Jane Eyre Reading Jornal | Post N°1

I've tried to write an introduction to this reading journal but there are too many things I'd like to have a record of and too many ideas I can't really connect so I'll just write about random thoughts here. In the next post I'll write about the things that came to my mind as I read, in chronological order.

|Ch. 6|

You May Say I'm a (Day) Dreamer, but I'm Not the Only One

"- I am, as Miss Scatcherd said, slatterly; I seldom put, and never keep, things in order; I am careless; I forget rules; I read when I should learn m lessons; I have no method; and sometimes I say, like you, I cannot bear to be subjected to systematic arrangements. (...) One strong proof of my wretchedly defective nature is, that even her (Miss Temple's) exposulations, so mild, so rational, have not influence to cure me of my faults; and even her praise, though I value it most highly, cannot stimulate me to continued care and foresight. (...) your thoughts never seemed to wander while Mis Miller explained the lesson and questioned you. Now, mine continually rove away; when I should be listening to Miss Scatcherd, and collecting all she says with assiduity, often I lose the very sound of her voice; I fall into a sort of dream. Sometimes I think I am in Northumberland, and that the noises I hear round me are the bubbling of a little brook which runs through Deepden, near our house; - then, when it comes to my turn to reply, I have to be awakened; and having heard nothing of what was read for listening to the visionary brook, I have no answer ready."

"-Yet how well you replied this afternoon."

"It was mere chance; the subject on which we had been reading had interested me. This afternoon, instead of dreaming of Deepden, I was wondering how a man who wished to do right could act so unjustly and unwisely as Charles the First sometimes did; and I thought what a pity it was that, with his integrity and conscientiousness, he could see no farther than the prerogatives of the crown. If he had but been able to look to a distance, and see how what they call the spirit of the age was tending! Still, I like Charles - I respect him - I pity him, poor murdered king! Yes, his enemies were the worst: they shed blood they had no right to shed. How dared they kill him!"

I am very identified with this aspect of Helen's personality, "I cannot bear to be subjected to systematic arrangements" Uhh so clever! This is my new favourite quote. I liked seeing these feelings in written because if I ever had to explain why I am the way I am, I could never say it so well. Helen's day dreams when she's not interested about what some lessons are about and her reflections upon other subjects that do interest her have a lot to do with what I feel, think and do in class ever since I was a child. A

J.E, Don't Ever Change.

"... If people were always kind and obedient to those who are cruel and unjust, the wicked people would have it all their own way, they would never feel afraid, and so they would never alter, but would would grow worse and worse. When we are struck at without a reason, we should strike back again very hard; I am sure we should - so hard as to teach the person who struck us never to do it again."

I've found many instances of rebellion in this book so far. I dare say that Jane Eyre seems a true rebel. I like that and I specially liked the quotation above. The awful way in which Jane is treated by Mrs. Reed and her children is so well portrayed by the author that it actually hurts the reader, rather, it actually hurt this particular reader. The way she confronts her antogonists, however, fills one with pride and makes one really want to go on reading to find out whether she will go on being as contestatary as she is when she's a child.

Miss Scatcherd, a Symbol Standing for Society.
"Neat, punctual and particular" is the way Helen Burst describes Miss Scatcherd, whom might well be a symbol of British Society and expectations by that time.

Saving Ning Content

Further Twits!
These are some draft twits that I made before handing in Assignment N°1.


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A Modern Version of the Wife of Bath.
October 9, 2009 at 12:48am
Starred by Julie Walters and Bill Nighy, this is a modern version of The Wife of Bath. These videos are part of a re-telling of The Canterbury Tales produced by the BBC.




End of the Year Post
December 24, 2009 at 1:04am

What was the most enriching/helpful/ etc aspect of this class?
I think that the articulation between Literature and Social Studies was very enriching because we could see what was going on in the world in economy, politics, etc, and how people expressed themselves at the same time, having a better and wider view of life in the world and in Britain at the different times in History.

What was the most disappointing/ useless/ etc aspect of this class?
I really must say that I didn't find any useless aspect of Literature, on the contrary, I was very happy with it because I'm very fond of Literature but I haven't got such a great knowledge about the subject and it was very enriching for my personal life.

What have I enjoyed most?
I enjoyed most our dealing with the Wife of Bath, I was really impressed with that piece of work.

What have I enjoyed least?
I would say that I didn't really enjoy dealing with the Elizabethean Sonnet, but that's just because of personal likes and dislikes really.

If I could have changed one thing about the class, what would it have been?
Being completely honest, I wouldn't change anything about the class, I really enjoyed it.

What can I do now that I couldn't do before taking this class? How am I planning to use what I have learnt?
Well as I said before, I found everything I've learnt very enriching and now I am able to look for pieces of work bearing in mind the theoretical knowled I now have.
I mean, if I go to a bookstore I have better tools to know what I want to get or read. Perhaps before I wouldn't know what to buy and just pick books from their cover or what it said in the back.
Apart from that, the way we dealt with the material can be applied to the reading of any book, which makes the reading much more fruitful.

What do I feel I haven't accomplished yet? What am I planning to do about it?
Well, to put it in a simple way I think I have yet a lot to learn about Literature and for the time being I'll do some research on my own. But in the future I'd like to do an Adscripción in Literature or perhaps the Licenciatura.
When I was at school I wanted to study Letras at Humanidades and it's still something I'd like to do, not to get the degree, but to actually learn.

What suggestions do I have for the class for next year?
I haven't got any suggestions, really. I like the way you deal with this class. Personally, I think the class was lively I didn't feel tired by its end, nor by the end of the year.


The Open Doors (Short Film Based on "The Open Window")
November 20, 2009 at 3:30pm
Today I found this short film based on Saki's short story, The Open Window. This is one of my favourite stories, I read it back in High School and then again for Language I. Vera is such a character! Well, this video is very interesting to actually see how the story develops - not only in your mind I mean. I was impressed by how they portrayed the room because it was exactly like I had pictured it. I hope you're able to see it, it's quite short really - it lasts about 8 minutes only. And hope you like it too!

There goes my hero...

Storytelling for children narrated by children