Reading Journals
Jane Eyre: Reading Journal
Charlotte Brontë
Overall, Jane Eyre is a novel I truly felt connected to. Jane is a character that is so well written that I found myself constantly guessing what her reaction would be following certain events. Brontë shapes Jane into such an independent and quick witted woman far beyond her years. It makes sense to me now why Jane Eyre is highly recommended by a vast number of readers and writers alike. Among the many other factors that make this book a favorite among so many is the extreme care taken to develop character relationships.
The connection between Jane and Helen is instant and undeniable. When Jane first meets Helen she asks her questions regarding the people at Lowood, and also Helen’s own faith in God. At this point in the novel, as readers understand that Jane is not one for letting others decide things for her. All of this implies that Jane is not only interested in Helen’s opinions, but genuinely receives them as beneficial resource. Also upon their introduction, Helen asks Jane to describe her life up until their present. “I proceeded forthwith to pour out, in my own way, the tale of my sufferings and resentments. Bitter and truculent when excited, I spoke as I felt, without reserve or softening,” (Brontë 69). Prior to the initial debut of Helen, Jane has never had a true haven that she deems a safe place to lay her burdens down. The majority of the community at Gateshead were malicious toward her and never truly considered her to be of much worth at all. I believe this is the first real first real friend that Jane has ever had, and possibly the purest love she ever knows.
Although their dearness for each other is evident throughout their friendship, their love for one another isn’t entirely exposed to us as readers until Jane finds out that Helen is dying.. Jane has endured death before, but this loss truly was portrayed as her hardest goodbye. At Helen’s bedside of the eve of her passing Jane explains “I clasped my arms closer ‘round Helen; she seemed dearer to me than ever; I felt as if I could not let her go; I lay with my face hidden in her neck,” (91). The extreme heartbreak that Jane faces in the moment that she realizes she is about to lose Helen is overwhelming, even as a reader. I had never felt as close to any of the characters as I felt Jane in these expressions of grief. After Helen dies, Jane never speaks of her or exposes any form of mourning to the reader. This implies that when Jane feels that Helen “seemed dearer to [her] than ever,” solely because it’s the truth. She has endured death and loss enough already that she knows there is no room for grief on the other side of death; there is only the ever-fading time here in the living.
Jane Eyre is a book I will consider a must-read from now on. Each of my favorite novels rank so highly because of character development. Every time my favorite characters were forced to endure new hardships, my heart broke for them. However, my heart was heaviest with the passing of Helen; I believe Jane’s heart was heaviest in that moment as well.
Brontë, Charlotte. Jane Eyre: Case Studies in Contemporary Criticism 2nd ed Edited by Beth Newman: Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, 2014. Print.
Deerbrook: Reading Journal
Harriet Martineau
The relationship in Harriet Martineau’s Deerbrook that struck me most is that between the Ibbotson sisters. After becoming orphaned and forced to move to the country to live with the Grey’s, the Ibbotson sisters quickly find themselves feeling out of place amongst their new community and community members. Upon their first night in Deerbrook, the sisters settle into their room and begin discussing all of their exciting plans to adventure outside and live a true country lifestyle. As the conversation continues, however, it quickly becomes a discussion regarding their honesty and loyalty to one another. Margaret expresses to her sister “[i]f I were to lose you, Hester, there are many many things that would be shut up in me for ever. There will never be any on earth to whom I could say the things I can tell to you. Do you believe this, Hester?” (Martineau 22). Hester then acknowledged that she does believe her sister and they promise to remain truthful and always believe in one another from there on out.
Throughout the novel, the bond between Margaret and Hester remains strong even after enduring the emotional exhaustion of being involved in the same love triangles. The foundation of love and loyalty that these two sisters cultivated in the very beginning of the story is arguably foreshadowing of how and why Margaret never really falls head over heels in genuine love. The love that these sisters have for each other truly surpasses that of anything they will ever be able to find in a man. Margaret discusses the sadness she feels when Hester doubts her or believes that she is getting along better with someone else instead of her on the first night as well. She doesn’t stop discussing this topic until she is entirely sure that Hester knows her love for her and irreplaceability in Margret’s life. Clearly, Margaret does not ever want to be doubted or questioned by the one whom she is closest. This which is exactly what Philip goes on to do. When Philip is wrongly informed that Margaret loved Mr. Hope prior to her feelings for him, he calls off the engagement. Philip does exactly what Margaret begs Hester not to do. He believes that she had strong feelings for Mr. Hope and that, because Hope would have been her first love, she is unable to true love him. As readers, we know that Margaret never had feelings for Mr. Hope, but the damage has already been done. Even as their relationship is repaired, the damage has already been done. Margret began this journey believing that she could never find a partner that would suit her and have faith in her as well as Hester and this is now her proof.
Although Martineau does not deliberately touch on this correlation, I believe it was intentional. The emphasis here is that women and men were never truly able to connect at this time period because of their authority level. As men possessed more rights and respect, a natural hierarchy is created and societally encouraged in the home. Margaret and Hester are of the same upbringing and gender. It is because of this that their authority levels are similar, leaving no room for real repercussion for either one’s actions or words. Hester listens to what her sister has to say and, not only understands the grounds on which she is standing, but also realizes that there is no need to be anything other than faithful with her. This is because they have the ability to communicate genuinely without fear of consequence. No man will ever truly treat either of these sisters in the same way that they are able to treat each other. With this as their basis and longest example of true love, Margaret is never able to attain such genuineness from anyone else, thus, making it impossible to find a greater or even equal partner for life.
Martineau, Harriet. Deerbrook. Penguin Books, 2004.
A Manchester Strike: Reading Journal
Harriet Martineau
Harriet Martineau’s A Manchester Strike explores the ever present themes of economical oppression upon the working class. The character of William Allen is the perfect portrayal of the unexpected, sacrificial leader. Allen finds himself responsible for the social/economic group that he himself belongs to. After being forced into this mediating position, Allen’s duty becomes a matter of self-dedication to the community that is enduring the exact same suffrage as he experiences within his own working, and family life. William’s wife, Mary is an accurate representation of the every day housewife at this time. Mary collects the money that Martha makes from the factory and adds it in with the entirety of the family wages. Mary stays at home and expresses genuine fear over what she believes might happen if the strike is unsuccessful. Eventually, Mary ends foreseeing exactly what was to come. After the strike fails and wages are equalized to a lower rate than before, the factory owners are not able to hire back all of the staff they originally employed. When William finds himself trying to find a job, he finds that none of the factory masters truly want to re-hire him. Even though he played a major part in the leadership and planning of the strike which did gain him respect from the masters, no one was willing to hire him after the fact. The character of Master Wentworth whom is a dynamic character that acts as a master, teacher, and understanding business man isn’t even able to provide work for Allen. Although I believe Master Wentworth appreciated Allen’s wisdom, patience, and ability to guide and would have hired him had there not been extenuating circumstances, Wentworth was under the same pressure as every other factory owner at this point. Only around two-thirds of the original factory employees were rehired. For Wentworth, these two-thirds were the ones who proved their loyalty to his factory through years of seniority, and those who refused to strike in the first place. This leaves absolutely no room for any new employees; including William Allen.
Allen’s daughter is another interesting character that plays a major role in emphasizing the contrast between what is explained to the working middle class as benefits, and what is true wealth. Martha Allen is a child laborer who works in the factory even during the times of the strike. Allowing children to continue their work in the factory allowed families to stay afloat during the extreme economic depression, and the decision to be absent from work in hopes of the strike progressing into equal wages. Due to Martha’s exposure to such a harsh work environment, she becomes weak and frail. She complains often of how her knees hurt her all the time and how ill she is becoming with each day. Even though Martha is willing and able to work, a benefit to be sure, the truth is exposed through the character of her friend; Hannah Bray. Hannah Bray is a child street performer with more joy and bodily health than Martha could imagine. Hannah once worked for the factories before her and her father became street performers. I believe that Martineau creates both of these characters in order to highlight the irony of the situation. Martha, although not much, makes more money than Hannah does and yet Hannah is the one seeing dancing around with bountiful energy. She does not struggle with physical imparities due to work, and she does not struggle to find happiness exactly where she is at.
Martineau, Harriet. Illustrations of Political Economy: Selected Tales. Edited by Deborah Anna Logan. Broadview Editions, 2004