Essential #10

"Jane passionately told her aunt that she was not deceitful. Jane claimed that if indeed she were, she would have said that she loved her aunt, but instead she declared that she did not love her at all. Actually, she stated she disliked her aunt the most of anybody in the world, except for her aunt's son, John Reed. Jane believed giving the book about the liar to her would be pointless. Instead, Jane insisted that Mrs. Reed give the book to her daughter Georgiana because Georgiana tells lies, not Jane. Jane was not about to stop sharing her beliefs there though. She continued to tell her aunt that she was glad she was no relation of hers. Jane then promised that she will never call her aunt again as long as she lives. She will never come to see her when she is grown up. If anyone asks Jane how she liked her aunt and how she treated her, Jane will say the very thought of Mrs. Reed makes her sick. Jane firmly believed that Mrs. Reed treated her with miserable cruelty" (34-35).

Re-writing this passage in a third person point of view completely changes my interpretation of the novel. Jane no longer appears as a strong, rebellious, and powerful young girl. Instead, she appears as an ordinary girl who has been mistreated and is unhappy in her situation. Originally, Jane’s innermost thoughts and feelings are presented in a way in which we can relate to and easily enter her world. When Jane reveals her emotions to her aunt in first person, we feel a closer connection and a sense of directness. Witnessing Jane stand up to her aunt first hand, demonstrates her bold and courageous personality. During this time period, children were meant to be seen, not heard. By hearing Jane, we see that she is not afraid to challenge her role in society. We feel that we are involved in the events and observing everything as if we were actually there. When her emotions are simply described, we have a more difficult time identifying and relating to Jane. Jane possess all the details of the story, but in a third person narrative, the story becomes less about Jane, and more about the actual story line. Unfortunately, Jane loses everything that makes her unique and dominant in the novel.