Name: Vojtech's review of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Item: Jane Eyre
Rating: 4
Author: Vojtech

Charlotte Brontë

Michael Mason

Retells the classic story of an orphaned young woman who accepts employment as a governess and soon finds herself in love with her employer.

Jane Eyre

Stanislas Dehaene

In this riveting investigation, Stanislas Dehaene provides an accessible account of the brain circuitry of reading and explores what he calls the "reading paradox": Our cortex is the product of millions of years of evolution in a world without writing, so how did it adapt to recognize words?

The New Science of how We Read

Reading in the Brain

Non-phonetic writing systems like Hanzi addressed elsewhere but left out in the argument for the evolution of proto-letters in non-human primates. Can the theory explain these, too, given their much higher visual complexity?

里森

our cortex did not specifically evolve for writing—there was neither the time nor sufficient evolutionary pressure for this to occur. On the contrary, writing evolved to fit the cortex. Our writing systems changed under the constraint that even a primate brain had to find them easy to acquire.

The ability of this cortical region to recognize words and transmit their identity to other areas results from a two-step evolutionary process: The slow emergence of efficient mechanisms of invariant object recognition that have appeared in the course of mammalian evolution. The rapid cultural adaptation of writing systems to fit this cortical niche, in the course of cultural evolution over the past five thousand years.

If reading has thus taken possession of our minds, to such an extent that it now constitutes an essential feature of our literate culture, it is because it has found its natural cerebral niche in the occipito-temporal cortex and its connections.

As stressed by the primatologist David Premack, Homo sapiens is the only primate with a sense of pedagogy. Only humans attend to the knowledge and mental states of others in order to teach them. Not only do we actively transmit the cultural objects we find most useful, but—as is particularly apparent with writing—we intentionally perfect them.

In a much-cited article, François Jacob pictured evolution as a tireless tinkerer who keeps a lot of junk in his backyard and occasionally assembles pieces of it to create a new contraption.

There is thus nothing contradictory in talking about rigid learning mechanisms, or even the “instinct to learn,” to quote Peter Marler.153 The old antagonism between nature and nurture is a myth—all learning rests on rigid innate machinery.

At each stage, the recombination of responses by neurons from the lower level allows new neurons to respond to increasingly complex portions of the image.

The brains of monkeys, like those of humans, contain neurons that are so specialized they appear to be dedicated to a single person, image, or concept. For instance, a neuron that responded exclusively to Hollywood superstar Jennifer Aniston was once recorded in the anterior temporal region of a human epilepsy patient.

the areas that Brodmann labeled 20 and 37 are present in both species and both deal with visual recognition. Crucially, the “letterbox” area, which is activated when we read, falls squarely within Brodmann’s area 37. Thus reading is not handled by a new and uniquely human brain area.

Darwin was the first scientist to draw a systematic comparison between language learning and the acquisition of singing behavior in birds.

Man in his arrogance thinks himself a great work, worthy the interposition of a deity. More humble and I believe true to consider him created from animals. —CHARLES DARWIN, NOTEBOOKS, 1838

When we read an irregular word like “colonel,” our brain activity resembles that of a Chinese reader as we must rely largely on a lexico-semantic route that parses this string as a known “character” with its own pronunciation. In contrast, when we read a new but regular string such as Nabokov’s “Lo-lee-ta,” we, like an Italian reader, rely on a direct spelling-to-sound route that goes through the superior temporal lobe.

Our visual system is exquisitely sensitive to the minuscule difference between “eight” and “sight,” and it amplifies it in order to send the input to completely different regions of semantic space. At the same time, it pays very little attention to other much greater differences, such as the distinction between “eight” and “EIGHT.”

Our word recognition device meets two seemingly contradictory requirements: it neglects irrelevant variations in character shape, even if they are huge, but amplifies relevant differences, even if they are tiny.

These constraints are an integral part of our visual apparatus and cannot be lifted by training. One can certainly teach people to optimize their eye movement patterns, but most good readers, who read from four hundred to five hundred words per minute, are already close to optimal. Given the retinal sensor at our disposal, it is probably not possible to do much better.

neither the hypothesis of an intelligent creator nor that of slow emergence through natural selection seems to provide a plausible explanation for the origins of reading.

Our species alone rises above its biological condition, creates an artificial cultural environment for itself, and teaches itself new skills like reading.

English is an abominably irregular language. George Bernard Shaw pointed out that the word “fish” might be spelled ghoti: gh as in “enough,” o as in “women,” and ti as in “lotion”!

I abhor such fanatical phantasimes, such insociable and point-devise companions; such rackers of orthography, as to speak dout, fine, when he should say doubt; det, when he should pronounce debt—d, e, b, t, not d, e, t: he clepeth a calf, cauf; half, hauf; neighbour vocatur nebor; neigh abbreviated ne. This is abhominable—which he would call abbominable: it insinuateth me of insanie.

Both the lexical and phonological pathways operate in parallel and reinforce each other.

“I took a speed-reading course and was able to read War and Peace in twenty minutes. It involves Russia.”

Jane Eyre, on what a relationship should not look like. 

Bethany Jenkins

As for me, I daily wished more to please him; but to do so, I felt daily more and more that I must disown half my nature, stifle half my faculties, wrest my tastes from their original bent, force myself to the adoption of pursuits for which I had no natural vocation. He wanted to train me to an elevation I could never reach; it racked me hourly to aspire to the standard he uplifted.

I sometimes have a queer feeling with regard to you-especially when you are near me, as now: it is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame. And if that boisterous Channel, and two hundred miles or so of land come broad between us, I am afraid that cord of communion will be snapt; and then I've a nervous notion I should take to bleeding inwardly. As for you-you'd forget me.

I hardly know where I found the hardihood thus to open a conversatíon with a stranger; the step was contrary to my nature and habits: but I think her occupation touched a chord of sympathy somewhere; for I too liked reading.

Vojtech

Krystyna 

I LOVED this book, definitely a favorite! This is a book I will definitely re-read.

Jay Broadbent 

'Such a strange book! Imagine a novel with a little swarthy governess for heroine, and a middle-aged ruffian for hero.' Sharpe's London Magazine (June 1855) Jane Eyre is an orphan grown up under the harsh regime first of her aunt and then as a pupil at Lowood Institution. She leaves to become a governess to the daughter of the mysterious Mr Rochester; gradually their relationship deepens, but Jane's passionate nature has yet to endure its deepest blows. In this new edition Sally Shuttleworth explores the power of a narrative that questions the rights of women, the nature of servitude and madness, martyrdom and rebellion in a story whose emotional charge is a strong today as it was more than 150 years ago. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Wynter

When I was little I often asked my family members to tell me a story. My grandmother's stories I liked the most, because she did not just resort to the same old fairytales, but rather told me of the books she'd read in her lifetime. I don't remember much of what she told me, but I do remember Jane Eyre. This is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand I have this wonderful memory of my grandmama sharing a great book with me, but on the other hand I knew about the plot twists and the grande mystery of Thornfield. Kind of a bummer, isn't it?

Without the amazing mystery, I am left to judge the rest of the book. I have to say I liked it a lot, and especially the first part when Jane writes about her childhood. She came off as an intelligent and headstrong child, with a good moral compass and a sense of justice. I loved learning about her life in school and the special friend she made there. I read the whole thing in one sitting! 

Then came the part where she moved to Thornfield to be a governess, and the book lost me a little. Oh the romance! There was so much of it I nearly drowned. People magically falling in love with each other out of nowhere, ignoring traditions imposed by society, singling out an otherwise unremarkable woman for her mind like there are no other intelligent females in the whole wide world... Was I reading a Cinderella storybook? And the men! Oh my goodness, every dude in this book wanted to manipulate Jane into marrying him to achieve some kind of selfish goal. And they didn't really ask, they told her to marry them! That other guy (we all know who you are!) even went as far as to frighten her with the wrath of God if she didn't serve his purpose. Sheesh! I also did not enjoy endless "lovemaking", as the puritan society liked to call pages and pages of confessions of love, interwoven with longing looks and sighing by the moonlight (I'm looking at you Rochester!). I know I'm being cynical, but this kind of stuff just doesn't appeal to me in books.

But that was the only flaw of Jane Eyre. The writing was beautiful, but accessible; the heroine - independent and (thank heavens) not susceptible to fainting spells. The plot was engaging, and the atmosphere deliciously gothic at times. I completely supported the choices Jane made, and admired her for sticking to her guns and speaking her mind frankly, sometimes even brutally. What a lovely novel! I do think though that it failed to portray Jane's life as that of hardship and misery, since every time she really was in distress, there came someone to make it all better for her. But that kind of fairytale I am willing to gobble up.

Anja Hansen

Is Jane the original 'not like other girls' or what? Either way I'm totally here for it. Loved every second of this. To have the main couple not be your typical beautiful people was so refreshing, and it definitely makes them feel more human. I also really admired Jane's journey, she is an independent woman who isn't blindly following her heart, but rather thinks rationally for herself. 
Mr Rochester was great, such a witty guy, and I felt so bad for him, he went through so much.

Only thing I didn’t like was when she called master 

Hannah Alexander 

Meg Ferguson

‘the more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I respect myself’. However, this quote (which was situated on the back of the book) differs from the message I gained from the book. Jane was at her happiest once married to Edward Rochester. However, she was unable to live by his side until she had found happiness in herself. To live solitary and to live friendless is not how humans are to survive.

sarah

Considerada uma obra-prima da literatura inglesa, Jane Eyre é um romance da escritora inglesa Charlotte Brontë, publicado no século XIX, mais precisamente em 1847 Jane Eyre é uma autobiografia ficcionada da protagonista que, depois de uma infância e adole

JANE EYRE

Jamieson

“Do you think I am an automaton? — a machine without feelings? and can bear to have my morsel of bread snatched from my lips, and my drop of living water dashed from my cup? Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong! — I have as much soul as you — and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you. I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionalities, nor even of mortal flesh: it is my spirit that addresses your spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God's feet, equal — as we are!” 


I don't think there is a whole lot I can say about Jane Eyre that hasn't been said a million times. It's a classic for a reason, and Jane is an iconic figure both as a women and as a character in literature for a reason. 

This is my first time reading Jane Eyre (though I have seen the movie for it) and I really, really enjoyed it. It is probably my favourite classic I've read. 

Jane as a character is so interesting, and strong. Being able to follow her story from childhood to adulthood as a reader was really fantastic. I was instantly drawn in by her character, I loved her passion and her strength and her independence. For a character written in the 1800s, she stands remarkably on her own. She struggles almost constantly against the prevailing attitudes toward women at the time, but the way she addresses and deals with them was amazing. I love (but kind of hate?) she's one of the strongest female characters I've read, and she was written so long ago. 

There was so much to like, aside from the romance. This is about Jane finding happiness in herself and her station and her discovery of family, friends, love and self-acceptance was beautiful. The moment she discovers she's rich and has a family and is so excited made me smile so much because I love her and I was so happy for her. 

Despite being a classic, lots about this is still really relevant today and I liked that. 


  “I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself.” 


I really ended up loving this, despite finding the first section a little slow and I understand why so many people call Jane Eyre their favourite character.

Kimber Severance 

I LOVE THIS BOOK. My older sister read it before me, and led me to believe it was a thick drag-on-forever kind of story. But I have absolutely no idea what she was talking about. I found Jane Eyre interesting from the very first. Jane Eyre herself is an intriguing character who I feel I can relate to. Rochester isn't nearly as mean as the movies portray him. And the mystery isn't simply weird in a deranged kind of way. It's thought out and interesting. Unlike most literature derived from the older and more stoic times of England, Jane Eyre is fairly easy to follow. So far reading Jane Eyre has been one of few times I have had enjoying older literature given to me from school.

Nikola

Trish

Sometimes I feel like the only person in the world who wasn't impressed or enthused by Jane Eyre. It's an okay classic, but I didn't feel the captivated by the characters or the romance... I may just be forever alone on this one.

Jay Harris

What a book! Surprising and ambitious. I hadn't read it before, and I couldn't put it down.

Jen Harris

Nicole Sonja

This was an interesting read. I must say, however, that I had no strong connection to it while reading it. My emotions were the same throughout the book. It's strange because I love Pride and Prejudice very much so it's safe to say that it has nothing to do with the age of the book. I'm disappointed with the book. I'm just too neutral to love it.

Lucía Mora 

Un libro clásico precioso, con una protagonista femenina increíble y muy interesante. Precioso de principio a fin.

Dominiqepelican

You.. I.. I just can't.. If you're reading this then go read this absolute piece of art. (I cried at the end like physically)

It's difficult for me to rate and review an almost 200 year old book. I will say this is the first of the classics I've read on my own, outside of a school or university setting. Some parts were a little difficult to get through, but the overall meaning and theme of each page was conveyed.

I enjoyed this book because I didn't know what would happen. Having never seen any adaptations or read any part of this book previously, I was captivated. Wanting to know what would happen next kept me going.

Jane is a wonderful character, one who I am sure is relatable in some way to every reader. I love her quick wit and independent nature; I love how she always overcomes. She was certainly my favorite character of the book. I also love how it reads like a memoir and that Jane is addressing us (the reader) directly. I was also curious about the changes in tense, from present to past. It felt more real.

I feel, partly because of its age, this is a book that I didn't or couldn't get everything out of because I read it alone. I'm sure there were themes or other things I didn't quite pick up on. Every great piece of literature like this needs to be discussed among its readers. Again, I'm not saying I disliked the book, I just don't think I got too much out of it.

It was very descriptive; sometimes the long descriptions took the place of plot, and the book slowed for me a few times throughout. Another small barrier was that I don't speak or understand any French. I couldn't put together everything that Adele was saying. I could follow a little through context clues, but not for everything Adele said. I realize this was written when it most likely would have been common to know more than one's own native tongue, but it didn't translate well for this modern reader. It also probably doesn't make a difference, but the copy of Jane Eyre I read is actually an antique second edition, with no notes or forwards. I'm not sure if newer additions have anything different.

I'm happy that I set out to read this book and didn't quit, even if it took me a few weeks. I feel a small sense of satisfaction for reading it, and now I can move on to my regularly preferred genres. It is good to read the classics every now and again and this was no exception.

Amanda Larch 

It's difficult for me to rate and review an almost 200 year old book. I will say this is the first of the classics I've read on my own, outside of a school or university setting. Some parts were a little difficult to get through, but the overall meaning and theme of each page was conveyed.

I enjoyed this book because I didn't know what would happen. Having never seen any adaptations or read any part of this book previously, I was captivated. Wanting to know what would happen next kept me going.

Jane is a wonderful character, one who I am sure is relatable in some way to every reader. I love her quick wit and independent nature; I love how she always overcomes. She was certainly my favorite character of the book. I also love how it reads like a memoir and that Jane is addressing us (the reader) directly. I was also curious about the changes in tense, from present to past. It felt more real.

I feel, partly because of its age, this is a book that I didn't or couldn't get everything out of because I read it alone. I'm sure there were themes or other things I didn't quite pick up on. Every great piece of literature like this needs to be discussed among its readers. Again, I'm not saying I disliked the book, I just don't think I got too much out of it.

It was very descriptive; sometimes the long descriptions took the place of plot, and the book slowed for me a few times throughout. Another small barrier was that I don't speak or understand any French. I couldn't put together everything that Adele was saying. I could follow a little through context clues, but not for everything Adele said. I realize this was written when it most likely would have been common to know more than one's own native tongue, but it didn't translate well for this modern reader. It also probably doesn't make a difference, but the copy of Jane Eyre I read is actually an antique second edition, with no notes or forwards. I'm not sure if newer additions have anything different.

I'm happy that I set out to read this book and didn't quit, even if it took me a few weeks. I feel a small sense of satisfaction for reading it, and now I can move on to my regularly preferred genres. It is good to read the classics every now and again and this was no exception.

Orphaned Jane Eyre grows up in the home of her heartless aunt, where she endures loneliness and cruelty, and at a charity school with a harsh regime. This troubled childhood strengthens Jane's natural independence and spirit - which prove necessary when she finds a position as governess at Thornfield Hall. But when she finds love with her sardonic employer, Rochester, the discovery of his terrible secret forces her to make a choice. Should she stay with him and live with the consequences, or follow her convictions, even if it means leaving the man she loves? A novel of intense power and intrigue, Jane Eyre (1847) dazzled and shocked readers with its passionate depiction of a woman's search for equality and freedom.

dimmie

3.5 stars. written VERY well but personally I just found the plot a bit boring

Jane Eyre.

Love love love! Honestly the first classic I have read and I couldn't put it down. It was genuinely funny and made me laugh which I didn't expect and so ahead of it's time. Would read again in a heartbeat

Caitlin Wellham

This classic of English literature truly features something for every reader. Determined to make her heroine "as poor and plain as myself," Charlotte Brontë made a daring choice for her 1847 novel. Jane Eyre possesses neither the great beauty nor entrancing charm that her fictional predecessors used to make their way in the world. Instead, Jane relies upon her powers of diligence and perception, conducting herself with dignity animated by passion. The instant and lasting success of Jane Eyre proved Brontë's instincts correct. Readers of her era and ever after have taken the impoverished orphan girl into their hearts, following her from the custody of cruel relatives to a dangerously oppressive boarding school and onward through a troubled career as a governess. Jane's first assignment at Thorn field, where the proud and cynical master of the house harbors a scandalous secret, draws readers ever deeper into a compelling exploration of the mysteries of the human heart. A banquet of food for thought, this many-faceted tale invites a splendid variety of interpretations. The heroine's insistence upon emotional equality with her lover suggests a feminist viewpoint, while her solitary status invokes a consideration of the problems of growing up as a social outsider. Some regard Jane's attempts to reconcile her need for love with her search for moral rectitude as the story's primary message, and lovers of gothic romance find the tale's social and religious aspects secondary to its gripping elements of mystery and horror.

why did i finish this book only to see her end up with that stinky creep old man??? st. john deserves better despite being so pushy and delusional about god wanting them to get married. she should ditch that jerk and marry the nice guy who is her true soulmate 😠☝🏼

Emelie

Another classics that I didn’t like. Am I surprised? Nope... Am I glad I read it? Sure.

Paula Pujada

I don’t have anything particularly intelligent to say about this book, unfortunately. I haven’t read many classics, but I’m trying to read more. 

I’m definitely curious to see the perspective that Wide Sargasso Sea has to offer. 

But this book was so much better than I imagined it would be. Jane was such a cool character and a wonderful narrator. I found her mind to be such an interesting place, and that alone really makes the book work for me. (plus Helen Burns)

I don’t have anything particularly intelligent to say about this book, unfortunately. I haven’t read many classics, but I’m trying to read more. 

I’m definitely curious to see the perspective that Wide Sargasso Sea has to offer. 

But this book was so much better than I imagined it would be. Jane was such a cool character and a wonderful narrator. I found her mind to be such an interesting place, and that alone really makes the book work for me. (plus Helen Burns)

I liked this. Jane Eyre was nicely written character.

However, Mr Rochester sometimes felt off and random. And I hate when the writer addresses the reader. 

I liked this. Jane Eyre was nicely written character.

However, Mr Rochester sometimes felt off and random. And I hate when the writer addresses the reader. 

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Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

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Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë