On March 11, 2011, the movie "Jane Eyre" hit a select amount of big screens around the nation. As an avid lover of the book Jane Eyre, I was very much upset when the movie did not come to a theater near where I live. I really wanted to see the movie.
Well, tonight I found out it was playing in a town around thirty minutes from here, so a friend and I went and saw it.
Before I tell you more about the movie, let me give you a taste of what my expectations were before I entered the theater.
I had watched the trailers for the movie multiple times; I had found scenes and watch those as well; I read the book when I was in high school and fell in love with every word Charlotte Bronte scripted to bring the story together. This is my all-time favorite fiction book, even more than Jane Austen's books. The story, the plot line, of Jane Eyre is just so amazing and intriguing. I went into this movie expecting to have my breath taken away.
Well, that's not exactly what happened.
The movie began in a different way than I imagined, but I thought it was clever and understood what the director was trying to do. I liked the progression through the first part of the story because if you've read the book, you know the first part is kind of the slowest. But when Jane arrived at Thornfield, I expected more from the movie. From then on, I kept waiting for more and more, but it never came. When the screen went black at the very end, I kept saying, "No, no. Don't tell me this. No." And then it ended. My friend even mentioned to me one of the most significant details of the book that they just totally overlooked, and the last and probably most important chapters of the book are left out completely. I was so mad. I'm still a little heated if you can't tell.
But my anger at the failure of this movie does not stop here. No, I have a few people I need to address.
First, I must address Cary Fukunaga, director of "Jane Eyre."
Mr. Fukunaga,
What were you thinking? Did you think readers of this book would appreciate such a weak attempt to capture the essence of Jane Eyre? Did you think we wanted to be teased with each scene as it came so close to diving deep beneath the surface? No, we wanted to sink in the emotion and grief of the characters. Instead of my breath being taken away, I released it in huffs of frustration. Why would you even spend time attempting to make something that won't even come close to embodying what the book really says?
Next, I must address Charlotte Bronte, author of Jane Eyre. (Yes, I know she's dead.)
Dear Miss Bronte,
I'm extremely sorry for the poor attempt Focus Features and Cary Fukunaga made of this rendition of your wonderful classic. I'm sorry I paid the money I did to watch it. But I will tell you, this failure on the screen accounts for the fact that your work is so good that nothing can match it. I wish you could have been here to talk to the people who obviously needed help in making this movie.
Dear Reader of Jane Eyre,
You may have not read Jane Eyre, but whether you have read the book or constantly read the book all the time, I am sorry you had to endure this version of the book. Let me just tell you, RedBox it. Don't wast money seeing it in theaters. Many good scenes take place in the play, but the lack of enough details defeats any hope of a good moment in the movie.
If you have not read the book, let me just tell you this. You will enjoy the movie more if you have not read the book. But at this point, I would just suggest to get a copy of the book and read it. The book is so much more phenomenal and carries the plot so wonderfully. The depth of emotion and feeling does not reveal itself in the movie as it does in the book.
Yes, this is my review of "Jane Eyre." I don't recommend it, especially if you've read the book.
It just made me sad.
Until Next time,
God Bless
Friday, May 20, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Almost a Senior, Almost
So on my last post I said that I would be uncovering some misleading truths in some books I have read. I didn't realize, however, that I would not have the time to do this during the summer as I am working at a camp. So, this endeavoring with all the many books I would like to re-read may not happen for awhile. But when I decide to begin this project, I will let you know.
Today I took my last final. I still have one more reflection to write tomorrow that counts as a final, but it's not actually a test, so I kind of consider myself done with finals. Finishing my finals is always so weird for me. Throughout the entire semester, I study for ridiculous amounts of time and carry this weight of anxiety around on my shoulder for the all the work I have to do in all these classes. And then, suddenly with the turning-in of one test, it all comes to an end. I look back on the semester and wonder why I worried. But I also know that weight of anxiety also serves as motivation sometimes. It's kind of a catch 22 situation.
But yes, I am done. I'm not officially a senior yet. I won't count myself as one until after graduation, when all the seniors who are still here are gone. I'm excited to be a senior, but I also know that starting in the fall will be my last year of protection, if you will, from the real world. Not that I'm scared of the real world, but I've never lived in the real world on my own. I'm so glad my graduation is a year from this Saturday instead of four days away. I know/hope that when the time comes I won't be as scared as I am now, but only time will tell.
On a brighter note, I am excited for the camp I will be on staff with this summer. The camp is CentriFuge sponsored by LifeWay. I've never attended the camp as a camper, but I've heard wonderful things about it.
I'm also just excited to have some free time next week before training starts for camp. I'm bringing a friend home with me after school get out, and we're just going to chill and take it easy for about five days, five days of much needed rest.
So, yes, almost a senior, almost with 100 hours under my belt. (That doesn't seem possible.)
Hope you have a great summer. I try to post as often as I can.
Until next time,
God Bless
Today I took my last final. I still have one more reflection to write tomorrow that counts as a final, but it's not actually a test, so I kind of consider myself done with finals. Finishing my finals is always so weird for me. Throughout the entire semester, I study for ridiculous amounts of time and carry this weight of anxiety around on my shoulder for the all the work I have to do in all these classes. And then, suddenly with the turning-in of one test, it all comes to an end. I look back on the semester and wonder why I worried. But I also know that weight of anxiety also serves as motivation sometimes. It's kind of a catch 22 situation.
But yes, I am done. I'm not officially a senior yet. I won't count myself as one until after graduation, when all the seniors who are still here are gone. I'm excited to be a senior, but I also know that starting in the fall will be my last year of protection, if you will, from the real world. Not that I'm scared of the real world, but I've never lived in the real world on my own. I'm so glad my graduation is a year from this Saturday instead of four days away. I know/hope that when the time comes I won't be as scared as I am now, but only time will tell.
On a brighter note, I am excited for the camp I will be on staff with this summer. The camp is CentriFuge sponsored by LifeWay. I've never attended the camp as a camper, but I've heard wonderful things about it.
I'm also just excited to have some free time next week before training starts for camp. I'm bringing a friend home with me after school get out, and we're just going to chill and take it easy for about five days, five days of much needed rest.
So, yes, almost a senior, almost with 100 hours under my belt. (That doesn't seem possible.)
Hope you have a great summer. I try to post as often as I can.
Until next time,
God Bless
Friday, May 6, 2011
Dispelling the Lies
The idea for this post spurs from a conversation had at my house last night with my roommates. The conversation is the spring board of this post. As the post continues, the focus may shift to something bigger or more broad. We'll see.
The conversation centered around my roommate and this guy she knows from the YMCA. Well, they've been friends for awhile, and he has dropped hints that he would like to hang out with her more, but he has never followed through. One of our other roommates jumped in on the conversation because she's married and has a little more experience with guys. (Yes, I live with a married couple and then another roommate, in case you're wondering.)
My roommate was talking about how she doesn't want to text this guy or call him because that's what the guy is supposed to do. Well, L, the other roommate, jumps in and says that it is okay for M, my roommate to text the guy and give a little encouragement. For the record, this was the first time I have ever heard this. So we talked a little more about what M should say to this guy. She could say that it would be nice to hang out with him sometime or that they should go get coffee or go for a walk. But neither M or me had ever heard this before. All my life, and all of M's life, we've been told, don't pursue guys, don't text them, don't call them, let them pursue you.
Let's sit back and think about that for a second. Why is a guy supposed to know he should pursue a girl if she gives him no indicator that she likes him or wants to hang out with him? You may say, because he likes her. But how does he know he likes her if she gives him no encouragement? Many a guy has probably realized he doesn't like a girl because she gives him nothing to go off of. Someone drew a fine line between encouragement and pursuing, and I must've missed that epic event. Every book I've read, every Bible study I've been a part of, and every girls conference I've been too said, "Let the guy chase you."
I'm not saying this approach is flawed. For some, this might work. Obviously, for me, it hasn't work, speaking from 21 1/2 years of never having a boyfriend. I know I think sometimes that guys are judgmental and constantly ridiculing girls and their every move, even though they could probably care less. For me, someone who does not have the longest list of guy friends or male "hang-out" buddies, anytime a guy talks to me or shows more than a little interest in me, I think that he likes me. I'm getting better with this, but it's hard. I think the hardest stage for a guy and a girl for a girl to understand is the friend stage. I forget that yes, I can be friends with guys, and that's okay. I can talk to them and them not think I'm crazy. They are people too. Their only existence is not to be boyfriends.
That said, I feel like all those books I read and all those Bible studies I went to made me a little paranoid and scared of boys. Yes, I admit it. I'm a little scared of them at times. But to hear someone who I think very sound in her faith say that it is okay to give guys a little encouragement where encouragement is needed was wonderful. Not chasing after them, just encouraging them. I wish I would've known that a long time ago. I wish I would've known that just asking a guy to go get coffee as friends is okay. I wish I would've known that just talking to guys is okay.
This brings me to part two of my post. As a journalist, I like to investigate things, especially things that are wrong. So over the next however many months, I'm going to read all those books I read when I was 14, 15, 16 and dispel the lies with scripture because I know the lies are there. And yes, I know it says in scripture that a woman is to have a gentle and quiet heart, but I also know that women like Esther, Ruth, Mary, and Hannah probably didn't sit around pining for someone to marry. Esther sure didn't. Ruth was even encouraged by Naomi to go to her man.
I know this may not seem like the biggest priority compared to the gospel, but it's something I've struggled with for as long as I can remember. I don't function well in the company of guys because my brain analyzes their every word and action around me. It's bad, really bad. And I do not think this is healthy. I don't think God wants me to be scared of my brothers-in-Christ. I'm not scared of my actual brother, so why should I be scared of them? This will require going against every habit I formed when I was younger, but I think God will teach me a huge lesson on the other side. I don't want to become a flirt. That's not what this is about. This is about learning how to interact with guys in a healthy way and just be friends.
I may not get through a ton of books this summer as I have a job lined out, but we'll see what happens. Stay tuned.
Until next time,
God Bless
The conversation centered around my roommate and this guy she knows from the YMCA. Well, they've been friends for awhile, and he has dropped hints that he would like to hang out with her more, but he has never followed through. One of our other roommates jumped in on the conversation because she's married and has a little more experience with guys. (Yes, I live with a married couple and then another roommate, in case you're wondering.)
My roommate was talking about how she doesn't want to text this guy or call him because that's what the guy is supposed to do. Well, L, the other roommate, jumps in and says that it is okay for M, my roommate to text the guy and give a little encouragement. For the record, this was the first time I have ever heard this. So we talked a little more about what M should say to this guy. She could say that it would be nice to hang out with him sometime or that they should go get coffee or go for a walk. But neither M or me had ever heard this before. All my life, and all of M's life, we've been told, don't pursue guys, don't text them, don't call them, let them pursue you.
Let's sit back and think about that for a second. Why is a guy supposed to know he should pursue a girl if she gives him no indicator that she likes him or wants to hang out with him? You may say, because he likes her. But how does he know he likes her if she gives him no encouragement? Many a guy has probably realized he doesn't like a girl because she gives him nothing to go off of. Someone drew a fine line between encouragement and pursuing, and I must've missed that epic event. Every book I've read, every Bible study I've been a part of, and every girls conference I've been too said, "Let the guy chase you."
I'm not saying this approach is flawed. For some, this might work. Obviously, for me, it hasn't work, speaking from 21 1/2 years of never having a boyfriend. I know I think sometimes that guys are judgmental and constantly ridiculing girls and their every move, even though they could probably care less. For me, someone who does not have the longest list of guy friends or male "hang-out" buddies, anytime a guy talks to me or shows more than a little interest in me, I think that he likes me. I'm getting better with this, but it's hard. I think the hardest stage for a guy and a girl for a girl to understand is the friend stage. I forget that yes, I can be friends with guys, and that's okay. I can talk to them and them not think I'm crazy. They are people too. Their only existence is not to be boyfriends.
That said, I feel like all those books I read and all those Bible studies I went to made me a little paranoid and scared of boys. Yes, I admit it. I'm a little scared of them at times. But to hear someone who I think very sound in her faith say that it is okay to give guys a little encouragement where encouragement is needed was wonderful. Not chasing after them, just encouraging them. I wish I would've known that a long time ago. I wish I would've known that just asking a guy to go get coffee as friends is okay. I wish I would've known that just talking to guys is okay.
This brings me to part two of my post. As a journalist, I like to investigate things, especially things that are wrong. So over the next however many months, I'm going to read all those books I read when I was 14, 15, 16 and dispel the lies with scripture because I know the lies are there. And yes, I know it says in scripture that a woman is to have a gentle and quiet heart, but I also know that women like Esther, Ruth, Mary, and Hannah probably didn't sit around pining for someone to marry. Esther sure didn't. Ruth was even encouraged by Naomi to go to her man.
I know this may not seem like the biggest priority compared to the gospel, but it's something I've struggled with for as long as I can remember. I don't function well in the company of guys because my brain analyzes their every word and action around me. It's bad, really bad. And I do not think this is healthy. I don't think God wants me to be scared of my brothers-in-Christ. I'm not scared of my actual brother, so why should I be scared of them? This will require going against every habit I formed when I was younger, but I think God will teach me a huge lesson on the other side. I don't want to become a flirt. That's not what this is about. This is about learning how to interact with guys in a healthy way and just be friends.
I may not get through a ton of books this summer as I have a job lined out, but we'll see what happens. Stay tuned.
Until next time,
God Bless
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