Charlotte Brontë's best known and beloved work, Jane Eyre, has undoubtedly withstood the test of time. Though it was first published in 1847, it reads as if it were written this century, for contemporary readers by a modern day writer. Charlotte draws us into her world by articulating her reader-relatable life experiences using the language of images, a language commonly found in fairy tales. There is no doubt that the use of common fairy tale motifs in telling her life story has made this one of the most enduring, engaging and memorable stories among generations.

As readers, we identify with Jane's sufferings throughout the narrative and we share in her joy at the end of the story. The opening chapters remind us Cinderella, as we partake in the agonies, hopes, and debasement she faces when forced to live with the Reed�s in Gateshead Hall. The red room, a small square chamber in the Hall, is analogous to the cinders next to which Cinderella had to sit and pick lintels. The book John Reed hurls at her as she attempts to read, the foul treatment from her aunt Reed due to envy, remind us of sibling rivalry and the evil stepmother motifs. As readers, we are already engaged and cheer for her, rooting her on to remain resilient and yielding. We cringe at the mention or presence of her "stepfamily".

After Jane's departure from Gateshead and ultimate arrival at Thornfield Hall, the home Mr. Rochester, we immediately recall Beauty and the Beast, as Jane must now face a new intractable master, namely, Mr. Rochester. Her wits and obstinate nature arouses a never before felt love in his heart, a love that is reciprocated by Jane, and serves to quell the harsh servitude, to which she might have otherwise been subjected. This new found heart-felt love procures Jane a safe haven and the assurance of life long riches. But, just as the beauty leaves the beast to fulfill moral obligations, so too does Jane abandon Mr. Rochester on principled grounds, only to return to him on emotional grounds.

Jane's voyage from unattractive outsider to a position of happiness and status is comparable to The Ugly Duckling. And Jane's spiritual and intellectual development has stark parallels with The Pilgrim's Progress. Like all the aforementioned fairy tales, Jane Eyre ends happily with the heroine married to her beaux, with equal respect, in a happy abode. These fairy tale motifs, as wrought in Jane Eyre, captures our imagination and interest, and will do so for generations to come, making this story an enduring, engaging and memorable story for all ages.

-O. James