Pride and Prejudice: Adaptations of Austen

[elfshadow]

Count me in!

I've read P&P and loved it, and I started reading Emma awhile ago but couldn't find the time to do it. But I'd love reading P&P again, it's been awhile since I have. This sounds great!

[Cerin]

Five chapters at a time sounds good to me (or in this case, 4).

I resisted reading Alatar's post until I've read the chapters myself. So you guys have to wait for Padme and myself to read the first 4 chapters. Don't you take off past that point without us!

[truehobbit]

We've already started?

*runs to bookshelf*

I haven't even looked at the book yet!

So, take your time, Cerin!

Good post, Alatar!

[Impenitent]

Am sitting on hands and typing with nose. Bery uncompfortable.

[Cerin]

Well, I'm loving it!

It's amazing how quickly she has established an intimacy with the characters for the reader. I feel as if I've been a part of that circle and have been chatting with these people all my life.

I realized I was surprised at the lack of descriptive text. I suppose I expected rapturous passages describing the beautiful English countryside (don't know why), but there hasn't been a single thing described, not even the characters (except for vague terms like handsome). It is entirely interior, and almost all dialogue! (Perhaps Ms. Austen wasn't paid by the word, as I've heard say Mr. Dickens was).

Mr. Bennet seems disdainful of his wife, and she is too dull to even know when he is insulting her. I was thinking that a marriage like this in our day and age would have ended in divorce; but my understanding of those times was that people's circles were limited, and I suppose if you met someone you could halfway tolerate the practical exigencies compelled people to marry. How awful to have to be married to someone you didn't respect, though.

I must say, I really felt for Mary here:

'What say you, Mary? for you are a young lady of deep reflection, I know, and read great books, and make extracts.'

Mary wished to say something very sensible, but knew not how.

'While Mary is adjusting her ideas,' he continued, 'let us return to Mr. Bingley.'

I sort of feel like that here, among people of such exceptional wit and intelligence! I think Whistler would certainly give Mr. Bennett a run for his money in the humour department. Though Mr. Bennett does have an edge of cruelty about him that I do not find attractive.

I thought it was really interesting and revealing that Elizabeth was able to enjoy telling people how Darcy rejected her. I think a less secure person would blush in embarrassment to recall such an incident, much less enjoy relating the story to others, so I found that very telling indeed. She is clearly a very self-confident person (in part because her father favored her, I wonder?).

I'm very eager to get on! I shall now go back and read what Alatar had to say.

[vison]

*is ecstatic*

*has itchy fingers!*

[truehobbit]

w00t!

Great post, Cerin!

(Can we start commenting now?)

[Ethel]

I think we're waiting for Padme to post, Hobby.

Maybe we could give her 24 (48?) hours or so and then proceed? I know that's not very long, but it sounds like everyone is eager to jump in.

(Sorry about the pressure, Padme!)

Other suggestions?

[truehobbit]

Ok, sorry, I had overlooked that Padme was a first time reader as well!

(But maybe it wouldn't be saying too much if I just said that Alatar could have some of his questions about the order of the daughters answered, if he looked at the first paragraph of chapter 2 again more closely, as well as at the very end of the same chapter, and at the middle of the third next, where Darcy is being rude - which leaves only two daughters unaccounted for! )

[Alatar]

Thanks Hobby, but I'm making a point of reading this as I would any other book. What sticks, sticks and what doesn't I expect to become apparent as I progress. It's part of the experience of reading for me. If I was to go back and check, that would be like studying, and I'm reading this book from an entertainment perspective, not an academic perspective.

Cheers,
Alatar

[Ethel]

Thanks Hobby, but I'm making a point of reading this as I would any other book. What sticks, sticks and what doesn't I expect to become apparent as I progress. It's part of the experience of reading for me. If I was to go back and check, that would be like studying, and I'm reading this book from an entertainment perspective, not an academic perspective.

That's how I like to read too, Alatar, and Jane Austen certainly wrote this book with the intention of entertaining the general reader.

To answer your question - I think that's okay now - Elizabeth was second of the five daughters. She's 20 years old. She is considered quite attractive but not as pretty as her older sister Jane.

I really enjoyed your post, btw.

[Impenitent]

Gah! Unable to trust myself to speak so I'd better run away right now!

[truehobbit]

Oh, that's how I read too.

But I think that also means, if you miss info, you miss it - we shouldn't tell you!

Because part of the experience then will be that you'll find out whether things once missed will still fall into place.

And we have no way of knowing how old she is by this time, I think.

[Sassafras]

I'm reading ...

It's wonderful to read Alatar and Cerin's astute observations.
Gave me a whole new perspective, too. Because you have to remember than I haven't read any Austen since college days. I'm enjoying this.

[Cerin]

Imp, are you upset? Why?

[Ethel]

But I think that also means, if you miss info, you miss it - we shouldn't tell you!

Will this be a problem for you, Hobby? I ask because I'm rather a compulsive question answerer. But I daresay I can control myself if it means a lot to you.

And we have no way of knowing how old she is by this time, I think.

This is strictly true, but I don't think it was exactly a "spoiler". It is possible to deduce from context that she must be about that age.


Edited to add: yes, Impish, are you upset? Is it something I did?

[Impenitent]

No, no! Not upset at all! Just pulling at the bit, biting my tongue, fingers itching (insert additional metaphors here) - very impatient to post! I guess it was a wrong choice of smiley - doesn't carry quite the right tone.

Sorry about that.

[truehobbit]

But I think that also means, if you miss info, you miss it - we shouldn't tell you!

Will this be a problem for you, Hobby? I ask because I'm rather a compulsive question answerer. But I daresay I can control myself if it means a lot to you.

Ethel, thanks - no, it's not a problem for me - but I tried to answer Alatar's question and he didn't want the answer!

He said he wanted to experience what it's like to read it like any other book, and to find out if what he misses at first falls into place later.
So, to me that means, we must leave his oversights unanswered.

(I guess I'm similar in itching to answer questions - my answer was really the same as yours, I just didn't want to give it explicitly, because we weren't yet discussing, so I thought I'd just give him a hint of how to find the answers himself.)

[Cerin]

Thanks for clearing that up, Imp.

My impression from Alatar was not that he didn't want people to provide answers to things he was unsure of, but that he wasn't about to go re-reading chapters to find out the answers himself. Maybe he'll clarify for us.

For my part, I don't mind people answering whatever questions come up, whether or not we will have found it out for ourselves. I just want everyone to enjoy the discussion.

Do you suppose I should PM Padme and ask her if she wants us to wait for her to catch up?

[Ethel]

Do you suppose I should PM Padme and ask her if she wants us to wait for her to catch up?

I think that's a good idea, Cerin. In my experience, people sometimes start out on a project like this but then get derailed. (I did quite a few group reads at TORC and there were always a lot of 'dropouts'. It's no disgrace! People just get busy.) But if she's preparing a post, I want to wait for it.