The Book Club: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë with Madeleine Kearns | The Book Club 

I think the Daily Wire should produce a mini series version of Jane Eyre. It’s been several decades since a faithful version has been presented. Now they always have to write intellectual plots to why Jane runs away or why Jane and Rochester are attracted to each other. It’s so obvious that Jane’s morality is the center of the story.

Jane chooses what is right against everything she wants. It’s a God given strength. Very inspiring.

Jane Eyre is my favorite book. Jane is a role model because she has self respect, and she maintains it even when it hurts, even when it’s not convenient, and even when it costs her the thing she had been denied all her life -love. I read this book on every deployment I ever went on and at least once every year and I always notice something new. Jane Eyre is one of the greatest books of all time. Great discussion and fantastic points regarding the things feminists miss, as well as the comments on Providence and eternity.Thanks for covering it on The Book Club!

This is missed every time: little Helen Burns teaches Jane to forgive. Jane stops resenting all the injustices in her life. Helen’s elegiac Christian philosophy: “Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or registering wrongs.” When Jane visits ailing Aunt Reed, Jane recalls Helen’s “doctrine of equality of disembodied souls ... and as [Helen] lay on her placid death bead, and whispered her longing to be restored to her divine Father’s bosom ....”. After Mrs. Reed confesses she wronged Jane twice: (1) to treat her as a servant and not a daughter per Uncle Reed’s dying request, and (2) Mrs. Reed wrote in reply to Jane’s uncle John Eyre, who wanted to adopt Jane and grant his entire estate to her, but Mrs. Reed replied to Uncle John that Jane was dead. Jane leans over Mrs. Reed and Mrs. Reed says, “ ‘Love me, then or hate me as you will,’ I said at last; ‘you have my full and free forgiveness: ask now for God’s, and be at peace.’ “

My favorite part of the book is when Rochester is asking Jane to be his mistress. Jane is tempted but she says something like “our moral rules are not there only when it’s easy to follow them. It’s when we don’t want to follow them, that they are most important.” And when Rochester is poking at Jane by implying he is going to be married to a woman he has been courting, Jane says “You think just because I am poor, ugly, and little that I have no feelings.” But I do have passions and I can be wounded. Jane and Rochesters interactions were fun and flirty. They engaged in verbal sparring and Jane could hold her own.

My favorite novel. I loved listening to an intelligent conversation between people who actually understand the book! .... the gloriously charming Irish accent was like frosting on the cake! Thanks, guys! I'm sharing this one with family and friends, and I'm rewatching just for the joy of it! I was tearing up listening, just for the joy of it. Well done!

What a sweet beautiful woman! I love her talking about providence and immortality.

"In fact, the real reason that Jane does what she does what she does is to protect the virtue of chastity, which is the last thing that any feminist ever thinks to mention--which is ridiculous considering how important it is in protecting and preserving women's interests." 23:42 Love that part.

One of the most important questions anyone can ask is “what happens after I die?“ because your answer will shape the direction of your life. If you believe that’s you will forget everything in life, then you may find yourself either a hedonist, enjoying all the pleasures life can offer, or a nihilist, excepting that memories of Joy and pain will equally die with you. If you believe your consciousness will merge with every other dead conscious, and you may act in accordance with the collective. If you believe your individuality will survive after your body dies, you also may end up as a hedonist, enjoying life pleasures while you still have a body. If you believe in a divine judge, then you will likely act in accordance with that law. Or perhaps you believe nothing will happen but you like the idea of living an honorable life, then you will come up with some arbitrary rules, possibly plagiarize, in order to live cording to your conscience. This has been me rambling about consequences of an afterlife.

I read this in high school. It seems whenever I hear this book analyzed, more interesting findings are exposed.

My favourite book, as well! I've read it every other year since 1996, when I first discovered it whilst holidaying in Bali. I was captivated by Jane's development as a Christian, particularly how she learn't to subdue her rage against personal injustice.

Love to hear art analyzed through a Christian lens

Awesome interview! Madeleine has such insight. She would be a lovely person to have a conversation with!

I love Jane Eyre - one of my favorite reads. Regardless of my familiarity with the book, I gained so much from this discussion! You both provided so many Christian insights that I had never considered. Thank you!

*he proposes by listing all her faults* Austen had a character propose that way, too. That proposal was also rejected. Maybe that's not a good approach. This was so great, y'all! I love Jane Eyre, and this discussion was wonderful.

The Providence always acts when the moon is present in the narrative. That's such a nice literary touch in my opinion. Jane Eyre has to be the best novel every written 😌

This is my favorite novel. I have read it at least 3 times and have always felt that it is a very spiritual book and calls us to a higher way of being. Thanks for this discussion.

Petition for Will Witt to discuss Lord of the Rings.

Jane Eyre has been my favorite novel since I was about 16. It's Jane's virtue that makes the book fabulous. Helen easy to overlook? Oh no. Her cameo role is deeply moving.

Considering that Scripture that says if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out, is there any possibility that Charlotte Bronte actually allowed his injuries to mirror those injunctions as part of his spiritual transformation?

I see Rochester differently than they do. I was always sympathetic towards him. He like Jane started out unwanted by his family. He’s tricked into marrying a woman he doesn’t love for his family’s financial gain. This woman is immoral and crazy. Unlike Jane he’s never given someone like Helen Burns to lead him to faith (until Jane herself). So he acts out the way Jane would’ve act out if she’d never come to the faith. He gets angry, and seeks pleasure. Sadly one could argue he took the natural course. But Jane chooses a supernatural course.

I loved your spiritual approach, although one can notice God's presence throughout the novel, I never thought of it that deep. Also, I missed the detail of baptism when his bed went of fire. Thanks for choosing to talk about this book!

How refreshing to hear an intelligent, Christian conversation.

That accent, that Brain, those looks, Michael Knowles really does have it all.

YEEEEESSSSSSS. The first book in ever really loved. Thanks.😊 you guys should do The Count of Monte Cristo next.

I want cs Lewis, lion witch and the wardrobe. So simple for kids, so complex for adults.

I just want to let people know that Madeleine is Scottish not Irish! I'm both. They hate being mixed up. The accents are different, you just have to know what to listen for.

Love this book, my Mom and me read it and we both hated St. John so much. Amazing book, so enthralling and so much fun to discuss!!😄😄

Thank you so much for giving us the non-feminist side of the book! I don't love Jane because she's a feminist, I love her because she chooses to do the right thing no matter what! And she is always faithful to God even through difficulty!❤️

This is my favorite book. It's literally the only book I've read more than once.

It’s important to recognize that all the suffering Jane went through early in life contributed to her strength and ability to leave her love when she had to, even though it pained her. A person who always had it easy might not have been able to do the right thing. This is one of the main messages from God… our suffering may be for our own good in the long run. God prepares us for what’s to come.

My favourite book - really happy to see this! ☺️

I never miss the opportunity to see and to listen to Madeline Kearns.

Maybe my favorite novel. Jane’s speech to Rochester when she rejects him is so powerful!

My favorite novel.

This really reminds me of a classic French novel also written by a woman, named “The Princess of Cleves”. If you like Jane Eyre, you would like this novel also. Very interesting moral themes and a conception of virtue that seem totally foreign our modern eyes.

Long time no see, and when I return to this channel, I think I like this video series.

Madeleine could read the telephone directory and I would gladly listen. Wonderful discussion between two engaging people.

Great episode. What a delightful guest :-)

Madeliene's accent is so charming and pleasant to listen to!

Well done. I really enjoyed this. I had the same experience …couldn’t put the book down. My favorite movie of the book is with Joan Fontaine and Orson Welles. The music is beautiful.

Awesome discussion! You both know the book well and can articulate the the various nuances. Thank you!

I am retired Army and I kill bugs by crushing them in my bare hands. I love "Jane Eyre" (movies)...especially the 2011 and 1943 versions. I guess I should read the book.

Helen is my favorite character in the book.

My. Favorite. Story. I read the book and saw all the movies since my pre-teens. Orson Wells was the best Rochester; Ruth Wilson was the best Jane Eyre. More movies made of Jane Eyre than Weathering Heights, which I think is a sucky story. For a minute there, I thought you weren’t going to bring up the the care & forgiveness of the wicked aunt. Glad you did towards the end. Check out Charlotte’s other novel, Villette. Notice in Jane Eyre and Villette that the English heroine is antagonized by French type women/girls. Charlotte Brontë seems to think English women are the ideal of virtue for men. I’m not so sure I agree with her perspective on that one. It does make for a great story.

I loved this!! I’ve always loved Jane Eyre, so this was such a joy. Thank you!!

My favorite book. Loving this discussion.

So glad this show is back!

Jane Eyre is my favorite novel. Thanks for the great discussion!

Wow, I enjoyed this. I love Jane Eyre so much. 💖

This is one of my favorite books for all the reasons you mention. Jane is such an inspiring character!

'Wisdom is innocence recovered from the far end of experience' Oh My God Woah

Bring her back

Hey Michael, when can we get you reading the infernal in Italian? I wouldn’t understand it, but I would love to see it!

At 14 yrs old I read it over 3 times.

Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books. I don't know why, but I identify with Jane in a lot of ways.

Great discussion. One of my all-time favorite books since I was a teen! (Michael, fyi Jane was not asleep when she heard Rochester's calling out. 😇) A great discussion. Great points: I loved how Madeleine presented the book as four parts. I didn't realize the significance of Jane's baptizing of Rochester when his wife lit his bedding. (I had thought of the bed on fire as a warning against the direction in which their relationship was tending.) Providence as a character... Interesting! All the spiritual, very Christian aspects... I've gotta read Jane Eyre again in light of these ideas. (A great excuse to re-read a favorite!) I was surprised to learn this book was considered anti-Christian. So many Christian references: Ps 69 prophesying Christ's pain, humiliation and crucifixion, fore shadowed her denial of "the easy path" and her resulting suffering, the figure in her dream that told her to " flee, my daughter... " is the Theotokos. What a great discussion. Thanks!

I really enjoyed this, looking forward to more bookclub videos!

I found "Jane Eyre" in a used bookstore in Taiwan 🇹🇼 (Floridian here) . Finished it in 3 weeks & watched two movie versions of it. This Book Club chat w/Madeleine Kearns was the icing on the cake for me 😌! Thank you! 💐

I was just rereading Jane Eyre. Great to have this video.

Maddy Kearns is a very interesting person, I wish she were more active on social media.

I just read this book for the first time this year and I loved it!! Have you guys ever done an episode on Vanity Fair?

St. John just wanted a captive hand maiden to toil for him.

Rochester’s spiritual repentance at the end of the book is always glossed over or outright ignored in the movies. To their shame.

I can never put Jane Eyre down, either, every time I read it!

'The wide sargasso' sea is also a very good read; making a case for the much maligned mad wife.

How do you get to hell? Very simple: claim that you're innocent. How do you get to heaven? Very simple: Admit that you're not Innocent, you're guilty and ask for mercy. How to know if you're guilty or not? Simply: Compare your life to the Ten Commandments God gave you in the Bible. Everyone agrees that if people followed the ten commandments there would be no need for governments or police. Do not lie. Do not steal. Do not commit adultery. Do not insult God by using his name as a cuss word. There are six more but let's just leave it at that. How many lies have you told in your life? Have you ever taken anything that didn't belong to you? Jesus said, if you look at a women lustfully you've already committed adultery in your heart with that woman. How many times a day do you do that? Do you use God's name as a cuss word? Would you do that with your own mother's name? If you answer these questions honestly you know that you're guilty. God can justly punish you and send you to hell. Ask him for mercy. His name is Jesus. It's as simple as this, The Ten Commandments are called the moral law. You and I broke God's laws. Jesus paid the fine. The fine is death. Ezekiel 18:20 - "The soul who sins shall die. That's why Jesus had to die on the cross for our sins. This is why God is able to give us Mercy. Option A. You die for your own sins. Option B. Ask for mercy and accept that Jesus died for you

Enjoyed this discussion very much; looking forward to the next one!

This was beautiful thank you for sharing!

Thank you so so much for this. We are discussing Jane Eyre in my university english course and the more they went on about feminism and Bertha as the poor victim of colonialsim and patriarchy the more I felt as if they had all missed the point. As if our lecturer had read one too many critiques of the book and forgotton what the text of the book itself actually says. Of course there are things we can criticise but is it really so terrible to believe the narrator, to accept her story of redemption and struggle. It made me so sad to hear how many of my classmates either disliked the book or hated the ending. In fact we were told it is not a happy ending becuase a part of Jane (her passion and feminist strength) have been killed (symbolised by Bertha's death) for her to be able to be with Rochester. But I always saw it as a novel about a woman who strives to find love and acceptamce on a harsh world that has been unfair to her and throughout it all she has so much faith. I also like to think of it as a Beauty and the Beast tale. Where 2 intellectual equals meet and must overcome thibgs within themselves and the world around them in order to be together. I really loved the idea of the novel as a spiritual autobiography - it really gave me a new way to think about it. And I'm so glad you highlighted the spiritual themes - such a refreshing change to the themes of oppression we are forced to talk about. I've added several annotations to my own copy and even had to stop to find the quotes Michael mentions. Thank you again! Much love and God bless❤ Please keep making these videos!

I love this book so much! I grew up with this story and your book club discussion did not disappoint! Thank you!

I love this book so much. I do feel so awful for the “crazy wife” as someone who really struggles with mental illness. I’m so glad I wouldn’t be locked up today.

Definitely keep doing guest book reviews - so enjoyable 👌🏾🙏🏼🔥

Please do more of these!

I love this!!! The book, how you guys describe and dig deep into this, I never realized how to interpret this book until now.

Really enjoyed that. Wrote my degree thesis on Jane Eyre. Re-read it only the other day.

Thank you - a whole fresh way of looking at one of my favourite novels!

👏🏼 well done! My favorite book for all those reasons! Also, something I don’t think you touched on - freedom from legalism and living under the law. She becomes free from religious condemnation and lives free in the Spirit!

Jane Eyre is wonderful and, for the record, far better and more enjoyable than Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, even though the latter seems to be more popular.

👏need👏more👏of👏the👏book👏club👏

Thank you for reviewing Jane Eyre- such a lovely story I hadn't thought about in a long time.

Such a good discussion that I'll have to watch this again!

One of my favourite books ever! My Mom gave it to me when I was a little girl and I was fascinated!

One of my favorites as well. The voice of this novel for me is Flo Gibson. I’ve listened to her reading of this book about a dozen times over the years. If you haven’t done Great Expectations, consider that one for a future show. The themes and lessons learned are the stuff of cornerstone canon, and the writing is Dickens. Tough to beat. 🙂

Oh, I loved this! Definitely need to hear more from Miss Kearns after this wonderfully perceptive analysis.

One of my all time favorite books!! Thank you.

This is great, thank you for doing these videos!

For a start, she wasn't sent to Thornfield - she advertised and obtained a job there. And I wouldn't describe St John as severe - except with himself. He kept himself in strict control and you'd think Jane would've identified with that as she did much the same with herself. Instead I think it highlighted to her how unnecessarily unhappy you can make yourself by keeping too strict control of the reigns and this may have instigated, in part, her return to Thornfield

As a Scot, I hear Madeleine to have a Scottish, not Irish, accent. Excellent discussion.

Enjoyable book review! I love Jane Eyre, it's such a satisfying story. My favorite film rendition is the one with Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens, although it doesn't follow the book perfectly. And thank you for reviewing it accurately, not putting the modern twist on interpretation.

I love this 🥰 Thank You!

I adore the book club by Michael Knowles.

Good stuff...favorite story...there is a contrast between Brocklehurst and St.John too...Brocklehurst is religion at its worst...St.John is basically good but fanatical and over comes the nature that Jane needs in her life.❤ Thanks ❤

Great review! :)

Jane Eyre was my favorite book as a young woman growing up in the 60's. Although, I didn't think much of gruff, Mr. Rochester, the story of Jane made me realize looks were not nearly as important for a woman to develope as is intelligence and character. Good for girls to know. This book helped me keep my priorities straight as I decided the kind of person I wanted to be.

I'm really happy I watched this

Well done, Ms Kearns, thank you.

I love this book!!!! So good!!!

Yes! Love it

i didn’t realise i needed this