Hmmm... How about the way Charlotte uses Nature to reflect the emotions of her characters? And the whole notion of equality between the sexes -- that Rochester declares Jane his equal, but she can't fully become so until he is "punished" at the end and must rely on her. In a way, the book finishes with him in a -dependent- position. Maybe look at Charlotte and her use of language as the rightful heir to the Romantic poets? And seeing how Jane compares to another governess -- AGNES GREY, and to Fanny Price in Austen's MANSFIELD PARK. I think that Jane is absolutely the most full-blooded, independent, and tough-minded of the three. Just some stuff off the top of my head! Wish I could attend the function! amy ==

Speaking of book discussions.....I'm leading one on Wuthering Heights Thursday (yikes!) and then co-leading Jane Eyre in April! I actually found this wonderful place today while I was searching for helpful info. JE has been my favorite book since I picked it up in high school. I've never read it critically before, just for enjoyment. And that's the thing about this book -- the language is so beautiful, you can't help but enjoy it. Charlotte was a great storyteller, creating such an interesting plot, but I think she could have written a grocery list and made it sing. One thing that springs to mind about the story is the role of coincidence in the plot(I did a paper on a Thomas Hardy novel on that topic, which is why it comes to mind). Jane is walking home and spooks Rochester's horse. Jane hears something and saves Rochester from being burned in his bed. The wedding is interrupted exactly at the altar. Jane finds shelter at her (unknown to her) kinsmen's home. I'm just coming up with these examples off the top of my head -- I'm sure there are more. I guess coincidence doesn't really support the theme of an independent woman, but it's interesting. The other thing that I find memorable about Jane as a character is her unflinching commitment to doing her duty. There are no moral gray areas for her. She does what's right because it's right, not because it's easy or even pleasant. She speaks her mind at the expense of her personal comfort. I think it used to be called "character" back before people made a science of justifying their behavior by blaming t eir dysfunctional families. Anyway, I'll be watching to see if anyone has some good discussion topics! So glad I found this place! Melissa

Welcome Melissa! Always glad to have a new "face" here!! As far as coincidence in JANE EYRE, this was basically a standard convention of Victorian novels in general. If you look at the coincidence in Dickens novels, for example, it gets pretty absurd. What readers would accept in the 19th century has changed so radically that you could -never- get away with these plot devices today. This just occured to me while watching MAN IN THE IRON MASK - I love Dumas, but the amazing coincidences in the plot bas cally play like howlers today.

I hadn't realized how Victorian our book club reading list was this year! We're doing "Man in the Iron Mask" and Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities" as well as Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. We'll have a great basis for some comparative lit discussions! I wonder if it would be interesting to discuss Jane Eyre noting the counterpoint between the aspects of the novel that were shocking or unfeminine by Victorian standards, but which are non-issues for modern readers and the devices (like the heavy use of coincidence) which were common to the Victorians but seem strange to us now? Personally, I'd need to do a lot more studying to discourse on that subject, but it could be interesting.

That certainly would be! One amazing Dickensian coincidence that springs to mind is from OLIVER TWIST -- the kindly old man who takes Oliver in off the street after the boy is accused of picking his pocket is none other than. . . His long-lost rich Uncle! Also, the amazing "twin" resemblance in TALE OF TWO CITIES, which Dumas uses in MAN IN THE IRON MASK. As far as JANE EYRE, some of the critics' objections were that the book was "coarse" in its frank treatment of passion. And Jane definitely offends Victorian notions of class with her "we are equals" speech. Plus, Rochester's frank admission of having European mistresses & an illegitimate ward; and of his father & brother cruelly setting him up to marry Bertha, must have been highly offensive to V. sensibilities. Plus, he and Jane TOUCH when he takes her hand in the bedchamber after the fire! And her being there in the first place -- shocking, I tell you!