Jane Eyre

There are some days when my kids seem so normal, so American... like when Joe plays on his new Gameboy for hours at a time or Louisa plays with her polly pockets dolls. They mostly wear American clothes, play with American toys, read American books, eat American food. So it is always a shock when I realize that America is not home for them. No matter what they read,, or eat, or wear, Africa is their home. This culture a part of their worldview and frame of reference. Sure they LOVE to go to the States. They adore seeing family and friends. They love the shops and the grocery store. But for them, it is a visit and they love coming home to Bundibugyo as much as I rejoice in stepping off the plane in the US.
Just the other day Louisa and I were curled up on the sofa watching one of my favorite books on video- Jane Eyre. Louisa loves romances and especially beautiful dresses, so she was all in to the wedding scene. Tramatically, Jane and the rest of the world discover that Mr. Rochester already has a wife (a lunatic) who is presently living in his attic, and so the marriage can not go forward. At this point Louisa is completely confused. "Mom? What's the big deal? Can't she just be his second wife?" As I explain that in England and other parts of the world it is against the law to have more than one wife at the same time, I inwardly sigh at my daughter's upbringing within a clear polygomous culture. A little bit later Jane and St. John are discussing Mr. Rochester and there is some talk about Mr. Rochester being a bad man for wanting two wives... about not being Christian. Again Louisa pipes up with "Didn't King David in the bible have more than one wife at the same time?" Just a bit after that, she is horrified to find out that AFTER St. John discovers that he and Jane are cousins, he still wants to marry her. "Mom? What is going on? Surely he knows that you can't marry your cousin!" And then of course in the latest version of this movie, the director or screen writer has taken the priviledge of changing St. John's desired missionary field from India to Africa. Both of my kids are shocked to hear St. John's sisters exclaim with horror, "You can't go to there! You will surely die. It is so hot and humid. You are both too pale to go to Africa." "Mom, what does THAT mean?!"