It’s a special time for me personally to reread Jane Eyre, as the last time I read it was around this time of of year a decade ago. It’s strange how something that hasn’t changed at all can have a totally different meaning when you pick it up again. I almost relate to the child version of Jane now then when I was the same age as her. It’s almost like reading a letter from your child self asking your older version what their life is like. Anyways, let’s get into the actual text now.
When comparing to Kelroy, who’s language always seemed to dance around a situation rather than describing it, Jane Eyre is a much faster and emotionally charged reading. Especially with her awful childhood, which seems so dramatic reading it back. I do like Brontë’s method of having older Jane rewrite her childhood, but without removing any of the emotions of how younger Jane felt, no matter the validity of it. I think this could be why I have such a different view of her past now than when I was younger. As someone who went through different traumas growing up and was quite angry about it, I almost felt myself venting my own stresses through her writings. The ending scene with Helen though always makes my stone-cold heart melt every time I read it. Helen’s strength is almost too mature for a child to possess, which makes her ending all the more tragic.
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