Anyway, Jane Eyre. What a wonderful find! For some strange reason, I was under the false belief that I had read the book years ago. Turns out I had not. I initially found it in my sister's library. It's an old copy...yellowing pages, musky smell. It does not endear itself to one. I took it to my room and on several occasions, attempted to start reading it. I failed. I couldn't explain why. Then suddenly, on the 1st of May, I found it amongst my things. It had been months since I first picked it up. In that duration, my son Levi had found it and began taking it apart, as he does with everything he comes across. I suppose it's because he is so deeply curious. Almost everything he touches cannot remain the same. Such is his mark in the world. Back to the book. So it was now basically torn. The front cover and several other pages were torn from the main binding of the book. I picked up the two pieces and began to read. I did not stop reading it for the rest of the day and for part of the night. Oh! How I missed those days. It had been ages since I had been unable to put a book down. So gripped with the story line that I could almost forget to do anything else!
I finally finished it yesterday evening in between driving through Nairobi traffic (yes!) and having to stop at the mall on the way home, not because I so much wanted to shop but because I wanted to disappear into the book and finish it. I had an insatiable hunger for it...."What happens next?" "What will Jane do?" Is Mr. Rochester alive?" "How does the story end...Oh help me..how does the story end?".
If you have not read Jane Eyre...it is a classic love story but a realistic one. Not one built upon layers and layers of fairyland ideals and unrealistic happenings. It is as real as I am an African woman...a Kikuyu one. Jane is an orphan, mistreated by her Aunt Reed and her cousins. Finally sent off to a boarding school that sounds so dreary. At some point, half the student population is wiped away by Typhus Fever (I need to research what that is). She finally grows up to be a teacher in the same school and then gets a job as a governess to the french ward of Mr. Rochester of Thornfield Hall (Why were they called halls?). He is a dark, tall man...who is not handsome but seems attractive according to the description. Jane falls in love with him, he with her and they live happily ever after? NO..! Not yet at least. EVENTUALLY....they both admit to their love of each other. Jane thought her dear Edward would marry a beautiful but hideous woman called...hmmm...Miss Ingram. Jane and Edward are to marry...a small ceremony is arranged. But alas! Edward already has a wife..as is revealed in Church. You know that part where they ask "Does anyone have any reason why these two should not be joined"....someone said yes! Edward's wife is a lunatic, locked up at Thornfield's third floor. Jane acts surprisingly calm...but is of course devastated. Why couldn't Edward tell her before they married? Before you get to this part...there are various hints on the existence of a lunatic in the house. I will leave those for you to discover. Back to the story...
Yes, Jane is devastated. She runs away, is helped by strangers (who turn out to her long lost cousins from an aunt she did not know existed). She inherits a substantial amount of money and is now the headmistress of a school. She still longs for her Edward. We don't know what happens to him....but Jane goes to find out. There was a big great fire started by the retched lunatic of a wife! Thornfield hall is burnt down...and Mr. Rochester....Jane's dear Edward is gravely hurt in the fire. He looses part of his arm and is now blind. A recluse in a little house down a valley somewhere...he hardly speaks to anyone and had two servants taking care of him. Am rushing to finish cos I want to get to my most favourite part!
Oh...I cannot seem to find this part that I so favour. I will seek it for another day. Yes! A reason to re-read such a wonderful book. In the meantime...
Jane seeks her dear Edward out...she surprises him...and he thinks of her as a mere dream. For he so longed for her that he went a little crazy...I think. They reunite....and marry. Edward is blind for another 2 years, then slowly he regains the use of his left eye...and they finally have a son. Jane says its their first born...yet mentions no other child. I supposed they had others later on.
After ten years of marriage....Jane could say "I know no weariness of my Edward's Society". That is what I take away with me from this book. I know it's real..because I have experienced it for over 10 years with someone..I will call him my special friend. I knew no weariness of his society. That is a rare thing to find in life.
I hope to find it again.
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