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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
متعجب شدم که قلمش و کلیت داستان بیشتر از اینکه مثل شارلوت یا امیلی باشه، تا حدودی شبیه جین آستین بود. روند داستان و شخصیت‌ها درکل تکراری بودن. و برخلاف علاقه‌ای که اگنس می‌گفت به معلمی داره، حس کردم هیچ تلاشی براش نمی‌‌کنه و در آخر هم هیچ رشد و پیشرفتی در اون زمینه نداشت. بعضی‌جاها هم با اینکه درکش می‌کردم، ولی واقعا حرصم رو درمی‌آورد. نمی‌تونستم دوستش داشته باشم، همون‌طور که قهرمان‌های جین آستین رو دوست داشتم.
البته اینطور نیست که از خوندنش لذت نبردم و قرار نیست کتاب دیگه‌ی آن رو بخونم، ولی انتظارات بیشتری داشتم و کمی ناامید شدم.
البته اینطور نیست که از خوندنش لذت نبردم و قرار نیست کتاب دیگه‌ی آن رو بخونم، ولی انتظارات بیشتری داشتم و کمی ناامید شدم.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
کتاب ساده و بی‌شیله‌پیله و بی‌ماجرایی بود که می‌شد در یک نشست خوندش. داستانِ اگنس گری رو قراره بخونیم، دختر یک کشیش که برای کسب تجربه و استقلال و البته کمک به درآمد خانواده، تصمیم می‌گیره معلم سرخانه بشه. کتاب مثل دفتر خاطرات اگنس می‌مونه و در تمام متن اگنس خواننده رو مخاطب قرار می‌ده و از اینکه کسی نوشته‌هاش رو می‌خونه آگاهه؛ و حتی یک بار خودش رو قایم می‌کنه و می‌گه که این فکری که نصفه بیان شد حتی برای شما هم روا نیست و فقط بین منه و فرشتگان آسمان.
راوی لحنی بسیار قضاوت‌گر داره و شخصیت‌ها (شاگردها و کارفرماهاش) رو سیاه و سفید می‌بینه. در بیشتر متن آدم حس می‌کنه داره غرغرهای دوستش رو گوش می‌ده؛ چون واقعاً متن به زحمت فراتر از غرغرهای یه معلم کم‌تجربه می‌ره. راوی همچنین به‌شدت مذهبیه - البته نسبت به شرایطش و دختر کشیش بودنش طبیعیه - ولی خب یه‌کم زیادی درباره دین و خدا و توکل و فضیلت‌های مذهبی وراجی می‌کنه و آیه‌های انجیل رو می‌پرونه.
راوی لحنی بسیار قضاوت‌گر داره و شخصیت‌ها (شاگردها و کارفرماهاش) رو سیاه و سفید می‌بینه. در بیشتر متن آدم حس می‌کنه داره غرغرهای دوستش رو گوش می‌ده؛ چون واقعاً متن به زحمت فراتر از غرغرهای یه معلم کم‌تجربه می‌ره. راوی همچنین به‌شدت مذهبیه - البته نسبت به شرایطش و دختر کشیش بودنش طبیعیه - ولی خب یه‌کم زیادی درباره دین و خدا و توکل و فضیلت‌های مذهبی وراجی می‌کنه و آیه‌های انجیل رو می‌پرونه.
ابلهانه است آرزو کردن زیبایی. آدمهای عاقل نه برای خودشان چنین آرزویی میکنند و نه در دیگران به آن اهمیت میدهند اگر ذهن آدمی پرورش یافته باشد و دلش هم صاف و مشتاق، دیگر سر و وضع ظاهر چه اهمیتی دارد.
این را معلمها از دوره کودکی به ما می‌گویند. ما هم به کودکان خودمان همین را میگوییم عاقلانه و درست هم هست، ولی آیا چنین عقایدی پشتوانه عملی و تجربی هم دارند؟
همه ما چیزهایی را که لذت بخش هستند دوست داریم و چه چیز لذت بخش تر از صورت زیبا؟... لااقل هنگامی که صاحب چنین صورتی به کسی ضرر نمی رساند. دخترکی پرنده اش را دوست دارد... چرا؟... چون زندگی میکند و احساس دارد، چون بی پناه و معصوم است. وزغ هم زندگی میکند و احساس دارد و بی پناه و معصوم هم هست. دخترک البته وزغ را نمی آزارد اما او را مثل پرنده دوست نمی دارد چون پرنده شکل و شمایل قشنگی دارد، پرهای نرم و چشمهای تیز و با حالت. اگر زنی زیبا و مهربان باشد، به سبب هر دو حُسنش تحسین میشود اما بیشتر آدمها او را به سبب زیبایی اش بیشتر تحسین میکـ کنند تا مهربانی‌اش. اگر هم زشت و نامهربان باشد، زشتی اش را گناه کبیره تلقی میکنند چون از نظر آدمهای معمولی این زشتی آزاردهنده است. اگر زیبا نباشد و خوش قلب باشد و بی سر و صدا و گوشه گیر هم باشد هیچ کس از خوش قلبی اش خبردار نمی شود بجز نزدیکانش.... بقیه معمولاً نظر مساعدی دربارۀ افکار و اخلاقش پیدا نمیکنند و خود را محق هم میدانند چون به غریزه از کسی که طبیعت به او ظلم کرده بدشان می آید. برعکس است اوضاع زنی که ظاهر فرشته وارش دل ظالمش را پنهان میدارد یا حتی جذابیت کاذب و فریبنده‌ای میدهد به عیبها و ضعفهایی که در آدم معمولی اصلاً قابل تحمل نیست.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Edward Weston might be the ideal man (he remembered her favorite flowers??? stop it.) And Agnes is so strong because I would’ve drop-kicked those kids so fast.
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
I found this book to be honest and raw and written from the heart. I admit it is a tame plot that lacks some skill in moving itself forward. I often felt that Agnes didn't act much (much like Jane) and meekishly took in everything around her without a word. That may be just from her anxiety in keeping her occupation but I was hoping for a developement of her character and hoped in vain.
I read Jane Eyre just 6 months earlier so it was still fresh in my mind to compare.
I was heartbroken to find out that Charlotte seems to have copied some major aspects of Anne's book. Firstly that the plot centers around a governess and secondly the style of a subjective first person perspective (something that Jane Eyre is strongly praised for and deemed to be one of the first novels to do so in a such a personal way).
While I truly and honestly couldn't stop reading either of the novels, in the end Jane Eyre is the one I will be rereading in the future. There's something in the movement in that novel that Agnes Grey lacks to a high degree. Anne recounts everything a bit matter if factly and makes it almost sound like a christian fable. Agnes' seemingly "perfect" behavior leaves one asking at end who she really was. The love interest was also quite rushed and underdeveloped which I can understand from it being only an addition that didn't reflect Anne's experience.
But I must praise Anne for not only writing a more political and socially relevant novel that often feels unbelievably modern, but also for writing a decent and honest love interest for her heroine. Anne shows the horrors and the isolation in her job that her sister couldn't confront. While Jane Eyre sucks you into a feverish dream world where the house is clouded in mystery and governessing is no difficult matter. Anne makes you sit with the reality of a middle class womans prospects. She doesn't shy away from the cruelty of her employers nor from the social outcast nature of the job. Being just a hireling for the family and being too high class for the servants. And beyond that having no time to make connections outside of the house.
I also managed to read this while I started my first job. A job that I also took solely for money, and hated more with every passing day.
Also interesting that the first family Anne worked for, that were the basis for the Bloomfields, were in reality named Ingham. Same name as some of the unpleasant upper class people from Jane Eyre, one of which Mr. Rochester even had an engament with.
(If you want to read a little more on how Agnes Grey was a semi auto-biographical novel please read the introduction by Samantha Ellis included in this edition)
I read Jane Eyre just 6 months earlier so it was still fresh in my mind to compare.
I was heartbroken to find out that Charlotte seems to have copied some major aspects of Anne's book. Firstly that the plot centers around a governess and secondly the style of a subjective first person perspective (something that Jane Eyre is strongly praised for and deemed to be one of the first novels to do so in a such a personal way).
While I truly and honestly couldn't stop reading either of the novels, in the end Jane Eyre is the one I will be rereading in the future. There's something in the movement in that novel that Agnes Grey lacks to a high degree. Anne recounts everything a bit matter if factly and makes it almost sound like a christian fable. Agnes' seemingly "perfect" behavior leaves one asking at end who she really was. The love interest was also quite rushed and underdeveloped which I can understand from it being only an addition that didn't reflect Anne's experience.
But I must praise Anne for not only writing a more political and socially relevant novel that often feels unbelievably modern, but also for writing a decent and honest love interest for her heroine. Anne shows the horrors and the isolation in her job that her sister couldn't confront. While Jane Eyre sucks you into a feverish dream world where the house is clouded in mystery and governessing is no difficult matter. Anne makes you sit with the reality of a middle class womans prospects. She doesn't shy away from the cruelty of her employers nor from the social outcast nature of the job. Being just a hireling for the family and being too high class for the servants. And beyond that having no time to make connections outside of the house.
I also managed to read this while I started my first job. A job that I also took solely for money, and hated more with every passing day.
(If you want to read a little more on how Agnes Grey was a semi auto-biographical novel please read the introduction by Samantha Ellis included in this edition)
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Let’s say there’s a reason why Anne is the least known sister. Not bad, but doesn’t hold up.
dark
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Follows a young governess as she navigates the difficult position between servant and gentry. The writing wasn't as polished as Tenant nor did it explore her critical themes as deeply, but there was still some interesting exploration of mistreatment of governesses. The romance was sweet and a little Austen-eque