Free kisses

The girls typed up their stories today; some of them had to sit in the same room as the knitting students since there were only 5 computers in our room, and they were so well behaved! I felt so proud, it was ridiculous. They're very enthusiastic, so that even when they get off track, it still seems like they're focused. For instance I was in one room, and when I came back into the other room, I found them all up and about reading each other's stories, switching computers and just wandering around, goofing off a bit, but not too out of line. They're all so cute!

I finished Jane Eyre today, and started in on The Grapes of Wrath, which people have warned me is slow at the beginning, but which I nonetheless really am enjoying. However, before I can fully transfer my focus from Jane to Grapes, allow me to say: I LOVE JANE EYRE. I love that book so much, I just can't stop wondering at how Charlotte Bronte wove such strong, beautiful language, such an opinionated, thoughtful, brilliant character, and such an intricate plot into one story; I mean, I'd read it once before, but I have no idea where I was, because rereading it, I found page after page as fascinating as though I was reading it for the first time (not to mention I didn't remember like half of the plot.... like how she goes to live with St. John and them after leaving Mr. Rochester? and how they're actually her cousins? I dunno, but that seemed important enough to remember.... apparently I fell asleep while reading that chunk the first time around). I guess it's true that the book has dark undertones. Like Bertha and all. That's why I reread it, because everyone talks about how dark and morbid it is, and I felt like I'd completely missed that. But as I reread it, I found it no more dark than the first time I read it. The language is so full of life, Rochester's love for Jane so pure, if a little tyrannical, Jane herself such a self-conscious, vivacious personage, that I couldn't find the book dark, despite the twist with Rochester's first life. It's light, it's inspiring, Charlotte Bronte is genius..... when I've finished my summer reading, as well as catching up with the books my classmates read this year, I do believe I'll read it again. To Jane!

Labels: Self portrait

posted by Holly @ 4:08 PM