WishboneDawn Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I am not judging anyone but me. I had *plenty* of crazy growing up. By the time I read WH at 14 I didn't need any of that in my life. I had a pretty normal, stable childhood. Maybe I needed a little more of it. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I read Wuthering Heights as an older teen and hated it. I re-read it when I was in my 30's and still hated it. I doubt I'll ever read it again. I prefer Charlotte to Emily, but am not a huge fan of either of the two Bronte sisters (I have never read anything by Anne). Though I like Shirley better, I reread Jane Eyre more often, and in fact read it again this summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeekingSimplicity Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 OK, I have not read the book yet. I switched schools a lot, and since they all read things on a different schedule I missed out on reading a lot of things other people read so I never read it in school. Started it yesterday afternoon and I'm still on the first chapter. I did go and find the 2009 version of the movie with Tom Hardy (wow, he's hot) and liked it. Based on the movie, I thought it was a good story (and I'm in my mid 30's if that counts for anything). Sometimes life is good, but sometimes it just sucks. Sometimes not only is your life sucky, but so are the lives of everyone around you. And there comes times when life just seems like it keeps getting suckier and suckier. And this looks like it's the story of when everyone's life sucks and they do a bad job of dealing with it. Cathy is Heathcliff and Heathcliff is Cathy. They're 2 peas in a pod. Cathy was probably Heathcliff's only salvation, and they were both worse people for not having each other. But I don't think either of them would have been better people had they been together (and I'm just saying this based on the movie). I think it all gives you some food for thought on human nature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaJo Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 I think we're venturing into getting a little judgemental about people's taste in literature or attaching motivations or values or such to certain stories that just aren't there. You're right of course, there's nothing romantic about abuse but that wasn't the be-all,end-all of WH anymore then happy endings were all that Austen wrote about. Both authors explored a LOT of rich territory. That I prefer Bronte doesn't really say much about me other then I prefer Bronte. It's not that big a deal. On the other hand, maybe one could speculate old and jaded, "experienced" women are using Austen to escape from their loveless marriages to a Mr Collins type. Heh I think that perhaps you are reading something into my tone that was not intended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 I think that perhaps you are reading something into my tone that was not intended. I was just making a joke in response to Dawn's post. I didn't mean to insult you in any way. Only Mr Collins! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayne J Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 I'm personally an Austen fan, but what I really want to say is how very, very happy I am to belong to a group of (mostly) women who will vehemently defend Bronte or Austen rather than just complaining that both are "too hard." Oh, and Mr. Darcy in a kilt. Just sayin. (Captain Wentworth couldn't pull it off, but nice guy nonetheless...):D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 (edited) I have read Villette, it was an anthology I have. Wuthering Heights is sort of like a bad reality show. It does (editing because my phone took out a word) not feel *real* real, it feels fake, over-dramatic real. Rarely does such a cacophony of disfunction collide in real life. That is why I like Austen. There is some disfunction and some more normal people. It just feels more like real life. I agree, I mean honestly who would you rather be friends with Cathy or Elizabeth? I can see myself hiding all of Cathy's posts on my FB for being too obnoxious. I didn't care for WH but I do like Jane Eyre, Jane seems like someone I wouldn't mind knowing. I first read WH in high school, Jane Eyre in 5th grade (my mom was watching the Timothy Dalton version on TV so I guess I wanted to read the book? :lol:) and P&P in 7th grade. Edited August 30, 2011 by Sis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 I have a theory about Wuthering Heights. Most women I polled who loved it read it for the first time in their teens or very early 20s. Most women who missed this window hate it. I am in the later group. There is nothing romantic about abusive. I'm in that latter group, too. Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books of all time. I've also read and enjoyed Vilette, Shirley and The Professor. I went on a Bronte kick in college and read both of Anne's novels, too. I especially love The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. But I had never, despite multiple attempts, been able to get through Wuthering Heights. Finally, on one of those long drives I was doing for a few years, I listened to the unabridged audio. And, really, yuck. I did feel compelled to keep listening. So, I will admit the writing was engaging. But I hated the characters so much. I didn't find it romantic or passionate, just disturbing. I felt like I needed to shower off the muck when I was done. I think I must have just missed the window. I'm glad I finally finished it, so I can say I did. But I have no desire to ever read it again. On the other hand, Austen? Love her. She makes me laugh out loud. I won't defend it as literature with great depth or meaning, but she's funny and charming, and I re-read those every few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 I think that perhaps you are reading something into my tone that was not intended. My apologies. I'm rather good at doing that sometimes. :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaJo Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 I was just making a joke in response to Dawn's post. I didn't mean to insult you in any way. Only Mr Collins! Oh good. It is so hard to read tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaJo Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 My apologies. I'm rather good at doing that sometimes. :o Sorry to just get back to this. We have been without internet since Irene. I totally get it. No worries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Just a poke in here to mention that if you are ever in the area, the Bronte museum is wonderful: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haworth_Parsonage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linguistmama Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Just a poke in here to mention that if you are ever in the area, the Bronte museum is wonderful: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haworth_Parsonage :drool5: Drool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 I *do* like Jane Eyre. Hiding a crazy wife in the attic and marrying a younger, safer, sane wife seems like something a lot of men might do. I agree. I was completely sucked in by Jane Eyre. Unfortunately, it does seem like something we might hear about on the evening news and say, "Wow. There sure has been a rash of this kind of behavior lately!" :D I didn't make it through Wuthering Heights. Something about H.Cliff made me, I don't know, struggle against the book. It wasn't on a required reading list in high school or college so it was something I attempted for pleasure. Hmmmm...I supposed, as the "Well Trained Mom", I should try it again. Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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