Fanny Britt will be appearing at the 2017 Toronto Word on the Street Festival
The beauty of getting involved with a piece of literature is the ability is has to sweep us away from our existence. We can forget the hardships of our world and absorb the reality of somebody else for a while. And perhaps in doing so, we can take the lessons of their reality and improve our own lives. It is that aspect of literature that is brilliantly documented in the graphic novel Jane, the Fox and Me by Fanny Britt and Isabelle Arsenault. (Translated by Christelle Morelli and Susan Ouriou)
Scanned image of page 18 from Jane, the Fox and Me by Fanny Britt and Isabelle Arsenault. (2013 Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press)
There is something extremely heartbreaking about the life surrounding the life of protagonist Hélène – and something truly universal. She is being bullied at school to the point of having no friends. Her mother is overworked and exhausted for caring for her and her little brothers, that she has no time to help with Hélène’s emotional issues. And to top everything else off, Hélène – like a lot of other teenage girls her age – is totally convinced that she is overweight. But the one thing that seems to give Hélène a bit of colour in her life is her copy of Jane Eyre.
Page 28-29
Because she grew up to be clever, slender and wise, no one calls Jane Eyre a liar, a thief or and ugly duckling again. She tutors a young girl, Adèle, who loves her, even though all she has to her name are three plain dresses. Adèle thinks Jane Eyre’s smart and always tells her so.
Even Mr. Rochester agrees.
He’s the master of the house. slightly older and mysterious and with his feverish eyebrows. He’s always asking Jane to come and talk to him in the evenings, by the fire. Because she grew up to be clever, slender and wise, Jane Eyre isn’t even all that taken aback to find out she isn’t a monster after all.
There is a beauty in the way this graphic novel moves forward with the story of Hélène in both the images and the words. They are both frank and direct, yet the complexities of Hélène’s issues come through. This book is a pleasure to read and contemplate, no matter what the gender or the age of the reader is.
Jane, the Fox and Me by Fanny Britt and illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault is certainly a unique graphic novel. The plot moves in a frank manner via both the words and the images. Definitely a great piece of literature showing the importance of a great piece of literature.
*****
Link to a Wikipedia page about Fanny Britt
Link to Isabelle Arsenault’s website
Link to Groundwood Books website for Jane, the Fox and Me.
Link to the 2017 Toronto Word on the Street website
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