We Must Sail...

Apparently, I'm not the only one who has sea-fever...

“I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving - we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it - but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor.” 
― Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

Pirate Dreams

Needles and pins, Needles and pins,
Sew me a sail to catch me the wind.
Sew me a sail strong as the gale,
Carpenter, bring out your hammers and nails.
Hammers and nails, hammers and nails,
Build me a boat to go chasing the whales.
Chasing the whales, sailing the blue
Find me a captain and sign me a crew.
Captain and crew, captain and crew,
Take me, oh take me to anywhere new.

― Shel Silverstein

Lines

I die but when the grave shall press
The heart so long endeared to thee
When earthy cares no more distress
And earthy joys are nought to me.

Weep not, but think that I have past

Before thee o'er the sea of gloom.

Have anchored safe and rest at last

Where tears and mouring can not come.

'Tis I should weep to leave thee here

On that dark ocean sailing drear

With storms around and fears before

And no kind light to point the shore.

But long or short though life may be

'Tis nothing to eternity.

We part below to meet on high

Where blissful ages never die.

― Emily Brontë

Bilbo’s Last Song

Day is ended, dim my eyes,
But journey long before me lies.
Farewell, friends! I hear the call.
The ship's beside the stony wall.
Foam is white and waves are grey;
Beyond the sunset leads my way.
Foam is salt, the wind is free;
I hear the rising of the Sea.

Farewell, friends! The sails are set,

The wind is east, the moorings fret.

Shadows long before me lie,

Beneath the ever-bending sky,

But islands lie behind the Sun

That I shall raise ere all is done;

Lands there are to west of West,

Where night is quiet and sleep is rest.

Guided by the Lonely Star,

Beyond the utmost harbour-bar,

I’ll find the heavens fair and free,

And beaches of the Starlit Sea.

Ship, my ship! I seek the West,

And fields and mountains ever blest.

Farewell to Middle-earth at last.

I see the Star above my mast!

― J.R.R. Tolkien

Dracula ~ A Book Review

Dracula

Book By Bram Stoker

Review by Janelle A. Spiers

“Never did tombs look so ghastly white. Never did cypress, or yew, or juniper so seem the embodiment of funeral gloom. Never did tree or grass wave or rustle so ominously. Never did bough creak so mysteriously, and never did the far-away howling of dogs send such a woeful presage through the night.”

~ Bram Stoker, Dracula

“There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights.”
   ~ Bram Stoker, Dracula

WARNING:  Please be aware that if you continue reading this Book Review, you may be subject to reading spoilers and or secrets of the original book.  However, all attempts shall be made to hide the crucial points, in the event that this review encourages you to read this book.  Any information divulged will be deemed by the author of this review necessary to the review, or, not capable of ruining any major surprise. 

Bram Stoker wrote Dracula in 1897 and changed the fictional realm of horror forever.  Stoker’s haunting story of death, love, and fantasized monsters brings both inspiration and chills to the reader, thrusting them into a tale mixed to the brim with modern life and early European folklore.  Dracula has made such an impact in the literary world that Bram Stoker’s ideas have been used in many stories since that time.

Despite the grim circumstances and breath-taking drama, Dracula is a powerful story about good vs. evil.  The light of goodness, truth, and holiness are starkly and beautifully contrasted with the darkness of evil, lies, and horror.  Stoker wove a powerful, golden thread of redemption throughout his dark tapestry, so that no matter how dark the night or how desperate the character, there is always some hope left on which they can cling.  The idea of love being more powerful than fear is also present.  Each of the characters are challenged to decide how far they are willing to go for love for each other, and for life itself.

The unforgettable story begins with a man named Jonathan Harker travelling across the Carpathian Mountains to the castle of Count Dracula, where he will be helping with a legal affair.  After the frightening experience of trying to get to the secluded, mysterious castle, Jonathan finds himself the guest of an equally mysterious master.  As time passes, suspicion and fear begin to build, and Jonathan realizes that he is no longer a guest, but a prisoner; Dracula has locked him in the old castle.  A series of harrowing events plague Jonathan and he barely escapes with his life back to England where his fiancé awaits him.

But a long, arduous life has just begun for the heroes of this tale.  A shipwreck on the coast brings with it strange and deadly results and a young woman with sleepwalking issues suddenly begins to look more pale than usual.  With the help of two brilliant doctors and two other stout gentlemen, Harker and his newlywed wife, Mina, are faced with the fact that there is a mythical creature in their midst, and if they do not stop the threat, Dracula will destroy the world they know and love.

Jonathan Harker is a very steadfast, cool-headed man, but his encounter with Dracula and his eerie home leaves a great strain on him, especially when he thinks his life is at stake.  He spends the rest of the story with a burning passion to defeat the monster, but at the same time, he can lapse into a very weak and fearful state, typically more for his bride than himself.

Mina Harker is the faithful, “guiding star” for the men of this tale.  Her loyalty and compassion to her husband is equally, yet properly, shared with the other gentlemen who bond together to destroy Dracula.  When Mina is attacked by Dracula and her life takes a terrible turn, she longs to stay with those she loves, but she is willing to sacrifice herself in order to keep her friends safe.

Dr. Seward is a major piece of the puzzle and he is necessary to the destruction of Dracula.  He specializes in helping the insane and mentally disabled, and when one such man is found to be working for the Count, Seward manages to pry information from the man to help them in their conquest.

Perhaps the greatest protagonist is Abraham Van Helsing, a Dutch doctor and former teacher of Dr. Seward.  Van Helsing is the first one to discover what Dracula is and how he can be stopped, and despite the fact that no one believes him, he manages to prove Dracula’s true identity and the means to ending him.  Van Helsing is a quiet, thoughtful man with much faith and brain that ultimately result in the demise of Dracula.

Dracula himself is a creature of much discretion and sinister intent.  As a vampire, he is neither dead nor living, and is called “un-dead” as a result.  He preys on anyone and everyone but with so much secrecy that it is almost impossible to detect.  One of the most remarkable traits that Count Dracula possesses is that he is very patient and slow; with no fear of dying from old age, he has hundreds upon hundreds of years on his hands, and so every movement he makes is bold, but in no rush.

The writing style of Dracula is very unique.  Instead of constant narration, the entire book is split up into journal entries written by the main characters, gatherings of newspaper clippings, letters, telegrams, etc.  In addition, the ways the words are written or constructed vary, depending on which character is writing or recording.  However, on an overall note, the understandability of the story can be difficult, due to the older way of speaking and writing, also, based on the long, winding plot line and information that comes with it.

Abraham Stoker was born on November 8, 1847, in Dublin, Ireland, the third of seven children.  Stoker was bedridden for the first several years of his life from an unknown disease or illness, but by age seven, he was completely recovered and able to attend a private school; he never suffered from any major illness again.  In his early adulthood, Stoker married Florence Balcombe, who had been previously courted by his friend, Oscar Wilde.  The Stokers moved to London, where their only child was born, and Stoker became the theater manager for Henry Irving, a famous actor.  There he was introduced to notable people, such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and on traveling to America, president Theodore Roosevelt, William McKinley, and Walt Whitman.  Dracula was written in 1897, but never attracted much popularity until after his death on April 20, 1912.

Though the story and its characters are fascinating and enjoyable, some of the content may be unsuitable for young or sensitive readers.  There are a few instances of swearing, but they are mild and not used flippantly.  There is some romance between two couples without the book, but nothing intimate is ever recorded or hinted.  Several of the female vampires that appear in the story are described as intensely lovely and they act rather seductively in hopes of luring in prey, but the characters shun such creatures.

            The intensity of the story can be overwhelming.  Several beloved characters die, and one, who died a as a vampire, must be mutilated after death to keep her from attacking innocent children, which she had been doing.  Blood is a central theme and gory idea that fuels the story along, so it may be unpleasant to read.  There is also a mentally insane man who eats flies, spiders, birds, and wants to eat cats, as well, and his death may be distressing.

            The progression of Dracula’s stunning plot line is neat, concise and has left very little room for argumentation, barring the fact that vampires are works of fictitious imagination. All the characters, from gentle and graceful Mina to the intelligent and thoughtful Van Helsing are almost like living creatures that grow and live within the tale.  Bram Stoker has painted a breathing portrait of a world about to be undone by the un-dead.

            Dracula was not the first story about vampires, but by it, a path was forged through the uncharted territory of fiction that still progresses today.  One of Bram Stoker’s characters once said, “I want you to believe...to believe in things that you cannot.” Stoker tried to create a piece of far-fetched fiction into a tale that would seem so real it could bite you, and that is exactly what he did.   Dracula is an amazing, thrilling, haunting tale about the search for light in the darkest places, love in the most hopeless times, and peace from the dreaded monster, Count Dracula.  

(Based on a rating system entirely made up of pros and cons, I judge by different categories to ensure that the reader of this review can aptly choose if this book is an appropriate for themselves or others.)

Theme ~ Positive! (For excellent topics that are inspiring and applicable to life.)

Plot Line ~ Positive! (For a gripping, unmatched storyline)

Characters ~ Positive! (Very memorable and extremely consistent)

Writing Quality ~ Negative! (For difficult, archaic writing style)

Mature Content ~ Negative! (Intense and graphic sequences, more suitable for an older audience.)

Congruency ~ Positive! (For extreme consistency in plot, characters, and quality)

The total score for Dracula by Bram Stoker is 4 out of a possible 6 positive points.

Where the Road Ends

"The Road goes ever on and on..."

Every life is a picture, or a painting, or a legacy to leave behind, but how is it that we get from one place to another?  Life is a story, but we are all traveling down the road that gets us there, from one chapter to the next. On and on it goes, but few of us can ever see that we are taking a journey that will lead us to our final destination; it will either lead us home or we will be lost along the way. 

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door,” he used to say. “You step into the Road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no telling where you might be swept off to.” ~ Lord of the Rings

I looked out of the window through the foggy glass, and I saw that a road wound before me, disappearing into the mist and fog of early morning. There's never any time like the present, so I grabbed my coat and slipped out into the chill, determined to see where the road would take me.  As soon as my feet touched the pavement, a little cloud of fog vanished in a whirl of vapor, but it was not enough. I could only see one step ahead of me, and so I stepped again.  As if it knew my intent, the humid smoke disappeared, but only enough to see one step farther. This time I could see a light that helped me to see the edge of the road, but not what was ahead.  In anxious excitement, I resigned myself to follow the road until I came to the end.

It was easy going at first. One step cleared the way for the next and I hurried forward towards the light as fast as my feet could go, making marvelous ground. I could see behind me; it was hazy with dew, but visible, which relieved my fear. I could always go back. 

“Go back?” he thought. “No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!” ~ Lord of the Rings

I pressed onward, steadily going on, until I came to a place where there was no fog. It had stopped like a wall and as I pressed out of it, I saw that I had come to a cross road.  One branch of the road was wide and smooth, with large, scented flowers all bunched around the edges.  The other was narrow and coarse with small, insignificant buds blooming along the cracks that ran through the road.  'Why shouldn't I choose the way that is clear and pleasant?' thought I, as I summoned my tiring feet forward. 

But the smooth way was not easier, as I soon found out.  It started leading me downwards towards a valley that smelled so strongly of rich perfumes, I felt myself growing faint with delight. The way was beautiful and satisfying, but as I reached the valley, I saw a terrible creature pacing back and forth along the grass.  At once I was horrified and I turned to escape the beast, but found that there were no longer pleasant flowers and lush meadows, but sharp crags and dusty winds rising up to meet me.  As storms raged and overcame me, I cried out for mercy and hid my face from the gales.  I staggered back the way I had come, but the road was steep and difficult for me to scale. But for my fear of the dragon, I should have laid down and let the storms take me.

"The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater." ~ Lord of the Rings

After a long, arduous fight, I made it back to the little crossroads and took the narrow branch speedily. There was no apparent beauty, and my love for the other path began to taint my view of the small one, but I was reminded of the hideous beast and kept on.  I soon discovered that this road had a beauty of its own; the wildflowers that grew in the path made me stop and gaze at them. The birds were singing cheerfully and the sky was blue overhead.  Suddenly, the fog drifted back over the road and I could no longer see ahead of me further than one step, but the little light held fast in its center.  The birds still chirped and the flowers lingered, but I had to trust that the light would hold true and not lead me astray. 

After much climbing, upwards, as I believed, I began to grow weak from weariness. I shed my jacket and left it by the roadside and continued forward, until I reached the place where the fog again ceased. In its place was a weather-beaten shepherd, who sat with the rod in his hand and a flower in the other. 

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference." ~ Robert Frost

"So you have come," the shepherd said, as if expecting me.

"Yes, but where am I?" 

"You have come to where the road ends. Is that not why you have come? You set out to seek it."

"Indeed, I wanted to know where the road leads to, but I nearly forgot my purpose for coming. It has been a long journey." I said as I sat down to rest. 

Suddenly, the fog on the road vanished and all was clear as light upon water.  I could see the place at which I had started, far off in the distance, but it was as close as if it were before me. I saw the twisting winding road which I had taken, though I thought it to be straight. I saw the forked path and the valley which looked now as dark as midnight. And I saw that I had come to a place high above the rest and could see clearly the road that lay behind me. 

"You, my friend," said the shepherd with his rod, "have come a far way. The fog made it impossible to see, so that you would trust the light to guide your path. You took many turns that you did not know, but now, looking back, you can see what a journey you have taken. You fell prey to the temptations and delights of the wide path, and were nearly overcome by the evilness that lurked there.  But, dear one, you righted your course, and though difficult, you made your way back to the lighted path.  And now you are here, where the road ends. You have come into your home."

"…time has a way of leading a person along a crooked path. Sometimes the path is hard to hold to and people fall off along the way. They curse the road for its steep grades and muddy ruts and settle themselves in hinterlands of thorn and sorrow, never knowing or dreaming that the road meant all along to lead them home. Some call that road a tragedy and lose themselves along it. Others, those that see it home, call it an adventure." ~ The Fiddler’s Gun

Happy Birthday, Victor Hugo!

Regrettably, I have not yet read Victor Hugo's novels, but I have seen a great many quotes by him that deserved to be shared, in honor of his birth date.  Which one is your favorite?  Is there another quote of his that you cherish and have memorized?  What are they and what do you think of his works?

Thank you, Mr. Hugo, for your inspiring words. I hope to add your novels (Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame) to my reading list soon.  Au Revoir!

Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885)

“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.”  

“What Is Love? I have met in the streets a very poor young man who was in love. His hat was old, his coat worn, the water passed through his shoes and the stars through his soul." 

“Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.”  

“Melancholy is the happiness of being sad.” 

“What a grand thing, to be loved! What a grander thing still, to love!”  

“It is from books that wise people derive consolation in the troubles of life.” 

“England has two books, the Bible and Shakespeare. England made Shakespeare, but the Bible made England.” 

“Love each other dearly always. There is scarcely anything else in the world but that: to love one another.”  

“Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives.”  

“Love is the only future God offers.” 

When We Two Parted

WHEN WE TWO PARTED
Lord Byron

WHEN we two parted

In silence and tears,

Half broken-hearted

To sever for years,

Pale grew thy cheek and cold,

Colder thy kiss;

Truly that hour foretold

Sorrow to this.

 

The dew of the morning

Sunk chill on my brow--

It felt like the warning

Of what I feel now.

Thy vows are all broken,

And light is thy fame:

I hear thy name spoken,

And share in its shame.

 

They name thee before me,

A knell to mine ear;

A shudder comes o'er me--

Why wert thou so dear?

They know not I knew thee,

Who knew thee too well:

Lond, long shall I rue thee,

Too deeply to tell.

 

I secret we met--

I silence I grieve,

That thy heart could forget,

Thy spirit deceive.

If I should meet thee

After long years,

How should I greet thee?

With silence and tears.

A Living House

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.” 
― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

This poetic piece of imagery by Clive Staples Lewis has inspired me in countless ways, but three of the emotion-evoking points stand out and clamor to be heard. The Color, the Story, and the Legacy of the passage from Mere Christianity ask to be mused, mulled over, and thought about for years to come.

The color of this passage is so delightful.  Can't you just see the little house in your mind?  It's falling apart in places, and there's probably a shattered window, rusty door hinge, and cobwebby corners.  Can you imagine God, in the appearance of a man, coming in with his tool bag and dirty overalls.  He gets down on the floor and nails the loose planks back into place.  He would do some plumbing and repairing; replacing the windows, mending the door, and sweeping out all those cobwebs.

But then he does things that don't make sense.  He starts carting in lumber, breaking down perfectly solid walls and adding to the little house.  Sooner than later, that dirty, sweaty craftsman wipes his brow and stands back to admire the view. The ramshackle house is now a beautiful estate, a place where even the finest of kings would be honored to live in.

That leads on to the story behind the story.  Lewis is a master at allegory, painting pictures on top of an already painted canvas, and only those who choose to look past the first layer can see the underlying message. If we are the house that Lewis describes and God is the craftsman, why must we go through so much repair?  Because of our sin and stain, God had to come in and mend the holes, wash away the dirt, and fix us from the inside.

But of course, He doesn't want to stop there. He wants for us to have enough room in our hearts and lives for Him to live in us.  All of the little things cluttering up our house, or destroying the woodwork must go, and the long, hard process of rebuilding must begin.  But when He's done, oh, imagine, how beautiful might we be?  I wonder what my heart-house looks like now...and what potential it has to evolve into something elegant.

So, this is the legacy.  The color of the prose blended neatly with the story of the heart melds into one solid truth: our hearts are far from perfect, but if we let God in, He can make a palace out of our cottage.  But it's all a matter of willingness. Think if the landlord of the little house had refused to let the house be restored.  Weeds and animals would inhabit the uninhabitable home.  Walls would fall, and there would be nothing left to repair.

But if we choose to let God work in our lives, to nail down those loose boards, and replace our broken windows, we can see the growth and change within our lives. What better destiny is there for our hearts, then to be molded in God's hands and shaped in a beautiful way?  I don't think that there is; God's blueprint for our lives are the best plans in the world.

So with the colorful imagery of words and descriptions, we see a painting of a dilapidated old house, turned into something glorious.  We see through the story of allegory how that little house is our hearts being "knocked about" into something bigger, better, and more beautiful.  And we can see through the legacy of our hearts how we can be made into the dwelling place of God; a place that He is not embarrassed to live in, and that He Himself created it.

It's a beautiful feeling, this hope that we have that God will not give up on us, not even if it takes years to nail those boards, painful days to hang that chandelier, and countless nights painting the walls.  Thank you, Mr. Lewis, for your wonderful reminder that we are houses, and God is ready or already starting to work on our hearts!

Jane Eyre ~ A Book Review

Jane Eyre

Book By Charlotte Bronte

Review by Janelle A. Spiers

January 28, 2015

“I have for the first time found what I can truly love–I have found you. You are my sympathy–my better self–my good angel–I am bound to you with a strong attachment. I think you good, gifted, lovely: a fervent, a solemn passion is conceived in my heart; it leans to you, draws you to my centre and spring of life, wrap my existence about you–and, kindling in pure, powerful flame, fuses you and me in one.” ~ Jane Eyre

“The soul, fortunately, has an interpreter - often an unconscious but still a faithful interpreter - in the eye.” ~ Jane Eyre

WARNING:  Please be aware that if you continue reading this Book Review, you may be subject to reading spoilers and or secrets of the original book.  However, all attempts shall be made to hide the crucial points, in the event that this review encourages you to read this book.  Any information divulged will be deemed by the author of this review necessary to the review, or, not capable of ruining any major surprise. 

The timeless story of Jane Eyre, written by Charlotte Bronte, has left a lasting impact on the genre of romance.  With memorable and haunting characters, mixed full of real life struggles and emotions, Bronte has painted a darker side of love that is not often seen in classic romance.  Her poetic way of writing, her original plot, and her ageless characters have turned Bronte’s Jane Eyre into an unforgettable masterpiece.

Bronte created a deep romance, however, only two thirds of the book are about Jane Eyre’s love life, but in that chunk of the book, love is a very strong theme.  Jane, the namesake of the book, has her story recounted from the time she was a child, and her character is very perseverant through difficult trials, which is another theme that Bronte began, but did not quite finish it out to the end. 

The story begins with orphaned Jane living with her abusive aunt and cousins.  When she retaliates against the bullying she so frequently receives from her cousin, she is sent away to a boarding school.  Unfortunately, Lowood, the strict school run by a hypocritical character named Brocklehurst, is no less inviting to young Jane and she is underfed and treated poorly, but not singled out, as the other girls are likewise treated.

After about eight years at the school, Jane decides that instead of teaching at Lowood, she would rather be a governess, and so she advertises for a job.  Her proposition is readily accepted, and Jane travels to a huge house called Thornfield Hall where she is in charge of teaching a young French girl.  The master of the house, Mr. Edward Rochester, is mysterious and ugly, but nevertheless, Jane falls for him, and he likewise for her.  But a startling series of events causes Jane to flee from Thornfield and live with a family who take her in penniless and hungry.  However, after several years of absence, Jane decides to return to Rochester and promptly marries him, never having lost her passion for her master.

Jane Eyre is a plain, small woman with much courage and strength.  Although she was raised to be meek and quiet, Jane has a feisty spirit that can plainly be seen when she is ridiculed or uncomfortable.  Her self-confidence and ability to think quickly helped and spared several lives within the story.

Mr. Edward Rochester is a strong gentleman, but he has very understandable human qualities.  Though he is very coarse and, at times, rude, Mr. Rochester also has a pitiable need for love and understanding.  He is described as unattractive and is believed by all to be rather ugly, but Jane learns to see past his homely face and love his features.  Rochester is the caretaker of Jane’s pupil, Adele, after her mother abandoned the young infant.  He shows no affection to the girl, but it is clear that his heart has enough gentleness to think of the child and bring her gifts.  However, underneath all of these thick, impenetrable layers of Edward Rochester, there lies a dark, haunting secret that stands between him and his beloved Jane.

In short passages of time, Charlotte Bronte was able to give vivid descriptions of her supporting characters, bringing them into the light of Jane’s retrospect and shining on them clearly.  However, none of the characters are exceptionally necessary for the progression of the story, except to give Jane reason for being in a certain location.

The writing quality of Jane Eyre is very high, and what Bronte once wrote as a modern English has now become archaic, very wordy, and has a slight poetic beauty in its words.  However, due to her excessive word count, the novel can be difficult to read, especially for people not used to such weighted reading.

Charlotte Bronte was born on the 21^st of April, in 1816.  She was the third of six children, and only one of three to survive to adulthood.  At an early age she was sent to a boarding school that she later used as basis for Lowood School in Jane Eyre; the conditions were unhealthy and it hastened the death of two of her sisters. Another scene in Charlotte Bronte’s life, that is more than likely to have made its way into Jane Eyre, was her own work as a governess and the unruly John she taught, who threw a Bible at Charlotte.  This is similar to Jane’s abusive cousin who threw a book at the main character.

Charlotte Bronte published other novels, four in total, but Jane Eyre remains her most famous, and she is hardly recognized for her additional works. Jane Eyre was published on October 16, 1847 under the pen name of Currer Bell.  The Bronte sisters wrote under male aliases so as to attract more publishing attention.

There is a definite Christian theology spread lightly across the pages of Jane Eyre.  Jane is a very devout, moral girl who often prays to God before bed, and in the boarding school, her dear friend speaks much of the Bible, obeying God, and going to heaven.  There is mention of Hell as a place for sinners, and Mr. Brocklehurst, the owner of Lowood School, believes that girls should be plain, have no adornments including curls, because of passages in the Bible that ask for women to be modest.  However, it is revealed that Brocklehurst’s family does not follow to his own teaching.

There isn’t much swearing in Jane Eyre, but Mr. Rochester is known to use occasional profanity and also swear under his breath.  God’s name is used several times in exclamation, but it is hard to tell if it is more prayer-like or used in vain.  Overall, the language is rather clean and unquestionable.

It may be surprising that the love life and romantic appeal between characters is very clean.  (Spoiler) However, Mr. Rochester does attempt to marry Jane, even though he is married to another woman, a fact unknown to Jane.  His bigamous plans are discovered before they are carried into action, but a big deal is made about how despicable that is.  Jane and Edward kiss passionately once or twice, but no other actions are made to display their love.  One of the most interesting parts of their romance is that there is no apparent reason for Jane to have loved Mr. Rochester, and so her faithful commitment is odd at times.

Alcohol is mentioned a few times, but sparingly, and the main characters are never drunk.  A sub-character does drink frequently, and sometimes has had too much, falling asleep and ultimately neglecting her duties.  However, for the sake of the plot, this drinking is necessary and not made graphic or overly accentuated. 

Jane Eyre does have a dark and slightly disturbing tone, consisting of a mentally unstable woman.  On multiple occasions the woman lights beds on fire inside Thornfield Hall, nearly killing Mr. Rochester.  At another time, she stabs her own brother in the arm.  She eventually commits suicide by jumping from the roof of a building that she also lit on fire. 

There are several deaths throughout the book, three of them caused by illness, and two possible suicides.  The death scenes of each are not graphic, and not entirely horrifying, however, typhoid and consumption does take the life of a young teenaged girl, which can be very sad for sensitive readers.

Charlotte Bronte was incredibly diligent in keeping her characters consistent.  From Jane’s young schooldays to her later married life, her development is obvious but her character is the same all the way through the book.  As with her plot line, even though it is very slow and drawn out, it is steady and progressive, ushering Jane from one key point in life to the next.

Dark and mysterious, sweet and romantic, Charlotte Bronte has left the world with a book that stands out against the background of other classic romances.  Perhaps more suitable for older readers, Jane Eyre still tells an age-old story of love, endurance, and faithfulness, which we can all hold to today. 

(Based on a rating system entirely made up of pros and cons, I judge by different categories to ensure that the reader of this review can aptly choose if this book is an appropriate for themselves or others.)

Theme ~ Positive! (Strong and powerful, also high moral.)

Plot Line ~ Positive! (Extremely memorable and original.)

Characters ~ Positive! (For life-like and classic characteristics.)

Writing Quality ~ Negative! (Difficult and wordy, hard to comprehend.)

Mature Content ~ Negative! (Some topics may be unsuitable for a young or sensitive audience.)

Congruency ~ Positive! (For good/consistent character development.)

The total score for Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is 3 out of a possible 6 positive points.