Day 13: Book That You Wish Had a Sequel
Look! It's another book from a British author!
I thought of posting Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, but I haven't read that book in about four years, so I don't remember much about it. I picked Jane Eyre because I read that book less than a year ago, and I actually like it.
While Jane Eyre isn't quite in my Favorites list, I like the book because I like the titular character. She is not the typical sweet, subservient, angelic woman that you find in 1800s literature (*cough* Charles Dickens *cough*). She is strong and independent. While I think she made some very questionable decisions, I think Jane is a refreshing break from your stereotypical literary woman.
The main reason this book isn't in my Favorites list is Mr. Rochester, whom Jane marries. I find nothing appealing about Mr. Rochester. He is manipulative, self-serving, and childish. Oh, and he is neglectful. He had an arranged marriage with a Caribbean woman who was mentally ill, although he was not aware of her illness until he met her. His solution? He keeps her locked away in a small attic room, and he does not tell anyone that he is married. In short, Mr. Rochester is a complete a**hole, and I just don't get what Jane sees in him.
Jane and Mr. Rochester do not marry until the book's final chapter. Jane had not seen him in months, and he lost his vision in a house fire that his wife started. (His wife died in the fire.) They meet again and find that they are madly in love with each other, so they marry.
Mainly, I wish Jane Eyre had a sequel so I could know how Jane's marriage to Mr. Rochester works out. Part of me is very cynical and thinks it will never last because of Rochester's personality, but more than anything else I am just curious. Do they have a family? Do they move to a different house? Does one of them have an affair? I just want to know what happens next.
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