I had a book in mind the moment I saw this week’s prompt that has to do with a person that underwent transformation in the course of the novel. But along the line, I realized yet another person that I relate to even more, and so I thought to write on the both of them and tell you why they are books I believe everyone should read.
The first would be,
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
I read this book when we were treating the novels in the Victorian Era, and Jane’s story struck me a lot, you know? It’s bildungsroman in nature which was the first appeal it held to me because I was going to witness this girl grow and transform in diverse ways.
Beginning with her life as a little girl in Gateshead where she faces all manner of physical and emotional abuse. Her traumatic experience in the Red Room, which was the room her Uncle died, locked up by her wicked Aunt and bullied ceaselessly by her cousin was the least of the misfortune she faced.
Then she went to Lowood where she spent eight more years of her life in a boarding school where the administrator introduced hardship, poverty and privation as a way of life. Jane Eyre, through all the travails she faced, blossomed into a beautiful woman, far from hot-headed as she once was but nevertheless not letting go of her willingness to effect change especially in a world where women were more or less sub-humans and not regarded as much in the society. Meant to be seen and not heard.
Then her journey to Thornfield where she met the arrogant Rochester and even at the Moor house where her presence with those siblings marked the beginning of change in her financial destiny. It was a pleasure reading Jane Eyre’s story.
And if you can get a more modernised translation (that’s if you have issues interpreting Old English), I promise that you would see the beauty in this story just like I did and still do. The fact that the events are somewhat based on a true story makes it even more endearing.
Then the next and still one of my favourite books is,
Cages by Ed Foreman and Peg Kehret
I think I’ve shared this story once or twice on Hive but it’s necessary for the sake of this prompt to share it one more time. Do bear with me. I got this book as a gift from my English teacher for taking first place in the previous term and she said that, somehow she felt that I’d relate to this book on a way deeper level and somehow the moment she read this book, she thought of me. I read it and though our stories are different, I underwent pretty much the same transformation the protagonist went through. Which is why this book is here today.
Kit Hathaway is frustrated. Her favourite teacher gave the part of the female lead to her most bitter rival and now she’s home to her always drunk step father, and a mother that has become so spineless like melted jell-o, cleaning up his messes and refusing to hold him accountable for his continuous misdeeds.
She leaves home and finds herself at the mall. Then she sees her rival again getting an expensive gift from her Dad for getting a part in the play and Kit pretty much sees red. She’s so angry about the unfairness of it all that she swipes a bracelet and puts it into her bag. She’s almost out the door when she’s stopped. Kit has been caught and is subsequently sentenced to 20 hours of community work.
People, I can’t say much more but that’s where Kit’s transformation begins. She meets an unlikely person that she’d never have befriended on a normal circumstance and I read with utmost pleasure as she becomes the best possible version of herself.
What I love about this book is that everyone pretty much had their transformation by the end. From Kit to her rival, Marcia Martins and even to her mother, everyone transforms, leaves the cage that holds them captive and dares to reclaim their freedom. It was the most beautiful thing I could think of and I immediately knew that this would be the perfect transformative journey to share with you all.
As much as I’d love to keep talking about the first book. Kit Hathaway’s story is the winner of them all. I read this book with no expectations. I just wanted to have a nice time but my ten year old self got something even more than just entertainment. I got peace and most of all, I got transformed. One hundred percent would recommend to my bibliophiles. On the stories of Jane Eyre and Kit Hathaway, you don’t want to miss out on this ethereal journey of growth and personal development.
Jhymi🖤
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