of him by marrying Edgar’s sister, Isabella. But then, when Catherine dies, he realizes that making her jealous never would have helped anything. Eventually, after Heathcliff gives up on his revenge and finally is happy, he too dies. Together, Catherine and Heathcliff meet in death, and finally get to be together, forever.

The other universal theme used in the novel was love. Even though Catherine treated Heathcliff like a piece of trash when he first arrived, they grew to love each other as they aged. They became two lovers who could never be brought apart. The love they share is a dark love, for even though they love and care for one another, they are opposites, one dark and one light. Emily Bronte really understands human nature in that even when two people love each other as strong as Heathcliff and Catherine did, life is not a fantasy, and sometimes we just do not get what we want.

Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Random House, 1943. Print.

Wuthering Heights - Question #2

The conflict of Wuthering Heights is definitely the fact that Catherine Earnshaw married Edgar Linton, even though she loves Heathcliff. She loved both of them, but she made the decision to marry Edgar since he is handsome, fun to be around, nice, and happy.  It seems to be that she loves Edgar with her heart, and possibly her mind, but she loves Heathcliff with her heart and soul. She even stated, “It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him: and that, not because he’s handsome, Nelly, but because he’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” (Bronte 80) After finishing the book, I realized that Catherine and Heathcliff are very much alike, and that she really meant it when she said that. They have extremely similar souls. Even though Edgar seemed to love and care for Catherine more than anyone else in the entire world, Catherine knew that deep down, her soul mate was Heathcliff. The loss of the conflict was that they would never be together, even though that’s all they wanted. The gains were that Edgar would fawn over her and love her. He also was handsome and rich. Destiny kept them apart, even though they were perfect for each other, specifically because they were so different.

Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Random House, 1943. Print.

Wuthering Heights - Question #1

Emily Bronte’s novel, Wuthering Heights, had an amazing story to it. She wrote in a beautifully descriptive way and it really made the novel an enjoyable one, even though it was rather dark. Emily Bronte seems to really value true love. She likes the idea of opposites attracting, instead of the two people in love being exactly alike. Heathcliff was an orphan, and Catherine was brought up by a well-off and classy family. Even though Heathcliff and Catherine were deeply in love, they were kept apart by the dark romance that their love was based on.  Emily Bronte decides to make Catherine marry Edgar Linton, who was basically the handsome “perfect” young man that love stories are usually about. I believe that Emily Bronte had more of a dark attitude when it came to love, or just life in general, due to how the book ran. I did enjoy the book, but it did have a dark feeling about it, due to the domestic violence within it.

The book was written in the perspective of Lockwood for most of the novel, but then Nelly Dean starts narrating from her perspective.

Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Random House, 1943. Print.

Jane Eyre - Question #8

The book very well suits the time period and location it was said to have been in. The attitudes, appearances, and scenery all seem like the time and setting the book was in. The author, Charlotte Bronte, wrote about the relationship between Adele, Mr. Rochester’s former mistress’s daughter, and Jane. Jane was Adele’s governess, so her employer was technically Mr. Rochester, seeing as he was Adele’s guardian, even though we do not know if he is biologically her father. The relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester was probably strange to the average reader at first because, to my knowledge, people did not form a relationship with their employers back then, but I could be wrong. The relationships between her and her family are different as well. What Jane knew as “family” as a child was the abusive, cruel, rude, and harsh family she had with her Aunt and cousins. Her Aunt spoiled her own children, but she treated Jane as if she wasn’t worth anything. Her cousins, especially John Reed, were mean to her as well. Although, when she lived with her other family, they were nothing but kind and respective towards her. The relationship that Jane has with others varies a lot, but it helps give the story more realism.

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Barnes and Noble Classics, 2003. Print

Jane Eyre - Question #7

The novel was able to keep me, and many others, entertained throughout by using certain techniques. A couple that she used is romance and transformation. Romance is used significantly throughout the novel and is a good technique to use to keep the readers entertained. It keeps people reading the book because romance is something we all deal with or at least want in life, so reading it in a book makes the readers feel like it is more realistic. The basis of the novel is romance, so that helps keep the readers enthralled anyways. The relationship between Mr. Rochester and Jane is a good example of the romance in the book.  I am one of the readers who enjoys reading about romance, so no wonder I enjoyed the book so much.

The other technique that Charlotte Bronte used while writing this novel was transformation. Throughout the book, Jane grew from a small, innocent girl, to a strong-willed, independent woman who can take care of herself. Transformation in novels is a good way to entertain the readers because if the characters stayed the same during the novel, it would get boring and people may not want to continue. For example, when Jane was a child, in the beginning of the book, she was constantly pushed around by her older cousin, but by the end of the book, she would not let people boss her around because she had grown into the strong woman that we all read about. Because the characters change frequently, it keeps the readers wanting to find out what comes next, and never ceases to bore them. 

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Barnes and Noble Classics, 2003. Print

Jane Eyre - Question #6

Why do we STILL read this book? The question should really be why wouldn’t we read this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially because it had a certain quality about it that made me want to continue reading, so that I could find out what happened next. The storyline was great, but I believe people read this novel because of its amazing characters. They had such varied personalities, and were all so different from one another. Mr. Rochester, for example was practically the opposite of the typical “prince charming” , but something about that made him a more appealing character. It made him more real. People aren’t perfect like the fairytales, we all have varying personalities, and whatever so-called “flaws” we have, are actually perfection in-and-of itself. The themes of the novel reflect what people truly deal with in real life, making the novel so appealing. Jane’s story is about the struggles she faces while growing up, and I feel like one of the stronger messages of the novel is that you should never give up, in any circumstance. If you tried in the first place, it must have been important to you, so why give up later on? If you never give up, and you try your hardest, you can make it through the hard times, just like Jane did throughout her entire life.

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Barnes and Noble Classics, 2003. Print

Jane Eyre - Question #5

This novel very well reflects the social behavior of the time period. Many qualities about how the people act showed this. The way people showed affection to one another was not like they do today. For example, Mr. Rochester flirted around with Blanche Ingram while being in a relationship with Jane. I know that cheating goes on today, but the way Mr. Rochester did it, was unlike how cheating happens today. Also, the way the Lowood school ran very much reflected the time period. They sat in a large room and had their lessons read out to them and then they must recite the lessons to their teacher to show that they had learned it. That is very much different from how schools run today. The setting of the book is in the areas of northern England. The novel seems like it takes place there due to how the houses worked, having manors and such.

I believe that the symbolic significance of the novel is that the love story within it was different that most love stories you would read. This difference also is why so many people enjoyed this book. Instead of a smooth flowing, perfect relationship, the novel described a complicated relationship with ups and downs like no other. That is why the novel is such a popular classic.

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Barnes and Noble Classics, 2003. Print

Jane Eyre - Question #4

The hero of the novel is Jane Eyre. The title of the novel is her name anyways. Like I stated in one of my earlier blogs, Jane is a strong-willed, independent woman. Throughout the entire novel, she behaves in this way. She doesn’t let others get to her, knowing that she is doing what she believes is right.  She hated her life with her Aunt and cousins, so she found a way out of that, successfully getting the education she desired. Then she grew up and found love with Mr. Rochester, whom she lived with for some time. Jane Eyre changed a lot from when she was living with her Aunt. She was small and innocent then, and where she did speak rebelliously occasionally, she did not get her way much. She grew to be a strong woman who got what she wanted due to her independence and determination. Even though Mr. Rochester hurt her emotionally, she eventually went back to him after realizing that she will never love anyone as much as she loved him. In the end, Jane Eyre is a good protagonist for the novel because she demonstrates a strong-willed attitude that the author believes is a good quality in women.

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Barnes and Noble Classics, 2003. Print

Jane Eyre - Question #3

Two universal themes that are found in the novel, Jane Eyre, are love and appearances. Love and relationships are found throughout the novel. Jane falls in love with Mr. Rochester while living with him and all it truly caused her was a lot of pain. Though by the end of the book, she is back with him and they live happily together for the rest of their lives. The book also deals with false love, such as the “love” St. John Rivers has for Jane. He obviously did not have any true feelings for Jane besides the fact that he thought she’d make a good missionary wife. Having love as a theme of a novel is good because love is in almost everyone’s lives, or at least it should be. Having it as a theme helps people relate to it better and thus understand the book more.

The other universal theme found in this novel is appearances. The book constantly talked about how plain, or even ugly (in comparison to others), Jane was. There was a lot of diversity between the way people appeared throughout the book. For example, while Jane was at Lowood, the girls of the school wore plain, dull clothes, and no one really had a chance to be different. Except in Brocklehurst, the women were all dolled up and pretty. The novel shows us this diversity to explain how external appearances keep people from expressing their true identity from the inside. Jane obviously feels that if she obsesses over looks, she’ll lose herself in the process. This is a good theme to have because many people deal with their looks, thinking that it is the most important thing, while it is truly not.

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Barnes and Noble Classics, 2003. Print

Jane Eyre - Question #2

If I had to pick any of the events of the story to be the main conflict, it would be Jane’s relationship with Mr. Rochester. It was not exactly your typical love story, with a handsome young man and a pretty girl, who both are perfect for each other in every way. The relationship had good moments, but also bad moments, and these ups and downs continued throughout the entire novel. Other conflicts of the novel are living with her cruel Aunt and abusive cousin, and her stay at Lowood School. The cause of the main conflict is when Jane first meets Mr. Rochester and they are immediately attracted to each other. This started a relationship, and thus forming the conflict. Gains of the conflict are that Mr. Rochester finally has someone that he can rely on to help him if he needs it. Unfortunately, Mr. Rochester is not the nicest person to Jane all of the time, and not only that, but he is also already married! (Bronte 378). This angers Jane and she is heartbroken, so that could be a definite loss of the conflict.  She leaves him and barely makes it before her cousins (whom she has never met before) take her in. Conflicts arise there as well, especially with St. John Rivers.  Jane eventually heads back to Mr. Rochester in the resolution of the book, and they marry, living happily ever after.

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Barnes and Noble Classics, 2003. Print

Jane Eyre - Question #1

Jane Eyre is about a strong-willed, independent girl who does what she thinks is right, and not what she is forced or told to do. Most girls of that time were, or were expected to be, dainty and proper. Jane was the opposite. I believe that when Charlotte Bronte first envisioned Jane, she thought about how she believed girls should be. I think that Charlotte valued being a strong, independent woman because back then, women were not highly thought of, and they did not have as many rights as they do today. This also might tag along with Charlotte’s attitude. She might have been the spitting image of Jane, or maybe very close. Like I mentioned earlier, the book describes Jane as a very independent girl who believes she can handle herself. Charlotte Bronte probably believes that all women should be like that.

Jane Eyre was written in first person. Jane told the entire story, but you do not know until the very end of the book how old Jane was as she told it. By the end of the novel, we have found out that Jane is telling the story approximately ten years after the last scene of the book takes place.

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Barnes and Noble Classics, 2003. Print