Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

In an attempt to expand my reading horizons, I have decided to read a book that scares me very much. The very essence of boring, the puts-you-to-sleep-in-a-moment book:

Jane Eyre.

How do you even pronounce Eyre? Like air? Or maybe Ire? I will never know...

Anyways, recently I've been reading a heck of a lot of teen fiction, all of which are far below my reading level, and as much as I love reading in size 16 font, I need something a little more challenging. So I am taking upon myself a very daunting task, that is, of reading the one and only, Jane Eyre.

I just started it yesterday, while sitting on my bed, doing nothing particular, I just reached over and took it from my book shelf. I opened up to the first page, and nearly collapsed.

"A small breakfast-room adjoined the drawing-room. I slipped in there. It contained a book-case: I soon possessed myself of a volume, taking care that it should be one stored with pictures. I mounted into the window-seat: gathering up my feet, I sat cross-legged, like a Turk; and, having drawn the red moreen curtain nearly close, I was shrined in double retirement."

Oh my goodness...

This woman is obnoxious! Couldn't she have just easily have said, "I went to the corner and read a book with a curtain around me."? I don't even know what to think. I'm still only on page 2.

So here's my topic for today. Do authors really need this much description and does it really benefit the story?

After reading many reviews on Jane Eyre, I noticed one of the main reasons people loved this book, was that they felt like they were in the story, standing right next to Jane. Maybe when Jane describes the red moreen curtain and and the position of her legs as she reads her novel with pictures, the reader feels closer to Jane, and through this small passage, we learn just a little more about Jane and how she sees the world. For example, we know now that Jane pays close attention to detail, and that she enjoys reading, but also enjoys looking at pictures. We know Jane doesn't care very much what people think, because she sits in a very not lady-like manner and reads a book when others are in her company.

Though the next several days may be very painful for me, I hope Jane Eyre teaches me a little bit about attention to detail.

Why I Chose to Read Beauty's Daughter by Carolyn Meyer

I recently picked up Beauty's Daughter and decided to give it a try because of one of my favorite books, Nobody's Princess, is set in the same time period and involves the same characters. I also enjoyed the female protagonist and felt as though her struggles as a teenager were relatable even though it is set in a different time period. Reading the synopsis in the front flap, I felt the same mood present in Nobody's Princess. The following themes were present: rebellion against tradition, beauty, and history within a fictional story. I also found I enjoyed reading the prologue and felt the figurative language helped me to understand the text and give me ideas for my own writing. I found examples of the figurative even within the first several chapters, and it influences my decision greatly on whether to continue reading or not.

One line that stood out to me was: "She shrugged her splendid shoulders." I identified the alliteration and I think it brings a ring to the line and helps it to "flow" through the reader's head. It also illustrates a lot of the relationship between Hermione and her mother. This book is written in first person, so Hermione is talking. I think we can hear a bit of envy in the voice of Hermione, which helps us understand the character of Helen and also Hermione. The way the  author used the word shrugged, implies a casual conversation, but the word splendid, describes how Helen makes every movement seem graceful and full of beauty. The fact that Hermione said this, shows how she admires her mother, but through this quote, "There was some diagreement about whether she went willingly or if the prince abducted her. Knowing my mother, I would not be surprised if it was her idea...Its something she would do." We hear the resentment in Hermione's voice here, which helps us to hear a tone of first in my first quote presented. So, when Hermione talks about her mother's "splendid shoulders", she is not really admiring her, she is envying her. Hermione applies her displeasure toward her mother through compliements but with a nasty tone of voice.

Needless to say, I have really enjoyed reading the figurative language throughout this book, and find figurative language to influence the mood and allow the reader to completely comprehend what is going on; how the characters feel, how they feel about other characters, and the list goes on and on. This is what I found attracted me to this book.