Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Blooms Articles Summary and Introductory Paragraph

In the novel Jane Eyre characters such as Jane and Edward face and react obstacles and problems that may not occur in todays world. Part of this is because of how people lived in the 1800's. Disorders and mental issues were handled in such a different way. Therfore I, as a reader, have come to conclude the following statement about the novel Jane Eyre. The psychological state and the 19th century time period affected how characters in the novel Jane Eyre acted, lived and were seen.

Approach: Historical and Phychological

Article One: Background on Jane Eyre 1847
This article is about how Jane Eyre and the author were related. It shares how Charlotte Bronte and Jane Eyre are similar because they lived in England and both knew stories of crazy governesses living in an attic. Although Jane Eyre is a fictional character she is based off real stories and experiences that Charlotte Bronte was made of.

This article is important to my essay because it shows a force of something motavating the characters, the author. and it also gives a description of how writing was in the 1800's.

Article Two: Jane Eyre
This article a summary and analysis of Jane Eyre. It describes certain events that were important in the life of Jane Eyre such has her relationship with Mr. Rochester. This article has soem information that is usless to my thesis and overall essay but i find the explaination of her relationship with Rochester is very good and can help with the psyocholigical state explaianation.


Article Three: Jane Eyre and History


The title of it says it all. This article is about Jane Eyre and its relation in history. This article will help the historical approach of this essay.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Thesis Redo For Jane Eyre

The time period ,of the 1800's, the the novel Jane Eyre is set in affected how characters acted, lived, and were seen.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Jane Eyre Historical Approach Jessie

A. This book reflects the history in which it was written. The book was written in the 1800's and focuses on life in that time period. It reflects how women were treated and how people lived.
B. The story is accurately set in this time period. During this time women were starting to get recognized in history. they were given rights like owning property and having jobs. They could handle money. Life was different for women around the world but life was a little easier in England.
D. It reflects that women were close to equality. The belief of true love versus what is right is a main conflict and idea of this book. Jane struggles to make the decision between what makes her happy and what is right for herself and the others around her.
E. he family might of influenced her because her sister Emily Bronte was also a writer.
F. This was a Women's movement of equality.... To me at least, I do not know if this is a true fact
G. The character Jane reflects the author. I think Jane is her interpretation of who she would be in this situation.
H. I think this story shows conflicts people go through and it is a value to be able to choose your own right.
I. I think important history is women had rights.

a thesis for this approach could be: Jane Eyre is written in a time were women had rights but also had obligations. This story shows how the time period it was written effects the characters .

Monday, August 15, 2011

Brave New World Last Thoughts

I somewhat enjoyed the novel Brave New World. I have many thoughts about the book and would like to share them.
I believe The World State changed the world for people in the book Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. The World State took away a god or spiritual belief. Instead of having their people have guidance in a spirit they had them take soma. Soma is a drug used to calm the body down and forget about emotional things. I think soma is a symbol of this book. Soma is what the character John was so upset about. It killed his mother and end the end is what he killed himself about. Soma gave the people of the World State no feeling or emotional connection. I think advising people to take the drug soma is a horrible idea and if the book continued I think it would kill all the people of the World State becuase someone would eventually realise that it was horrible.
I also think it was incredibly wrong to make babies out of test tubes and science andgiving them a class system to live in before they are born. In some ways it may seem like a good idea. For example, you could raise them the correct way, fix things that were wrong with them and adjust them to a climate changes or lifestyles. Those things might be worth it to some people but I find them just wrong! I believe in babies being born naturally and not machine made. I believe the class systems were a good thing for a book, but I hope they never have them in real life.
These were just some of the things I thought of while reading this novel. Some peole may agree or disagree with what I say and I understand that but in the end these are my opinions and my analyisis of this great tale.

Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper Perenial, 1969.

Brave New World Question 6

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is a magnificent and intelligent novel written about a future world which consists of a technology based life. Readers can learn many things from this book. For example, a reader can learn that if we over use technology it will overpower our lives and control us. This is shown many times throughout this extraordinary novel. The soma drug is very over used. When people are starting to become emotional or in need of something like a religion they take it and the pain or need goes away. The World State (The main people/ ruler) also has technology were 2/3 woman can not get pregnant. They take out there ovaries so they can not have a child. Sex is not a commitment in The World State. Sex in the World State is like kissing here. It is not a big deal and is something everybody does and what they are suppose to do. Sex means absolutely nothing to the people of 632 A.F. Technology makes the woman not get pregnant or sick by having sex and the soma drug makes their bodies want sex. Technology changed the name of sex. Technology also makes babies. From the day they are fertilized they are classified as alpha, beta, gamma delta, and epsilon. They are trained to become their classes people. Alphas are taught to be the high class and in control of the other four classes. The other four classes are taught to be controlled by Alphas. I think we still read this book so we don't sink to this level in technology. I think we read this so we do not change are lives to be totally ruled by technology. The timeless message is that technology is powerful and can change the world for the better but it can also change it for the worst. I hope our world never turns into the world in this book. I think the author of this book feels the same.
Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper Perenial, 1969

Brave New World Question 1 Part 2

On my previous Brave New World blog you can see I wrote about the author, Aldous Huxley, and his values and attitudes on the book and setting. However, I did not finish question number one and talk about the perspective that the book was written with. This magnificent book is told in third person narration. I know it is written in third person because it is not told from a single person's point of view. This narration is also omniscient, which means the reader knows the characters thoughts and feelings towards the plot. As a reader I love third person omniscient. I think it makes it easy to learn the persons feelings and how the plot effects them. If I was an author I would use this method. I think this method worked for this novel because their was so many different characters with different feelings toward the new technology. I think Aldous Huxley did a great job.
This novel is a piece of fiction. The events did not happen in real life but they could. I think Aldous Huxley wrote this great book, Brave New World to show people what could happen if technology got out of hand. I think its a good warning and it is easily seen in the novel with his attitudes.

Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper Perenial, 1969

Brave New World Question 1

Books can reveal many things. They can reveal the authors values or attitudes. They can tell what perspective the author is writing from and the overall message of the book. Aldous Huxley is author of the marvelous novel Brave New World. As a reader I can tell his values and attitudes toward the world at the time period the 1930's . For example, Huxley shows how a technology world can ruin the human society, human beliefs, and human identity. He shows his attitude by showing characters that experience these same feelings. The character of John shows these beliefs. John is a savage. Which means he was not an embryo he was naturally born. In the world of Western Europe 632 A.f (After Ford) it was considered wrong to have naturally born children. Anyhow, when John is brought to London is mortified about how life is being lived. He sees how the drug soma is being used and is disturbed about how this technology has such a powerful influence on the people. John reaction to this new technology is confused. He does not understand why people would live and rely on technology. On scene I find important is in the hospital when John's mother,Linda, dies. John is so upset. He does not understand why the doctors did not try to save her. He does not understand why you die when you are sixty years old. Because of this confusing behavior John throws soma out the window and yells at the doctors. I think Huxley made this character after his self. I think Huxley would have the same beliefs as John and he would not agree with the technology. I believe he writes his personal thoughts through the perspective of John. Through the novel of Brave New World I think you can see Aldous Huxley's values and opinions.
Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper Pereinal, 1969.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Brave New World

The title of Brave New World is significant to the novel. The title describes what the book is about. The reader can see the book is about the future and how the characters and author wanted the future to be or saw the future in his or her mind. The title Brave New World would probably interest people who like Si-Fi novels or future novels becuase it is about a new world. The title name is important because it tells what the book is going to be about or it at least gives an idea of what the book will be about.


The title of Brave New World interested me because it was written in the past and now it is the future(at the least the future when it was written). I thought it would be interesting and kind of funny to see if the future is similar to are life today. As you can see, in my other blogs, I usually prefer a title that has to do with a character such as the magnificent and extraordinary novel Jane Eyre. It might sound odd but its true. That is why I was surprised to enjoy this novel.


The title is very important to a book. It interests or disinterests the reader and makes the book one of a kind.


Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper Perenial, 1969.

Jane Eyre Title

The title Jane Eyre has a significant effect on the novel. To begin with the title Jane Eyre lets the reader know that the story will be about the character named Jane Eyre. It gives the reader a little bit of an inside of what is going to happen in the book.

I think it is important to have a title related to a character or characters in the book so the reader knows what to expect. Some books, for example the novel Wuthering Heights, give a title that is not well related to a character or place in the book. Looking at a book such as Wuthering Heights the reader will not know what to expect. and it may draw them away from the book.

In the end it is up to the author's decision about the title. I understand that sometimes it will not work to have a character name as the title. But in my opinion as a reader I prefer or am more likely to read a book that has a title name of a character. This is important blog topic to me because I think others will agree that novels with a character name are more appealing and makes the title of the book significant.

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Margaret Smith. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

The Importance of Bessie and Miss Temple

All her childhood Jane was considered an outcast. She was considered ugly, she was unloved and really unwanted. She was orphaned. She was getting physically abused by John Reed and verbally abused by everyone else. When she Bessie started treating her kindly things started to change. She had a friend and someone to talk to. I see Bessie as a mother figure to Jane. She was kind to her and made her feel wanted. Bessie helped Jane find herself. If the character Bessie had not been involved in the book, I do not think Jane would have turned out the way she did. A kind and caring woman.


She was never accepted by a group of people until she went to boarding school at Lowood. There is where she made friends, got an education, and felt accepted. Miss Temple helped her a lot. She was there for Jane when she got embarrassed in front of the girls at school. When Jane gets a job teaching at the school , Miss Temple becomes her closet friends. After Miss. Temple gets married and leaves the school and Jane knows she should leave to.


The characters of Bessie and MIss Temple are small characters but they were important characters to novel Jane Eyre.


Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Margaret Smith. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.


Jane Eyre: Why she came back

Readers may wonder why Jane would leave Thornfield upset and hurt then come back and forgive Edward Rochester. I too wonder why Jane would come back and accept his new disability blindness; but I think I have figured out why Jane indeed came back.


At Thornfield Jane meets Mrs. Alice Fairfax. Mrs. Fairfax warns Jane the Rochester is rarley at home and she will rarely see him. Therefore her first encounter with Edward Rochester was not a romantic or friendly. One evening, when walking through the mist on the moors, Jane is almost run into by a man on a horse. Veering to avoid Jane, the man falls off; Jane helps him remount, as his ankle is hurt. When Jane returns from her walk, she finds that Mr. Rochester has come home; in fact, Rochester is the man whom she met on the moors. Rochester claims Jane to be a witch, thinking she has bewitched his horse.


Romance didn't happen until Jane returned from Gateshead. The two revealed feelings for one another as it was just about to storm. Rochester proposed and Jane said yes. Jane is thrilled. the day of the wedding is a huge deal for her. When Mr. Mason runs in explaining Edward is already married. Jane's heart breaks. She is confused and hurt. After awhile of thinking Jane realizes she must leave Thornfield. She goes as far as her money will take her and ends up meeting St. John. John ends up falling for Jane and asks her to marry him. That is when Jane realizes she must go back to Edward.


I think Jane goes back because she realizes Edward is her other half. She knows Edward has made a mistake and he will do anything to fix it.


Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Margaret Smith. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.


Essay Comparison

Vladimir Nabokov and Italo Calvino are both extraordinary writers. They both write about topics that are important to them but their tones and overall information come off very differently. Vladimir Nabokov writes "Good Readers and Good Writers", an essay about why it is important to be a good reader and writer and the necessary tools to become a good reader and writer. It is a magnificent essay and has a mind test in it which makes the essay even more enjoyable. Unfortunately, as the reader I find his tone critical and negative. As you can see in other blog posts I find his words harsh as he criticizes works of Jane Austen and offends book clubs. I do not like when author are critical I prefer positivity and informational tips. Other people do not agree obviously because this piece of work is still famous and Vladimir Nabokov is a famous writer. Italo Calvino, on the other hand, is complimentary of other's work. On page seven he complements characters of other writers. He says, "people reincarnate them to right down to our own times "(Calvino 7). He is saying how good other works are and people redo their characters because they are so good. He is positive when giving reasons why they should read classics. The reader can see he wants people to understand why classic literature is important. Both these essays are great works but they are very different.


Nabokov, Vladimir. "Good Readers and Good Writers." Lectures on Literature. New York: Plurabelle Books, 1946


Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics." The Uses of Literature. New York: Vintage Books, 1999


Why Read the Classics #8

My reaction to the essays is both logic and emotional . My reaction is logical because it opened my mind and made me think why I read classic books. After each definition I would ask myself if I agreed or related with what he was saying. I did agree with every definition which leads my thoughts on the essay to be emotional. I enjoyed every definition and was satisfied with the article. I liked how the author complimented other works and elated them to his topic. I felt his tone was positive and informative and it made me want to read more. One reason I may have related to this essay more than the other was because it was a more interesting topic to me. I do not like reading classics. I find the word "classic" to mean boring, old, and confusing. After reading this essay I found that teachers do not make us read classics to bore us or just to have an assignment. They make us read classics so they can affect our lives and give us something to relate to. Classics teach us important lessons and can help us find out who we are. My reaction to this essay is logical and emotional. I learned important information and let it affect my life.


Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics." The Uses of Literature. New York: Vintage Books, 1999


Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Why Read the Classics #7

The author's authority as a writer means he or she gets to make the decisions about the essay or novel. The author decides the plot, climax, point of view, the characters, setting and much more. The author chooses the content that goes in the essay. The author's authority ,or ability, as a writer makes the essay or novel creative.


Italo Calvino is the author of Why Read the Classics. He wrote the essay in his point of view and gave his personal opinions about his topic. He gives statements about why we should read classic novels and how they should affect our lives. An example of this is on page 5, Calvino says "A classic is a book which with each rereading offers as much of a sense of discovery as the first reading." The reader can see he has authority because it is his opinions and his essay.


Italo Calvino has authority because he writes the plot of the essay. The plot is very important because it because it tells the reader important information such as what the characters are doing. The plot relates to thesis and tells the reader why the topic is important. The plot includes information and details that make the story more enjoyable and informative. In the plot of this essay information is presented about why classics are important.


Overall the authors authority is very important. it influences the story and makes it one of a kind.


Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics." The Uses of Literature. New York: Vintage Books, 1999


Why Read the Classics #6

This essay is introduced by definitions and quotes. the first line of the essay says, "Let us begin by putting forward some definitions". The author goes on to explain why we should read classics. He first definition Calvino states is "the classics are those books about which you usually hear people saying: I'm rereading....', never am I reading... ' The reader can see one of the methods of introduction is quotes because this line is put in quotes in the essay. the reader can also see one of the methods of introductions is definitions. It is important to have a good method of introduction because it is what the reader sees first. It can either capture their attention or make them not want to read the rest of the essay. I think Italo Calvino does a good job of capturing the reader's attention because he list many definitions that can get a person thinking and interested in classic books.


The conclusion is characterized by ending with describing the fourteenth definition. He ends the essay talking about Cioran. He ends the essay with a quote. He says, "At least I will learn this melody before I die." He ends it with a quote to make the reader want more. The essay ends with the reader thinking. Overall Calvino does a great job of keeping the reader involved in the essay.


Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics." The Uses of Literature. New York: Vintage Books, 1999


Why Read the Classics #5

Essay organization is important in writing. It keeps the story in line and helps make the essay effective. There are a many different types of essay organization. Chronological organization, climactic organization, topical organization, and spatial organization are some options of essay organization. After reading through all the descriptions I found two that could fit the great essay Why Read The Classics. I found topical and spatial organization could both fit. Topical organizations based on the topic being written about. Each point leads back to the main topic. It could fit this essay because each quote leads back to why it is important to read the classics. The other option for essay organization that could fit Why Read the Classics is spatial organization. It is used for many purposes for example descriptions and narrations. I thought this would fit Why Read the Classics because after each detentions for reading classics Calvino explains why it is a definition. In the end I decided this essay was arranged by spatial organization. This is a informational essay the describes why we should read certain novels. He gives fourteen definitions and after each one gives proof why this is a reason we should read classics. Some people will probably not agree but I found this essay spatially organized.


Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics." The Uses of Literature. New York: Vintage Books, 1999


Why read the Classics #3

There are many many rhetorical devices in literature. Rhetorical devices are adjectives that tell tone of the author. They help tell the reader how the author feels on a certain situation. I looked over many words and finally found a couple that I think represent this essay. One of these two rhetorical devices is anaphora. This word means the repetition of a word at the beginning of a successive phrases or lines. In this essay, "Why Read The Classics", classics is the word being repeated. It is repeated in the fourteen definitions Calvino uses to describe reasons we should read classics. Sincere is also another rhetorical device I found in the essay, "Why Read the Classics". Sincere means genuine or without deceit. Italo Calvino's attitude to this topic is sincere. You can tell he is serious and positive about this subject. That is a good quality to have when writing, in my opinion. Rhetorical devices are sometimes hard to find in stories and essays. As a reader we have to find the author's tone and ask ourselves if its positive or negative. This is how I found out the rhetorical device of the essay "Why read the Classic" by Italo Calvino.


Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics." The Uses of Literature. New York: Vintage Books, 1999


Why read the Classics #2

The authors tone is very important in writing. It is the voice of the author and what keeps the reader involved in the story. I think Italo Calvino does an excellent job of keeping the reader interested and involved with the story. Unlike Nabokov, Calvino admires other's works. He had a high regard for the works the Odyssey and Fathers and Sons (Calvino 7) He says people "reincarnate" their characters to right down to our own times. In my opinion he says this because the works are good. Calvino says intelligent things such as giving definitions for why we read the classics. the definitions help the reader understand why Calvino thinks classics are important. One of my personal favorites is number thirteen, "A classic is a work which relegates the noise of the present to a background hum, which at the same time the classics cannot exist" I like this quote because you can tell Calvino cares about the classics and how they affect a reader. I prefer Calvino tone over Nabokov tone because Calvino is very nice with his words and his tone. He compliments others work instead of criticizing them. Overall I think Clavino succeeds in trying to interest the reader with his tone.


Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics." The Uses of Literature. New York: Vintage Books, 1999


Jane Eyre Question 4

The hero of the classic novel Jane Eyre is Jane Eyre. Jane has numerous traits that make her a hero. She is intelligent. She worked hard in school to learn French and other subjects. She used her education to make money and make a living for herself. Jane is forgiving. She forgives those who hurt her. She forgave Bessie and Mr. Rochester. She even forgave Georgina and stayed with her two weeks after her mother dies. She is also kind. She treats people with respect and although she gets stubborn at times she is still polite and respectful. She accomplishes many things. She gets three jobs as governesses and a teacher. She also accomplishes true love and good friendships. Jane is portrayed as a sweet independent girl. She tends to stay to herself and is not really that out going. I think Jane is portrayed as a real or true person. She does not judge or treat people badly. She is someone everyone could get along with. To other characters in the book Jane could be considered an outcast. She is judged unfairly because she is poor and is marrying a rich man. I think Jane represents an abstract idea of kindess. She treats people right and is a good person.


Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Margaret Smith. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.


Jane Eyre Question 3

There are many themes in the novel Jane Eyre. The universal theme of this book is misfortune and adversity are rewarded. Jane goes through many obstacles and unfairness in the novel Jane Eyre. For example Jane was an orphan. She was living with a aunt that did not like or love her and she was getting abused (Bronte 10). This was a bad situation but without it she would not have met Bessie, who became a great friend. Without her experience with her aunt and cousins at Gateshead she would not have gone to Lowood where she received a education( Bronte Ch 7). Another example is when Jane is embarrassed and called a liar by Mr. Brocklehurst in front of the whole Lowood school. Jane is very embarrassed but because of the situation she made friends with Helen and Mss. Temple. Jane's good work at the school lead her to a job at Thornfield. At Thornfield Jane was embarrassed many times at Thornfield because of her job as a governess and her relationship with Mr. Rochester. Jane is treated coldly by Mrs. Fairfax because she thought Jane kissed Rochester before they were engaged(Bronte 288-289). Worst comes to worst when Jane discovers her fiancé is already married (Bronte 346-370 ). Jane leaves Thornfield and meets St. John, Diana, Hannah, and Mary. She starts teaching and gets a home. She then discovers she and St. John are cousins. She finally has family. As you can see the misfortunes in Jane's life turn out good or are rewarded. This is a universal theme because it shows readers there is always a brighter side to things.


The author understood human nature because she writes about realistic situations and realistic solutions and rewards. Charlotte Bronte writes about things that could be important to a real person. That is why I think she understands human nature.


Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Margaret Smith. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.


Jane Eyre Question 2

There are many small conflicts in the novel Jane Eyre, but they all come together and create a main conflict. The main conflict in Jane Eyre is with Jane and Edward Rochester. Jane and Edward had a true love until Jane finds out Edward is already married. She finds out he is married to a crazy woman named Bertha as they (Jane and Edward) are getting married. Of course Jane is very hurt by this information. She does not like when people hide the truth. She still loves Edward but it is very hard to stay with someone who is already married. Plus it is illegal. This is where the conflict is. Should Jane stay with Edward or leave Thornfield completely? During chapter 26 Jane contemplates staying or leaving Thornfield. To me this is a internal conflict. It is internal because Jane has to make a personal decision on her own; it is inside her. The reader sees Jane at her lowest point because of this issue. She leaves Thornfield takes all her money to get as far away as possible. (Bronte 369-371)


There are losses and gains with the conflict. Jane and Edward lost her true love and her fiancé. Jane lost her job and then spent all her money trying to get away. Edward lost his good reputation and probably some friends. There were not many gains for Edward or Jane except Jane learned the truth. In the end they get back together but this main conflict effected their whole relationship.


Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Margaret Smith. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.


Jane Eyre Question 1

The author, Charlotte Bronte, uses her characters to bring out her personal values and attitudes. She uses her main character Jane Eyre to show her perspective. One value I see Jane portray is kindness. Jane seems to treat people the way she wants to be treated; she gives everyone a chance. I think that Charlotte Bronte wanted Jane to be a nice character because she is a nice person. Jane also gives second chances. For example, Jane gives Bessie a second chance. At the beginning of the novel Bessie seems mean. She punishes Jane and locks her in the Red Room (Bronte 16-21) Some people might hold a grudge on people who punish them but Jane gives Bessie another chance. Although Bronte makes Jane a stubborn girl her trait to forgive people makes her and Bessie good friends. Jane also gives Mr. Rochester a second chance. After she finds her is married to a maniac Bertha she leaves him and Thornfield. She later realizes that Mr. Rochester was her true love and decides to forgive his previous mistakes and goes back to him. They marry and live "happily ever after". (Bronte 513-519) In general, I think Charlotte Bronte does a great job of making Jane reveal her attitudes and beliefs. She gives Jane great traits such as forgiveness and kindness but does not make her perfect. Jane has a real personality which makes me think that Charlotte is a real and good person as well.


Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Margaret Smith. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.


Symbols in Jane Eyre

One of the main symbols and themes in Jane Eyre is true love versus freedom and independence. Jane wants love. She does not just want romantic love but she wants a sense of belonging and acceptance. She wants to be free from her past of a low social class and be judged for her own self. To get to this level of being loved for who she is she works hard in school, gets a job she loves, and builds friendships and relationships. (Bronte Ch. 10-11) When Jane meets Edward everything seems to change. The sense of acceptance and belonging is there. At least that is what I see it as. Although Jane is judged for being a governess and having feelings for the owner of the manor she does not seem to care because she has happiness. Chapter 23 is a good description of this. Jane returns from Gateshead and Mr. Rochester questions her on why she was gone so long. They end up reveling their feelings for each other and kissing in the rain. They become engaged during this scene. (Bronte ) The next day Jane wonders if it was all a dream but knows it's true when he calls her "Jane Rochester." (Bronte ) I find these few chapters important because it is what Jane has been wanting all her life. The other main theme is freedom and independence. Jane has to be independent and leave Mr. Rochester when she finds he is already married to Bertha. (Brotne 331-370)Even though she wants to be with Edward she knows she has to free herself and leave. I think the symbol of love versus independence is important in Jane Eyre.


Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Margaret Smith. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.


Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Jane Eyre Question 5

Jane Eyre reflects history, behavior, and social issues of the time period and setting which was England early 1800's. In this time period woman were somewhat respected. They could have jobs and go to school. They could own property and handle money. You were expected to marry in your social class. Men still were the priority because they men had more rights. Men overpowered the women. During Jane's stay at Lowood the reader see Mr Brucklehurst treat the girl's at the school with no respect. He makes girl's cut thier hair because he does not like it and when girl's at the school get sick he stays away and does not help them. (Bronte 150-188) He also embarrasses Jane by calling her a liar in front of all the girls. Mr. Brocklehurst is an example of women not getting respected. He does not care how the girl's at Lowood survive. The reader can see this because he gives them uneatable food and gets angry when a teacher feeds them with her salary. Mr. Brocklehurst just shows horrible behavior. He does not care. There are also many social issues in this period. If you were in a low social classes with little to no income you were considered poor and were a disgrace. If you had lots of money or an important job you were considered a high class citizens. People gave you more respected and treated yuou in a good way. This may be a reason Mr. Brocklehurst looked down upon the girls at Lowood. The girls staying their had been or orphaned or had only one parent. (Bronte 80)They had little money. Mr. Brocklehurst had lots of money therefore he saw them differently. Overall I think Jane Eyre does a good job of showing the history, social issues, and behaior of the setting of this book.

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Margaret Smith. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.

Jane Eyre Your Choice Blog

I think Jane Eyre is a interesting and good story but I think it takes a while to get into the book and understand it. Before I started reading any of the summer novels I asked my family and friends for advice on which books to pick and which books to read first. Numerous times I heard people say Jane Eyre is great but you have to get through the first hundred pages and you have to pay attention. I took those comments into consideration and started to read Jane Eyre. Every time the book got boring or I got tired I would put on the book tape. Immediately I would get back into it with hearing the voices of characters and imaging what they looked like. After about the sixth chapter I no longer needed to hear the book tape. I could stay focused and understand the book. The reason I explain my troubles of reading Jane Eyre is because I think people would agree. There are just some books that you have to make it through a few chapters of to get in to or to understand. After reading the first part of the book I enjoyed it. The romance between Jane and Mr. Rochester is not ordinary. There is suspense and mystery. Their romance is not like movie romance it is real and relateable. For example, not many people like Jane and Edward together. He is rich and important and Jane a governess working for Mr. Rochester. This is similar to a lot of relationships today. People who are considered "opposites" get together and are judged for the wrong reasons. If Jane and Mr. Rochester were living in this time period people might say Jane only wanted him for money not true love or people might judge them for their jobs levels. Another example of this book being relateable to people is Jane having to choose between different men. She meets Edward and it is love at first sight but when she finds he is already married she chooses to leave where she then meets Saint John who later wants to marry Jane. This relates to people's relationships and makes the book more interesting. Jane goes through many struggles such as regret, family, and love. I think all these struggles makes the character of Jane easy to relate to and a good character.
Overall Jane Eyre was a good book. It had a interesting and intriguing plot and it easy to relate too. I would give Jane Eyre a 6.5 out of 10.

Bronte, Charolette. Jane Eyre. Ed. Margret Smith. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.

Why Read the Classics #4




I believe "Why Read the Classics" is a good and informational piece of literature. Many passages capture my attention when reading this essay. Many of these passages are Calvino's definitions of classic novels. One of my favorites is number four, "The classics are those books which constitute a treasured experience for those who have read and loved them; but remain just as rich an experience for those who reserve the chance to read them for when they are in the best condition to enjoy them." (Calvino 4) I like this quote because its saying you can enjoy a classic at any age. It also says that you might not enjoy them now because it is not you best condition to enjoy them. For example you may be to young to understand or you may not take the time to focus or relate it to your life. I can personally relate to that, especially because honors courses require you to read things you may not be ready for. Another quote I find intriguing is number twelve, " A classic is a work that comes before other classics;but those who have read other classics first immediately recognise its place in the genealogy of classic works"(Calvino 7) To me this says people recognize a classic when they see or hear about a certain book. I just find it interesting how people can recognize a classic after they have read it. The overall essay of "Why Read the Classics" is interesting to me. Calvino does a great job with this essay.




Calvino, Italo. Why Read the Classics. The Uses of Literature. New York: Vintage Books. 1999


Monday, July 25, 2011

Jane Eyre Question 8 (Reflecting History)

Jane Eyre accurately reflects events in history. This novel was set in the 1800's in England. During this time people were respected if they had money. The wealthy people were the high class and the poor were considered rubbish. This is reflected very much in Jane Eyre. An example of this is between the Reed family and Jane. The Reed's have money and Jane has none. Therefore Jane is considered a servant or a strain on the Reed family. One reason is because they did not like her parents. Another reason is they had to spend money on her. The second Mrs. Reed heard about a free boarding school for orphans she sent Jane away so she did not have to care for her anymore.



During this time period it was considered appalling to marry someone not in the same class as you. For example Jane's mother had money and married in a lower class; because of this the Reed family cut Jane's mother off from money. they were ashamed of her because she married low. People are also astonished when Jane and Mr. Rochester go to get married. This is because Mr. Rochester is a wealthy high class citizen while Jane is a mistress. Overall this novel accurately reflects history because it shows how people were treated by a class and wealth system.





Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Margaret Smith. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.



Jane Eyre Question 7 (Author Techniques)

The author of Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte, uses different techniques to engage the audience and makes the story effective. For example she uses the symbol love towards the end of the book. Throughout Jane's stay at Thornfield the reader sees the connection and love between Mr. Rochester and Jane. She also uses mystery and suspense when talking about their love. When Mr. Mason and his lawyer stop the wedding and tell the judge that Rochester is already married. (Bronte Ch 26) The suspense is to the reader because he or she does not know if Jane will stay with him or leave. There is also suspense in chapter 28 when Jane collapses in anguish and exhaustion. The reader does not know if she will be okay. The author also uses tragedy to keep the story interesting. An example of this is Jane's parents and uncle are dead, she is treated poorly at her aunt's house, her first friend at Lowood dies, and her heart is broken by the man she loves. The author connects all of these techniques together to form a intriguing and timeless story. Therefore, I think Charlotte Bronte succeeds in her different techniques to interest the reader and makes the story effective.





Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Margaret Smith. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Jane Eyre Question 6 (Timeless Messsage)

There is a timeless message of never giving up is shown throughout Jane Eyre multiple times. From the beginning of the novel reader sees how Jane is treated like a servant in her aunts home. She is bullied, beat, and hurt emotionally and psychically by her cousin John Reed numerous times. She has no comfort because her parents and uncle are dead. The only reason that Jane is still at the Reed Estate is because her uncle made her aunt promise to keep Jane until she could live on her own. Jane endures the pain and ends up becoming friends with the actual servant named Bessie. As the book goes on the reader sees Jane's never give up attitude lets her attend a boarding school at a place called Lowood. Jane thinks her schooling is being generously paid for by Mrs. Reed but is disappointed to find out the school was for girls who had been orphaned. (Bronte Ch. 5)This is an instance were Jane could have gave up on life but she stays at the school and enjoys her experiences by making friendships and making memories. Jane goes on to become a governess at a manor called Thornfield. (Bronte Ch. 10) She falls in love with a man named Mr. Rochester and gets her heart broken when she discovers he is married to someone else as they are about to be married. (Bronte Ch. 26) Once agian Jane does not give up on love and life and takes a new path. Eventually Jane and Mr. Rochester do get back together and Jane's good attitude lead her to happily ever after life. I think we still read this novel because it teaches us to never give up and tells us that hard work and a good attitude pays off.





Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Margaret Smith. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Jane Eyre Your Choice Blog

Jane is an outsider. Her parents are dead and left her no money. Her aunt and cousins, the Reeds, treat her like servant. From the beginning of the novel the reader sees how Jane is left out. On page 8 Jane says, “She really must exclude me from my privileges intended for contented, happy, little children.” (Bronte 18)This quote shows Jane feels excluded from her only family. She should be loved or at least included by her aunt but is not. In chapter one the reader sees all the Reed children sitting by their mother and feeling happy. Jane does not get to lie with them and sense the feeling of love and acceptance. The feelings of neglect as a young ten year old can and most likely will affect Jane’s’ life as an adult. Luckily Jane has a comfort, books. She feels pleased when she is reading. On page twelve Jane states, “With Bendwick [the book] on my knee I was then happy: happy in my own way.”( Bronte 12) When Jane is reading it makes her feel better. She can imagine better lives and create dreams for herself. Sadly John Reed, Jane’s older cousin, his horribly mean to her. John is Jane’s “master”. She is supposed to treat him with respect and not talk back to him. When he catches her reading one of his books he screams and yells at her. He says on page seventeen, “You are a dependent! Mama says: you have no money your father left you none, you ought to beg, not live here with gentleman children like us!” He even hits her after saying this. Nobody would feel good about themselves after that. Jane tries sticking up for herself, but ends up getting in trouble. She gets banished to the red room and is locked up there alone. She feels lonely, unloved and an outsider.



This is imprtant to Jane as a protagonist because it is the reason she is different and unique. This is important to the reader because it makes Jane seem more real. It also makes her relateable to readers of Jane Eyre.




Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Margaret Smith. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Why Read the classics #1

The essay "Why Read the Classics" has many statements about classics. In fact there are fourteen statements about the classics. This can confuse the reader and make it hard for them to come up with the thesis. Therefore I have come up with my own thesis. I found the thesis of the essay is classical literature is meant to affect our lives and help us (the readers) understand the classics and relate them to our daily lives. The experiences in the classic novels help readers find themselves and reach goals. On page nine the author states, "classics help us understand who we are and points we have reached." (Calvino 9) This quote is saying classics help make us who we are. The stories in certain novels effect our lives in great ways. they give us goals and dreams and they define are personalities.




The thesis in "Why Read the Classics" is implicit, The thesis is not stated in words but is written "in-between the lines." The thesis in this essay reflects the title and point of the essay. A good thing about an implicit thesis is the reader can make his or her own thesis using the main points of the essay.




Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics." The Uses of Literature. New York: Vintage Books, 1999

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Good Readers and Good Writers Introduction and Conclusion

There are a few methods of introduction in Good Readers and Good Writers. A method of introduction is the way the essay starts. There are six methods of introduction are: The Funnel Method, Defining a Word or Phrase, Asking Questions, Turn About, Using an Anecdote, and Using Quotations(Gulat 1). each of these method makes an essay one of a kind.


The introduction of Good Readers and Good Writers is organized by quotations. We know this because in the first paragraph the author quotes the following remark "What a scholar one might be if one knew well only some half a dozen books." (Nabokov 1). He uses a quote to describe how good readers and good writers should be.


The beginning of this essay also asks lots of questions. The questions give the reader an idea of what the essay is going to be about. "Can we except to glean information about places and times of a novel?" (Nabokov 1). This tells the reader that the author questions certain items in a novel. "but what about masterpieces?" (Nabokov 1) The reader can see the author questions classic writing styles.


Throughout the essay the author tries to define what a good reader and good writer should be. He gives a quiz to see if students have the requirements. He has the student chose the four out of the ten choices that make a good reader and writer.(Nabokov 2) He uses the thesis to define what it takes to be a good reader and good writer. The reader can see that Nabokov wants people to understand how to be a good reader and good writer.


The conclusion is characterized in a different way. It ends with the author explaining the four keys to being a good writer. There is not a real conclusion paragraph. I think that this makes the essay a little more unique.


Gulat, Zeliha. "Writing Introduction." Essay Development Exercise. Apr. 2005. Web. 14 June 2011..



Nabokov, Vladimir. "Good Readers and Good Writers." Lectures on Literature. New York: Plurabelle Books, 1946

Good Readers and Good Writers Author's Authority

The author's authority as a writer means he or she gets to make the decisions about the essay or novel. The author decides the plot, climax, point of view, the characters, setting and much more. The author chooses the content that goes in the essay. The author's authority ,or ability, as a writer makes the essay or novel creative.


Vladimir Nabokov, the author of this essay, chose the point of view. He told this essay from a first person view. We know exactly what he wants us to know. The story is from his perspective. We know this is a first person essay words such as "I" and "me". On page two he says, "I suggested a little quiz"(Nabokov 2) and on page three he says ''I think" (Nabokov 3). By making this a first person point of view the reader can relate directly to the author and somewhat understand what their personal purpose is.


The author is in charge of the most important thing, the plot. The author decides what goes in the essay or novel . The plot is important because it is the basis for the whole story. The plot consists of the characters, setting, action and the climax. It is the main story. The plot tells the reader important information such as what the characters are doing. The plot relates to thesis and tells the reader why the topic is important. The plot includes information and details that make the story more enjoyable and informative. On page 2 the author provides a little quiz. He asks the reader to name the four things that make a good reader out of a list of ten. (Nabokov 2). This is important to the plot because it provides a little bit of fun and information. This was a good decision from the author.


The author's authority is very important to the story. Without the author's ideas and abilities there would be no story.


Nabokov, Vladimir. "Good Readers and Good Writers." Lectures on Literature. New York: Plurabelle Books, 1946

Good Readers and Good Writers My Reaction

When I first read this essay my reaction was emotional. I thought the comments he said were offensive and inconsiderate but after reading the essay numerous times I discovered the authors point was to how readers and writers to understand novels in a different way. An example of this is on the first page of the essay. The author says, "Can anybody be so naive as to think he or she can learn anything about the past from those buxom best-sellers that are hawked around by book clubs under the heading of historical novels" (Nabokov 1). When I first read this essay I found this comment rude and offensive to readers who read best sellers and those in book clubs. Now I understand his point was to tell readers they need to read on different levels and look between the lines to find the real meaning of the novel and apply it in their writings. After readers find the meaning they can approve their writing skills and add to great literature. These points tie in with the thesis statement. I also found “Can we really rely on Jane Austen’s picture of landowning England with baronets and landscaped grounds when all she knew was the clergyman’s parlor" (Nabokov 1) a very offensive comment. I thought he was criticizing her work and not giving a good reason why. I realize now that his comment was true. Readers cannot really rely on one woman's work for all of England's literature. I do however think the tone of the observation was a little harsh but I understand the point of the remark. When first reading the I saw he used the words "should" and "must" many times. For example "One should notice fondle details" (Nabokov 1) and "He must create himself"(Nabokov 1). I found it annoying and not necessary. I understand that he had to use the words "should" and "must" to inform readers and writers of the necessary elements of becoming good readers and writers. I know now that my reaction to the essay is a logical reaction.


Nabokov, Vladimir. "Good Readers and Good Writers." Lectures on Literature. New York: Plurabelle Books, 1946

Good Readers and Good Writers Essay Organization

Essay organization is very important to the flow and overall message of the essay. Organization makes the essay easier to complete and easier to understand. There are many ways to organize essays. Good Readers and Good Writers is organized by spatial organization. Spatial organization is when the essays refer to describing items based on their location and relation to other items. They help compare similar items and help with the details.


This essay starts with talking about being a good reader. The essay then goes into talking about being a good writer. Both items relate to one another which gives the thesis, you must be a good writer to be a good reader and to be a good writer you must be a good reader. There are examples of this all over the essay. One example is on page two. Nabokov talks about the four keys to be a good reader, then goes to page three and talks about each individual key and how it relates to becoming a good reader and good writer. (Nabokov 2 and 3) He also talks about three writing keys and explains them. He also relates them to how they help people become a better reader. (Nabokov 4) This shows relation and the comparison of similar items which makes the origination of this essay a spatial organization.


Essay organization is very important and helps your essay writing. This essay is very organized and relates to the topic very well.


Nabokov, Vladimir. "Good Readers and Good Writers." Lectures on Literature. New York: Plurabelle Books, 1946

Good Readers and Good Writer Passages That Capture My Attention

There are many passages in Good Readers and Good Writers that arouse my attention. I believe that most of these passages can be taken it provoking perspectives. Some are personal emotional perspectives here the reader may feel offended or feel the author was rude. The reader may have a rational perspective. Which means the reader may agree with the comments or believe they are clever ideas. The passages may be a mixture of both personal emotions and rational emotions. They may be clever ideas but have a rude tone to them. I personally find many of his paragraphs insulting and bigheaded but I also find some of them intelligent and helpful.



Many of Nabokov's passages capture my attention in a personal way. Nabokov says, "Can anybody be so naïve as to think he or she can learn anything about the past from those buxom best-sellers that are hawked around by book clubs under the heading of historical novels.” (Nabokov 1) I find this comment rude. It seems Nabokov is complaining about how people do not learn anything from best sellers. I believe it doesn’t matter if a person reads a best seller or a ten page essay, they can still learn a valuable lesson from it. I do not see why book clubs have anything to do with a book not having good information. In fact, I do not see why this question is necessary. Nabokov is says many things in this essay that can be taken in a offensive or hurtful way. This turns me away from the essay and turns other readers away as well.



I do, however, believe some parts of this essay are thought provoking and interesting. Like I have said in previous blogs, Nabokov believes a good reader should have imagination, a good memory, a dictionary, and some artistic sense. (Nabokov 2) These are good points and do help with reading and writing. The overall meaning of the essay, which is to be a good reader you need to be a good writer and to be a good writer you need a good reader, is a great point and I may use it to improve my literature skills. He also has a list of three important facets of a good writer: magic, story, and lesson (Nabokov 4) I believe these are good points and may help someone become a good writer.



On page one, Nabokov also criticizes Jane Austen’s work. He says, “Can we really rely on Jane Austen’s picture of landowning England with baronets and landscaped grounds when all she knew was the clergyman’s parlor” (Nabokov 1) It sounds like he is saying Jane Austen knew only one thing therefore her information cannot be relied upon. However he may be making an accurate point. Maybe he is asking is her knowledge really not the correct idea on England. This information is a mixture of personal and rational perspectives. To some it may be accurate and to others it may feel rude.



Overall I believe that Vladimir Nabokov brings up good points but is too offensive and harsh with his word selection.



Nabokov, Vladimir. "Good Readers and Good Writers." Lectures on Literature. New York: Plurabelle Books, 1946

Good Readers and Good Writers Rhetorical Device

A rhetorical device is a technique that an author or speaker uses to convey to the listener or reader a meaning with the goal of persuading him or her towards considering a topic from a different perspective. An example of a rhetorical device in Good Readers and Good Writers is the point of view. This essay is told in first person which means the story is told by the author’s point of view. We only know what the narrator knows. This can be an advantage to the reader because we know exactly what the author wants us to know. On page 3 the author tells us a personal quiz he made up to see is a person knew what a good reader was. He tells us a reader must have a good memory, imagination, a dictionary, and some artistic sense. (Nabokov 2) In addition Nabokov gives us his personal opinion about artistic sense. He says, “Which sense I propose to develop in myself and in others whenever I have the chance” (Nabokov 2) Nabokov is telling the reader he wants to develop in artistic sense more. The reader can see points of view throughout the essay many times.


Rhetorical Questions are also asked throughout the essay. A rhetorical question is when the speaker asks a question but it does not necessarily ask a yes or no question. These questions are usually used to provoke or emphasize the readers mind. The author asks, “Can we expect to glean information about places and times from a novel?” (Nabokov 1) Nabokov was not asking the reader to answer the question by saying yes or no but by asking the question to provoke ides and to prove a point. On the third page of the essay Nabokov asks “So what is the authentic instrument to be used by the reader” (Nabokov 3) He goes on to answer the question himself. Rhetorical devices create literal effects and help the author prove his or her essay and topic.


Nabokov, Vladimir. "Good Readers and Good Writers." Lectures on Literature. New York: Plurabelle Books, 1946