A Character Who I Can Relate to the Most // 30-Day Book Challenge - Day 25

Today is the twenty-fifth day of the 30-day book challenge, in which I will be writing about a different book or book series every day for 30 days, with each book chosen according to the daily prompt. Today's prompt is: "a character who you can relate to the most".

Another day, another delay. I shan't bore you with yet one more excuse explanation as to why this post is so late, so instead we can get straight to the topic of this post: a book which features, according to the 30-day book challenge, "a character who I can relate to the most".

My selection for this post is not an original one, but I hope I will be able to show you why the titular character of this book is one I relate to so much. Conveniently, both this character and the name of the book she stars in share the same name: Jane Eyre.

Jane Eyre, as many of you no doubt already know, is the first published novel by British author Charlotte Bronte, one of the three famous Bronte sisters of English literature (the two other sisters being Anne and Emily). While Jane Eyre was not actually the first book to be written by Charlotte Bronte - that award goes to The Professor - it is no doubt her most well-known work. Among its iconic characters are the eponymous Jane Eyre and her employer-slash-love-interest Mr Rochester. The plot, as described below by Goodreads, follows Jane Eyre from her early life as an orphan to her employment as a governess for Rochester, as well as her subsequent growth and development as a person:

Charlotte Brontë tells the story of orphaned Jane Eyre, who grows up in the home of her heartless aunt, enduring loneliness and cruelty. This troubled childhood strengthens Jane's natural independence and spirit - which prove necessary when she finds employment as a governess to the young ward of Byronic, brooding Mr Rochester. As her feelings for Rochester develop, Jane gradually uncovers Thornfield Hall's terrible secret, forcing her to make a choice. Should she stay with Rochester and live with the consequences, or follow her convictions - even if it means leaving the man she loves?

Jane Eyre is ultimately a very personal novel, being written from Jane's first person perspective, with a narrative that is intensely coloured by her own feelings. While a lot of focus seems to me to be put on the romance between Jane and Rochester in popular culture, I feel that Jane's intrapersonal development is more important than her relationship, which is really only relevant insofar as it applies to her character growth. I am mainly saying this in defence of Jane, as modern feminist criticism of the book often seems to concentrate on the, ahem, slightly dodgy nature of the main romantic plotline (and I agree, it is a little iffy) - but it is unfair to let this critique distract from the book's greatest virtue, the complex and inspiring character that is Jane herself.

Now, having done all of that defending of Jane, it might be a little narcissistic of me to claim that I can relate to this apparently amazing character. But in my own defence, I do relate to the less flattering aspects of Jane's character as well as the more positive ones. Besides, I was hardly likely to choose an entirely detestable character for this post. Although, if you do want to read about a character I hate precisely because I relate to her too much, feel free to look up Cath from Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl.

Getting back to Jane Eyre, the most important thing you need to know about her personality is that she's very reflective and passionate, something we as readers are constantly aware of given that the book is written from her perspective. On the positive side, this means that Jane is thoughtful, sensitive, and principled. On the other hand, Jane can be over-emotional, self-pitying, and stubborn.

I can relate to both these sides of Jane's personality, the positive and the negative, but beyond this multidimensionality, what I appreciate most about her character is how she develops over the course of the novel. Without getting into too much detail and risking spoiling her growth for those who haven't read the novel, I will say that the story allows us to see Jane grow from an unhappy, anxious, and at times timid person into someone who is strong, independent, and self-assured.

This is the final reason why I chose Jane over a character like Fangirl's Cath: because when I say I relate to Jane, I also mean that I see in her some potential for growth and the chance to become the sort of person I would like to be. I feel characters are most useful in that sense, when they not only show us our flaws but also how we might overcome them. At any rate, this is one of the things I find most valuable about Jane's character.

I would love to know if anyone reading this has been able to relate to a character like I can relate to Jane Eyre or even if you can relate to a character in a way that's a little different - maybe it's less ambiguously positive or negative, or maybe it's less about their personality and more about their life situation or another factor. Whatever the reasoning, I'd like to hear it, so if you'd like to share please comment or send me a message and let me know.