Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Book Review: Pride & Prejudice

Author:       Jane Austen

Publisher:    Signet Classics/Penguin

ISBN:          978-0-451-530178-3

Website:      N/A

Type:         Fiction:Classics

Pages:        379 Mass Paperback

Purchase:   $8.00 @ Amazon.com (HERE)

The Story

This is the story of Elizabeth Bennet and her family, which includes her parents and her four sisters.  Living in England in the early 1800′s, the focus of young women was on who they were to be compatible with and subsequently marry.  In the story of this family, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet have no male heir to their estate.  Subsequently, their home and wealth is slated to go to a cousin, Mr. Collins upon Mr. Bennet’s death.  As such, it is seemingly more important to Mrs. Bennet than other mothers to marry off her five daughters as soon as possible to ensure that they are cared for in the event of Mr. Bennet’s passing. 

The story of Pride & Prejudice starts when a handsome and wealthy man, Mr. Bingley, comes to rent an estate not far from The Bennet Family’s.  As he takes possession of this fine rental, the families in the surrounding area buzz with excitement and anticipation that this fine gentleman will choose one of their daughters as a bride.  Mrs. Bennet  is no exception.  At a ball, Elizabeth’s older and beautiful sister, Jane, becomes the object of Mr. Bingley’s affections.  It is also at this ball that Elizabeth (“Lizzy”) overhears a handsome stranger, Mr. Darcy, state that she is not “handsome” enough to be considered for a dance with him at the ball.  Mr. Darcy is a very wealthy, handsome, and brooding stranger whom Lizzy will soon not be able to avoid.

This story takes readers from the time of that ball until well over a year later.  During such time, The Bennet family is faced with an issue of family honor when their daughter Lydia runs off with a handsome, however untrustworthy military man, Mr. Wickman.  In addition, Mr. Collins makes an attempt to marry into the family to find himself a suitable wife.  Thankfully, The Bennet Daughters are spared despite Mrs. Bennet’s urging to accept his long-winded proposal.  However, the most important story within this novel is the love story between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.  The reader observes her initial disdain for him grow into an irresistible love that she can not deny.

The Review

From what I understand about Jane Austen, before her there were no other authors who narrated the human psyche as much as she did within the writings of a novel.  Her descriptions of society and of the inner the minds of her heroes and heroines changed the face of the English Literature.  Despite all of the rants and ravings I’ve heard over the years, mainly from women, about the excellence of Jane Austen… well, frankly I was uninterested. 

In developing my passion for “The Classics,” I knew that Jane Austen could not be avoided forever.  Perhaps it was when my daughter started reading it that I thought to myself, “Okay, it’s time Sheri.”  And, so it was.  The good news is that reading this classic with an adult and appreciative mind, I was able to see the beauty in this literary masterpiece in a way that I’m not sure my high-school or college eyes would see.  As such, I read this book with a fervor that I can’t quite exactly explain.  I read this book quickly and aggressively because I was hooked.  Now, it’s not like a page-turner where you can’t wait to find out what happens next in the storyline.  In fact, expect the opposite in reading Austen.  There’s not much to the storyline at all.  I could sum up the events of this story in a paragraph lined with a few sentences… no problem!  Rather, it’s the addiction to discover the inner workings of the minds of the characters.  As a reader, I couldn’t wait to see Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy find a way to one another… What would Mr. Darcy do to convince her that he was the type of man that she could and would love?  Would the heart of this strong-willed woman melt in the arms of this uber-wealthy, super handsome man?  Would HE finally be deserving of her love?

In speaking to others about this book, there is one main discovery that I’ve made.  The readers of this book have made these characters their own within their minds.  Whether they are loved, disliked or even what they look like is a very personal thing to the lovers of this book.  I must admit that I am NO different.  In watching the movie starring Keira Knightly, I formed strong opinions about the casting of the characters and how the movie was filmed.  It had to match my imagination for it to be right and good.  Now, this is something new and different for me.  Most book to movie translations I pick apart for other reasons… most commonly that the movie didn’t match the story within the book.  Because Pride & Prejudice is such a character-driven, psychological tale, it is that the characters must be cast like the book.  Here’s where the problem lies, the characters are formed in each reader’s personal imagination and no two Mr. Darcy’s are alike.

I never, IN A MILLION YEARS, thought that I would ever be the type of person who now wants to see every movie version of Pride & Prejudice.  But, I do!  Nor did I ever imagine myself wanting to discuss a book as much as I want to discuss this one… but, only with women!  I’m just not that type of gal.  But, I guess apparently I am.  I’m shocked at myself.

The “Skinny” On P&P:

My review can never match up to the amazing, thought provoking analysis and reviews of this masterpiece.  My internet review can most likely not live up to expectations.  So, I figured it best for me to “be myself” and just tell you what I really think of the characters in this book.  If you are Jane Austen die-hard fan, you may want to skip over this part…

• I hate Mr. Collins.  He’s BORING BORING BORING and so full of himself that I want to barf!  He drives me nuts!
• Bingley needs to grow some balls.  Why on earth is somebody with money and looks so persuaded by other people’s opinions?  If a gorgeous woman was in love with me, I’d make my own choices.  Grow up, Mr. Bingley!
• Somebody smack that Lydia!  What a moron!  In the case of her elopement to Mr. Wickman, I agree with Mr. Collins.  Let Lydia suffer the consequences of her lame-ass decision and deal with Wickman as it may come.  Bailing her out fo the sake of the family name was not a good choice.  Although, I guess The Bennet Family kinda had to.  I mean, there were still those other 4 daughters to marry off so they didn’t end up homeless or at the mercy of the long-winded Mr. Collins.
• I say “You Go Girlfriend” to Lizzy when she tells Lady Catherine de Bourgh to shove it where the sun don’t shine!  You GO Girl! 
• Jane, how can you seriously get a cold (THAT FAST) from walking in the rain?  And, it takes you a week to heal?  I think you’re milking it, Jane!
• I love you, Mr. Bennet!  Will you be my daddy, too?
• Bingley’s sister is a total bitch and me-no-likey!  However, I give sissie-hugs to Darcy’s piano playing sister!
• Lizzy and Darcy, I hope that you had a jammin’ marriage and that the sex was really good after all that you went through!   

About Jane… 

From Wikipedia.com, here is some information about Jane Austen: 

Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist whose realism, biting social commentary and masterful use of free indirect speech, burlesque, and irony have earned her a place as one of the most widely read and most beloved writers in English literature.

Austen lived her entire life as part of a small and close-knit family located on the lower fringes of English gentry. She was educated primarily by her father and older brothers as well as through her own reading. The steadfast support of her family was critical to Austen’s development as a professional writer. Austen’s artistic apprenticeship lasted from her teenage years until she was about thirty-five years old. During this period, she experimented with various literary forms, including the epistolary novel which she tried and then abandoned, and wrote and extensively revised three major novels and began a fourth.

From 1811 until 1816, with the release of Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814) and Emma (1816), she achieved success as a published writer. She wrote two additional novels, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, both published posthumously in 1818, and began a third, which was eventually titled Sanditon, but died before completing it.

Austen’s works critique the novels of sensibility of the second half of the eighteenth century and are part of the transition to nineteenth-century realism. Austen’s plots, though fundamentally comic, highlight the dependence of women on marriage to secure social standing and economic security. Like those of Samuel Johnson, one of the strongest influences on her writing, her works are concerned with moral issues.

During Austen’s lifetime, because she chose to publish anonymously, her works brought her little personal fame and only a few positive reviews. Through the mid-nineteenth century, her novels were admired only by members of the literary elite. However, the publication of her nephew’s A Memoir of Jane Austen in 1869 introduced her to a wider public as an appealing personality and kindled popular interest in her works. By the 1940s, Austen was widely accepted in academia as a “great English writer”. The second half of the twentieth century saw a proliferation of Austen scholarship, which explored many aspects of her novels: artistic, ideological, and historical. In popular culture, a Janeite fan culture has developed, centred on Austen’s life, her works, and the various film and television adaptations of them. 

On Sher’s “Out of Ten Scale:” 

I NEVER NEVER NEVER thought that I’d like Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice.  I just finished reading it and I already want to read it again.  I’m not sure why… perhaps it’s to make sure that I read all of the verbiage correctly and that I have the facts of the story straight.  I cannot explain why I feel this way… I just do.

Like I said above, I now need to find all the other movie versions of this story to watch and, obviously, pick apart!  I do want to experience more Austen, but I’m not sure which one to read next.  So, I need your suggestions, Jane Austen fans! 

This book is a MUST READ for anybody who claims they are a “reader” or lover of books.  It’s not that the book or the story are spectacular, but in a way it’s like you learn things about yourself in reading this story.  Which character am I like?  I am definitely a mix between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth and I parent more like Mr. Bennet than the Mrs.  So… for those of you out there who were like me… NOT AT ALL INTERESTED IN READING AUSTEN… I think that you should take one of her books for a test-drive and see if you still feel the same way when you’re done.  I do recommend that you take Pride & Prejudice for that ride!  Readers, I therefore am bestowing my rating for P&P under the genre Fiction:Classics, a 10 OUT OF 10.   This would make a very engaging book club discussion!

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