Charlotte Brontë still teaches English and Literature

Today, a couple of books allude - explicitly or not - to Jane Eyre. The first book - Eternity Is Temporary by Bill Broady- is reviewed by Lavinia Greenlaw for The Guardian. Apart from having that really great title, this is what one of the characters does within its pages:

The girl Evan falls for, Adrea, is a pale blonde who aspires to looking like Billie Holiday and sits around annotating Jane Eyre.

Meanwhile, Mickey Pearlman, from the Star Tribune, reviews Lee Smith's new novel, On Agate Hill, and he makes this - to us - puzzling comment:

Like almost all orphans in novels everywhere (see Jane Eyre run), especially those who feel like "a ghost girl wafting through this ghost house seen by none," she becomes the victim of a schemer-- the murdering and despicable housekeeper, Selena.

If anyone cares to explain what he actually means or whether it's a valid comparison, we will be more than glad to hear that.

And finally an anecdote we have found very endearing:

Nogales' first M.D., Ohioan Dr. William Chenoweth arrived in 1888. Having only an English-Spanish dictionary, he translated Charlotte Bronte's novel "Jane Eyre" to learn Spanish. In a month he could converse.

So you see, Charlotte may have disliked the job in her lifetime but she still teaching English. And she makes a great teacher!

Categories: Books, Jane_Eyre