Jane Eyre (review)

the prevalence ofdisease among British colonists and within Britain itself, where disease spread rampantly? Perhaps Bewell's next work will discuss how the critical impulse aroused by rampant illness was addressed and kept in check by those invested in imperial expansion. How could distinctions between European and colonized bodies be maintained or described in light of the ample evidence that authors , soldiers, the British poor, and significant members of rhe British population had fallen prey to colonial illness? Like any persuasive account ofhistorical phenomena, Bewell's interpretation ofillness opens up further questions, ¿fc Jane Eyre. CD-ROM. Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1999. Carolyn Daughters University of Virginia In the Fall 2000 issue of The Rocky Mountain Review, Matthew Colley reviewed The Great Gatsby CD-ROM by the Films for the Humanities and Sciences, noting the "mandatory fussin' and fightin' that must accompany the installment of any new software." After attempting to install the CD-ROM ofJane Eyre, also by the Films for the Humanities and Sciences, I would like to take his statement a step further: this software seems particularly difficult to install and unduly complicated to run. The installation procedure offered my first sign that the software, though nicely packaged and professionally designed, lacks some of the kinds of user-friendly details that could transform it from a moderately useful companion to the novel into a truly functional and effective learning and teaching tool. The software itself covers a number of potentially helpful materials for both the student and the teacher ofJane Eyre, including the full searchable and annotated text of the novel, an analysis of 23 of the novel's characters, contemporary and modern criticism of the work, background on Charlotte Brontë, historical and literary highlights ofthe Victorian era, research sources, and teaching strategies . These kinds ofmaterials can be found elsewhere, though a student or teacher ofthe novel might appreciate the fact that they are compiled on one disc. Some of these materials offer clear and important information. In particular, rhe contemporary and modern criticism ofrhe novel is arguably the most beneficial section on the disc. The concise entries on contemporary criticism offer valuable perspectives on the novel from journals ofthe period. Essays ofmodern criticism address such topics as the role ofthe governess, feminist and psychoanalytic interpretations ofthe novel, and character analyses ofMr. Rochester and St. John Rivers. Another section contains biographical information about Brontë and historical data and includes background on Bronte's childhood, creative develop104 + ROCKY MOUNTAIN REVIEW * FALL 2001 Reviews ment, and publications, as well as timelines of histotical events and litetatute of the period. A sampling ofthe histotical data includes British monarchs and prime ministets, foreign rulers, the Crimean War, suffrage and political movements, Iabot and wages, industrialization, the tailway, economic growth, and the middleclass Victorian family. Yet another section contains some practical examples of formal writing assignments, creative writing projects, exam questions, and classroom exercises. In addition, the disc contains a bibliography ofnumerous books and a few articles as recent as 1994. An accompanying filmography includes basic information on film productions ofthe novel, including cast lists and directors. What tends to mar the value ofeven these materials, though, is their manner ofpresentation. The section on characteranalyses, for example, offers meaningful information in long-winded sentences that have the potential to confuse students. Here's a sample: "Her [Jane Eyre's] happiness, in contrast to the views held by Helen Burns and St John Rivers, may also be found on earth, notwithstanding a strongly maintained set of Christian ethical values, which enable her to forgive heraunt despite the hostility that Mrs. Reed aims at her niece throughout her lifetime , and shrouds herselfwith at her death." What makes sentences like these so troublesome is the fact that most text appears in text boxes that contain, on average , four to six words per line. Sentences like the one above easily can span nine or ten lines of text, making that text very difficult to read. Reading one or more chapters ofthe novel online or skimming through historical data can be a laborious task, especially when maneuvering through that text with the sluggish scroll bars. Instead of reading text on the screen, the best route...