What We Can Learn About Friendship From Jane Eyre is a post from: Acts of Faith In Love & Life

Good grief the Brontë sisters know how to write tales of wanting, loneliness and dra-a-a-ma. And triumph. Jane is orphaned, mistreated, cast off, mistreated some more, falls in love, mistreated some more, wanders the moors and nearly dies and then becomes an heiress! Rochester is a bit of a lech in my opinion – despite the 4^th quarter plot twist to redeem him which is what makes it such a compelling novel.

She didn’t compromise her values despite all sorts of pressure that would’ve broken most people, let alone a woman from that time. Indeed, Jane Eyre was ahead of her time with so many admirable qualities we can draw from as modern women. She wanted to define herself separate from societal captions but maintained compassion and character. She has endured many experiences similar to the Cinderella mythology. I don’t want to give away any more specifics of the book plot, but in case you’ve never read it you’re missing out.

Clocking in at 400+ pages its quite the juicy read – but not nearly as lengthy as Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”.  The newest movie adaptation directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga was great and is now out on DVD! It was such a surprise to see Billy Elliot actor Jamie Bell all grown up. Michael Fassbender is poised to be the next A-list international star, so his appeal is evident playing such an iconic character.

Did you know a young Elizabeth Taylor played the first film version of Helen Burns? So the lesson on friendship was between Jane and herself but it was Helen’s influence which helped Jane develop a belief in a higher purpose beyond present circumstances that guided her. I thought the recurring visions of Helen was a nice touch reminding Jane she wasn’t entirely alone.

Isn’t it amazing how these messages of abundance permeate across so many different avenues? Helen’s speech about being spirits was one big YES for adopting this line of thinking and being. It really proves there is truly nothing new under the sun. We find our way towards certain things or not. And then it manifests.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ae_E526TcE

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If you enjoyed this post you might enjoy:  Channeling the Wisdom Found in Jane Austen