As the massivebook thudded on my desk, my mouth gaped with awe. Jane Eyre was staringme in the face. "Holy Mother of God!" I cried, but little didI know that Jane Eyre would soon become a helpful, almost Biblical,handbook.

Surprisingly, this book was a valuable addition to thecurriculum and my own life. I found it relevant and drew many parallelsfrom it. Certainly there is a Master Reed in my life, that mama's boyeveryone adores, yet I am forced to despise. And after reading MissAbbot's words - "God will punish her: He might strike her dead inthe midst of her tantrums" - I found myself exclaiming, "PoorJane!"

Poor Jane, indeed; she's penniless, orphaned andabducted by a loveless family, and then death is wished upon her. Icringed with sympathy, yet I laughed at how similar our lives could be.How is it possible that my own life was sketched into a classicVictorian novel?

I found much more than similarities, though, Ialso found wit and pure Janeian humor. I loved it when Rochester asks,"Am I hideous, Jane?" Who but Jane would reply, "Very,sir; you always were, you know." She is blunt and flat-out honest -characteristics I admire.

I also discovered inspiration from thisnovel. Jane has a firm grasp of her ethics and is strongminded. Shesays, "I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free humanbeing with an independent will, which I now exert to leave you."The courage Jane has to leave Mr. Rochester, the love of her life, andher independence astounded me.

Another inspiration came as Iread the scene when Jane leaves Thornfield Hall, her home, love, familyand friends. "May you never appeal to heaven in prayers so hopelessand so agonized as in that hour left my lips; for never may you, likeme, dread to be the instrument of evil to what you wholly love."She sacrifices all to take the moral high road, yet eventually comes outon top and is happy. Jane possesses will, virtue and purity, and is veryadmirable.

"Gentle reader, may you never feel what I thenfelt!" The novel ends and the witty, inspirational adventure ofJane is over. But I go on, feeling like Jane, "obscure, plain andlittle."