English 174: Jude the Obscure

I am honestly having a lot of trouble with this book. I do not get what the point is at all. Granted I have no read much of it, only a few chapters so far. However, the language just seems odd to me. Plus this Jude character… why does he not belong? He is like living with his aunt right now because his parents died, but his aunt seems to treat him like a servant. He does not seem to talk at all. Is he into books? Was it him that they were talking about who reads whenever he can? For they wanted him to leave with the teacher, yet when he wants to go on his own his aunt won’t let him because of the city. I thought it was sad how he felt like he was like the birds, not wanted. I do not get why if he is unwanted and everyone acts like he is such a burden, why can’t he just go and be with the teacher? He would be better off, and possibly his aunt. The whole thing seems very odd. I’m not sure how much of the book I will really understand, so I hope that we will be having lots of discussions in class!