One story, different views

Do you remember my full article on Jane Eyre? If not, you can read it on #bsideblog.

The last book I need to read for uni this year is Wide Sargasso Sea. The novel, written one century after Jane Eyre, tells the story of ‘the madwoman in the attic’. I won’t say much because I don’t want to give you spoilers, but I think I love this book as much as I love Jane Eyre.

First, it is written from different points of view. First part - Annette Cosway, second part - unnamed English gentleman aka Edward Rochester and third part (I haven’t got there yet) - Annette Cosway, again. I think I made it clear that I love this type of story.

Second, it makes you think about Bertha Mason (the new name she is given when Rochester takes her to the UK) and how similar she actually is to Jane. They both had very traumatising childhoods, they were both sent away to school, they’re both orphans. The difference between them is the way they cope with the trauma. Comparing the two makes for an interesting study of the human brain and it’s times like these I wish I knew more about psychology.

It’s interesting how many different fields are living in symbiosis through literature - psychology, history, politics, religion, philosophy and the list can go on forever.