初读《简爱》是十二三岁， 本以为看的是善良灰姑娘被富有王子拯救于水火的爱情小说， 没想到懵懂中完成了我的女权意识启蒙。虽然当时， 乃至此后多年， 我都没意识到这本书对我三观的影响和塑造。 此书第一次出版于1847年， 那个时代， 女人只能作为男人的附属而存在， 连财产拥有权都没有， 更别说其他政治， 经济， 社会权利了。 此书的精彩之处就在作者charlotte Bronte 以领先时代的觉悟，细腻又发人深省的笔触成功塑造了主人公Jane Eyre 独立自尊， 睿智勇毅的饱满艺术形象， 让后世百余年里的普通女性颇受鼓舞， 受惠良多。作为女性， 如何在抛开容貌焦虑， 家世地位金钱加持后， 仍保有自身价值， 仍能撑起一个大写的 ”人“字， 值得思考与践行。
以下是我认为最浓墨重彩， 振聋发聩的一段， 与各位分享共勉 （斗胆录了音频， 忐忑奉上） ：
Do you think I am an automaton?
A machine without feelings? And can bear to have my morsel of bread snatched from my lips, and my drop of living water dashed from my cup? Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!
I have as much soul as you, and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you. I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionalities, nor even of mortal flesh: it is my spirit that addresses your spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God's feet, equal — as we are!
