Comments on: Book Simple: My Literary Valentine http://fierceandnerdy.com/book-simple We've got your geek right here Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:10:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Amy Brown http://fierceandnerdy.com/book-simple/comment-page-1#comment-9877 Amy Brown Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:58:48 +0000 http://fierceandnerdy.com/?p=13467#comment-9877 As for plucky, you don't get much more pluck than Jane, who sets out without money, family or hope, away from the love of her life, simply because she cannot be untrue to her own beliefs! But I do love Anne and Jo (although I was named after Amy from Little Women -- my Mom's Beth, so I've got a soft spot for the spoiled little girl who gets the guy) too. As for plucky, you don't get much more pluck than Jane, who sets out without money, family or hope, away from the love of her life, simply because she cannot be untrue to her own beliefs! But I do love Anne and Jo (although I was named after Amy from Little Women — my Mom's Beth, so I've got a soft spot for the spoiled little girl who gets the guy) too.

]]> By: Amy Brown http://fierceandnerdy.com/book-simple/comment-page-1#comment-9878 Amy Brown Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:58:10 +0000 http://fierceandnerdy.com/?p=13467#comment-9878 I never saw Bertha as a savage, but rather as rather a symptom of Rochester's immoral choices. He blames her, yes, but mainly he blames himself for marrying for money and good looks rather than with any knowledge of character. I think Bronte draws a clear line from Bertha to Blanche, as similar women with shallow qualities. Bertha is an extreme because she needs to be, for the plot to continue. Rochester is unworthy of Jane for most of the book; that's why, much more than the madwoman in the attic, they can't be together, but love and faith strengthen them both until their union is one of equal partners. I agree, using biraciality as a symptom of immorality certainly shows the terrible prejudices of the age, but I think reading the character as an uncontrolled woman who happens to be biracial (whether that's how Bronte meant her or not) makes the story much more palatable. I never saw Bertha as a savage, but rather as rather a symptom of Rochester's immoral choices. He blames her, yes, but mainly he blames himself for marrying for money and good looks rather than with any knowledge of character. I think Bronte draws a clear line from Bertha to Blanche, as similar women with shallow qualities. Bertha is an extreme because she needs to be, for the plot to continue. Rochester is unworthy of Jane for most of the book; that's why, much more than the madwoman in the attic, they can't be together, but love and faith strengthen them both until their union is one of equal partners.

I agree, using biraciality as a symptom of immorality certainly shows the terrible prejudices of the age, but I think reading the character as an uncontrolled woman who happens to be biracial (whether that's how Bronte meant her or not) makes the story much more palatable.

]]> By: Amy Brown http://fierceandnerdy.com/book-simple/comment-page-1#comment-28755 Amy Brown Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:58:00 +0000 http://fierceandnerdy.com/?p=13467#comment-28755 As for plucky, you don't get much more pluck than Jane, who sets out without money, family or hope, away from the love of her life, simply because she cannot be untrue to her own beliefs! But I do love Anne and Jo (although I was named after Amy from Little Women -- my Mom's Beth, so I've got a soft spot for the spoiled little girl who gets the guy) too. As for plucky, you don't get much more pluck than Jane, who sets out without money, family or hope, away from the love of her life, simply because she cannot be untrue to her own beliefs! But I do love Anne and Jo (although I was named after Amy from Little Women — my Mom's Beth, so I've got a soft spot for the spoiled little girl who gets the guy) too.

]]> By: Amy Brown http://fierceandnerdy.com/book-simple/comment-page-1#comment-28756 Amy Brown Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:58:00 +0000 http://fierceandnerdy.com/?p=13467#comment-28756 I never saw Bertha as a savage, but rather as rather a symptom of Rochester's immoral choices. He blames her, yes, but mainly he blames himself for marrying for money and good looks rather than with any knowledge of character. I think Bronte draws a clear line from Bertha to Blanche, as similar women with shallow qualities. Bertha is an extreme because she needs to be, for the plot to continue. Rochester is unworthy of Jane for most of the book; that's why, much more than the madwoman in the attic, they can't be together, but love and faith strengthen them both until their union is one of equal partners. I agree, using biraciality as a symptom of immorality certainly shows the terrible prejudices of the age, but I think reading the character as an uncontrolled woman who happens to be biracial (whether that's how Bronte meant her or not) makes the story much more palatable. I never saw Bertha as a savage, but rather as rather a symptom of Rochester's immoral choices. He blames her, yes, but mainly he blames himself for marrying for money and good looks rather than with any knowledge of character. I think Bronte draws a clear line from Bertha to Blanche, as similar women with shallow qualities. Bertha is an extreme because she needs to be, for the plot to continue. Rochester is unworthy of Jane for most of the book; that's why, much more than the madwoman in the attic, they can't be together, but love and faith strengthen them both until their union is one of equal partners.

I agree, using biraciality as a symptom of immorality certainly shows the terrible prejudices of the age, but I think reading the character as an uncontrolled woman who happens to be biracial (whether that's how Bronte meant her or not) makes the story much more palatable.

]]> By: ernessa http://fierceandnerdy.com/book-simple/comment-page-1#comment-9874 ernessa Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:27:38 +0000 http://fierceandnerdy.com/?p=13467#comment-9874 Oh, I love that the two Smithies are arguing while the Wellesley chyck remains above the fray. But let's bring you into it. I've never been a fan of Jane Eyre. 1) Hello, savage (read: biracial) wife in the attic, and 2) I loathe broody guys! Rochester is definitely not my kind of guy. Also, even as a kid I tended to love literature for the chycks and not for the love interests -- almost to a fault in my own writing sometimes. Give me a plucky Anne of Green Gables or Jo of Little Women any day. Not only were they bad-ass, but their literary guys are (swoon!) so nice! U!S!A! Yes, I'm looking forward to the Winter Olympics, why do you ask? And yes, I know that Anne is Canadian, but I like to include our friends to the north in my literary patrioism. Why not? Oh, I love that the two Smithies are arguing while the Wellesley chyck remains above the fray. But let's bring you into it. I've never been a fan of Jane Eyre. 1) Hello, savage (read: biracial) wife in the attic, and 2) I loathe broody guys!

Rochester is definitely not my kind of guy. Also, even as a kid I tended to love literature for the chycks and not for the love interests — almost to a fault in my own writing sometimes. Give me a plucky Anne of Green Gables or Jo of Little Women any day. Not only were they bad-ass, but their literary guys are (swoon!) so nice! U!S!A!

Yes, I'm looking forward to the Winter Olympics, why do you ask? And yes, I know that Anne is Canadian, but I like to include our friends to the north in my literary patrioism. Why not?

]]> By: ernessa http://fierceandnerdy.com/book-simple/comment-page-1#comment-28754 ernessa Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:27:00 +0000 http://fierceandnerdy.com/?p=13467#comment-28754 Oh, I love that the two Smithies are arguing while the Wellesley chyck remains above the fray. But let's bring you into it. I've never been a fan of Jane Eyre. 1) Hello, savage (read: biracial) wife in the attic, and 2) I loathe broody guys! Rochester is definitely not my kind of guy. Also, even as a kid I tended to love literature for the chycks and not for the love interests -- almost to a fault in my own writing sometimes. Give me a plucky Anne of Green Gables or Jo of Little Women any day. Not only were they bad-ass, but their literary guys are (swoon!) so nice! U!S!A! Yes, I'm looking forward to the Winter Olympics, why do you ask? And yes, I know that Anne is Canadian, but I like to include our friends to the north in my literary patrioism. Why not? Oh, I love that the two Smithies are arguing while the Wellesley chyck remains above the fray. But let's bring you into it. I've never been a fan of Jane Eyre. 1) Hello, savage (read: biracial) wife in the attic, and 2) I loathe broody guys!

Rochester is definitely not my kind of guy. Also, even as a kid I tended to love literature for the chycks and not for the love interests — almost to a fault in my own writing sometimes. Give me a plucky Anne of Green Gables or Jo of Little Women any day. Not only were they bad-ass, but their literary guys are (swoon!) so nice! U!S!A!

Yes, I'm looking forward to the Winter Olympics, why do you ask? And yes, I know that Anne is Canadian, but I like to include our friends to the north in my literary patrioism. Why not?

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