Thoughts on Austen

Since the girls and I were off of school this past week I found myself with ample reading time. So I read not 1 but 2 Jane Austen novels. Admittedly I've read them before, but after reading a few books I haven't read previously I like to read at least one story that I really enjoy. Thus I read Pride & Prejudice and Sense & Sensibility.

While reading any 19th century novel one can't help but notice all the archaic words or the formal way in which people spoke. For example: if you are experiencing something that has caused you to react in a positive way you would probably say, "This is great!" or something to that affect. But surely the words, "Is there a felicity in the world superior to this?!" would not exit your lips. And while reading these novels I begin to implement their manner of discourse [did you like my synonym for "conversation" ☺?]. My diction and grammar dramatically improved over this past week. I found myself sending texts like this: "I hope you had an enjoyable night." instead of simply writing, "Did u have fun?" I think I even was able to formulate an entire sentence without using the word, "yeah" or my other variant "so...yeah". ;-)

Reading Pride & Prejudice made me yearn to watch the movie again. Now, if you're a P&P fan you probably have an opinion upon which movie version is better: 1995 or 2005. I like the 2005 version myself, mainly because of the music. And I also like how the producers depicted Longbourne as more of a farm. Oh, and also because I don't own the '95 version. ☺ No matter your favorite they are both equally enjoyable. [Oh! There. I used "enjoyable" again.] David watched with me, and we still laughed at the dialogue despite this being something like our 5th viewing of the movie. David commented though, "You really have to pay attention to what they're saying because they talk so differently." I then informed him that the '05 version features dumbed-down dialogue.

Yesterday morning I finished Sense and Sensibility, and now I will have to watch that movie as well. I don't know about you, but when I read a book that I've seen a movie version for I always visualize scenes from the book the way they are shown in the movie. So I could see Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson having their famous "You're not married." scene in Barton Cottage. And I saw Kate Winslet tripping on the downs and Greg Wise coming to her rescue. I think I will watch it today!

I first read one of Jane's books (S&S) 15 years ago and instantly I fell in love with her. I know that she and her novels have become somewhat of a fad lately. The bookstore has hundreds of spin-off novels; I own a few myself. But in another 15 years my "approbation" of her will still be as high as it is now, and if Jane were alive today I feel assured that we would find one another "truly amiable".