Jane Austen discussion

This is one of my favourite books for many reasons. I remember staying up all night just to finish reading it...hoping that Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy would be together in the end.
Excellent writing.
This book holds up through the test of time......

Truly spectacular. The humour, the romance, the characters, the story line, everything. My first JA novel and my first ever proper book :)
All I need now is to find myself a Mr. Darcy :D

i thought the book had a lot of romance and learning how not to judge some-one when you first meet them, i loved how she described Mr. Darcy he was my favorite male character in the novel, and elizabeth, i think girls can relate to elizabeth in so many ways like

hoe you can be the judge on that

Yes. First impressions really are not everything!!

Isn't it funny that Elizabeth, when she thought that Darcy had cheated Wickham, was so mad! If she didn't like him as much as she said, why was she so surprised at this horrible behavior? In my opinion, she was so upset because she had already started thinking highly of him. What do you think?

Of course! You're right Anne, now that would make us understand so many of her actions. Though it was obvious that she was thinking of him, in a way or another, which would explain her constantly fixating on what he did, or didn't. I believe that on a certain perspective, she appreciated him being so honest, and intelligently different from other men. Even at the beginning, where she thought she didn't like him, she would have chosen him over Mr. Collins any time. Mr. Collins is truly a man she couldn't stand.

Apart from this, Pride and Prejudice is a book I love. I love everything about it. The only part I don't like is Lydia's wedding. She still thinks she is the best after all? Argh, I just cannot stand that part! Anyways the part instead that I love the most is the growing romance throughout the novel. Its not the rushed type, but truly you understand and comprehend their growing love, or well, Elizabeth's growing love and Mr. Darcy's feelings.

Anne wrote: "Isn't it funny that Elizabeth, when she thought that Darcy had cheated Wickham, was so mad! If she didn't like him as much as she said, why was she so surprised at this horrible behavior? In my opi..."

that is so true!! she is often thinking of him, and how rude he was about her, and then about him and wickham and always talking to others about him as well... so true, she is thinking of him whether she will admit it or not!!

And yes Asia, I agree about Lydia!! And also The growing romance!! :) so sweet!!

The one thing I didn't like about P&P was the fact that the family let Wickham and Lydia back into the fold so quickly. I'm trying to remember how they did it in the book, but in the BBC mini-series, it's like the family (and Elizabeth, who I was dissapointed in slightly) just acted as if nothing happened. They shouldn't have accepted them back in so easily. Does that make sense? I mean I know you've got to forgive and forget, but number one, they weren't sorry, and number two, they should live with the consequences, right? It almost seems unfair. They put everybody through that and then,"Oh, everything's peachy."

Well I believe that was due to the fact that Mrs. Bennett wanted everything to be "as if nothing happened" also they DID get married and thinking how worse it could have gotten they accepted them one more time to then see them leave to a location away from them. That certainly was enough.

I'll have to agree with Anne about Elizabeth being a bit disappointing, but she showed her disagreement at them being there. She tried to speak to Lydia, but it didn't work out. Stupid Lydia. Both the movie and the BBC series you can see her astonished anger towards Lydia. If it was a story of modern times her face would have a meme facebook face with "Are you kidding me?"

Yeah, it all turned out all right, but it made me just a bit frustrated at the time.

Yes it is annoying!! But I know Mr Bennet was very against it!! And had to take a lot of persuading!! At least Lizzy and Jane seemed annoyed at Their behaviour. Mrs Bennet didn't which was bad and annoying!!
This part in the film is good as Wickham is played well, and the looks on his face sometimes seems to say he is at least conscious of what he has done, like when he walks out of the house for the last Time and looks at Lizzy, who then looks away, and also when they first arrive, he steps a bit sheepishly out of the carriage...

Absolutely, in the movie Wickham is at least aware, hopefully, of what he has done. But I believe that the Wickham closer to the book is the Wickham from the series. A complete coward who still tries to convince Elizabeth that he is the one on the right side. I still cannot choose which Lydia is worst, the one from the movie or the BBC series. If I had to choose, I would go with the series one. She is the worst, in my opinion.

Hey this is just fyi, but I watched a BBC mini-series called Cranford. (which is really good and I highly recommend it) And in this series, the actress who plays Lydia in the BBC version, plays a character named Jessie and she does a great job. She was one of my favorite characters. The transformation from horrible Lydia to Jessie is so amazing. This girl must be a great actress to make you hate her in one thing and love her in the next.

Agree!! Wickham is awful in the series so Iike him more!! I like to hate him!!

Anne you made me curious about that actress, I'll definitely watch that BBC mini - series. And Soph, it does feel weird to like a character that you should hate - as it happened to me in watching the Pride and Prejudice movie. But in the series I hate him, so I agree with you, he is awful, but that is how he should be! :D ahha

Exactly!!!

one of my favorites books, i love the way this book show you the way we judge people for the first thing we saw, when we should wait and see really them and no what they want to show, like she tough Darcy was mean and cruel , bud he was just, ok hi was little pride but with a god hear, and wickham he shows himself like a poor victim in this cruel world , when he was and opportunism, and liar and lazy men

P&P is my favourite book because:
- it's perfect, the plot is a masterpiece and it keep you glued to the pages from the beginning to the end.
- characters are complete, they have good qualities and faults, no one is too perfect (not even Jane) and they react in a realistic manner to the events.
- is universal and timeless, it's always a living matter because every one knows at least a Mrs Bennet or a Mr Collins or even a Lady Catherine.
- dialogues are absolute perfection, because they tell you about the characters without any need of description.
- every woman like to read about a great love story with a great happy ending.

Couldn't agree with either of you more!
I think, however many books I read, Pride and Prejudice will always be my favourite!!
The characters, the humour, the story, the romance!! Just everything!!

I agree! It is sometimes hard to explain why I love Pride and Prejudice so much. People think its because of Mr. Darcy (well it is for a certain part) but its just the whole thing all together that makes it so enjoyable. Its not ONLY about the romance or the good ending itself, but how it got to that point ect. I always tell other who ask me why I love it, I just answer that they should read it to understand.

I totally understand. I love everything about Pride and Prejudice. Yes, Mr. Darcy is a big part of that. But, I also love the writing and the characters and the scenery. Just every single thing about it. Some people just don't understand when you tell them. It's better if they read it themselves.

You have to read it to understand!!
It's not just Darcy, that is part of the reason, but everything working so well... And all things put together and how you get to the ending we all love, it's not JUST Darcy!!

I KNOW, is like everyone else here says EVERYTHING in the book, and yes i agree with kasey, people sometimes just can understand why we love the story so much, and the book and of course MR DARCY , bud most of the biggest and beautiful thing in the world cant be explained

So true!!
It really is just EVERYTHING about the book!!

Which proves that Jane Austen is a great author! :D I believe, because it takes talent to manage to unite the right factors, and not have your fans like one single thing. Like for example other novels, such as twilight (making this example because is one of the most known books in the world, easy for everyone to catch what i'm trying to say), which the majority of girls who like this book, like it because of Edward and Bella...the vampire story isn't really necessary. Well apart from the fact that Edward is a vampire, but I think I make my point clear. Everything together makes Pride and Prejudice great, but it takes a lot to have the right events, characters, story line, the writing, environment, ending, evolution of the story and many other things all together placed correctly. Awesome Jane!!

Couldn't have put it better!! And a great example!!

Soph wrote: "Couldn't have put it better!! And a great example!!"

Thank you :)

You girls are going to shoot me but when I have described Twilight to my Husband, (because he asks why I like the story), I told him it is like Pride and Prejudice with vampires. :) This is off track I know but Edward is old fashion like Darcy. He lived in a different era and I love that time period. No Stephanie does not write as beautifully as Jane Austen but my point was the respect and love that is written within the story that P&P has.

I won't quit shoot you...!! ;)
But fair point. :)
I like real things I think is mainly way Twilight doesn't appeal- because of The vampires!!

I'd like to say that Pride & Prejudice is my favourite book of all time... closely followed by: Twilight!! I don't like vampires either, wouldn't interest me AT ALL before I read it but someone persuaded me and I love it. The love story is so intense and they are just light, easy, compelling reads. So I do recommend them.

Back on topic though.... I love P&P with a passion. The original romantic comedy, so real and ahead of its time. I have read it once every year for about 10 years, and every time I can't put it down :)

It is so good!! :) I love it. The story is so ahead of its time!! :D

I just re-read it and since I hadn't in a while, it was like I was reading it for the first time. If I hadn't been in love with it already, I would definitly be now!

Aww!! That's always a great feeling!!! :D still as amazing?

Of course!

“I sincerely hope your Christmas in Hertfordshire may abound in the gaieties which the season generally brings…”

-Pride and Prejudice

Merry Christmas everyone!

Great quote!
And to you, Leah :)

Great quote!!

Hope everyone has an amazing Christmas and new year! :D

yes!! ditto everything u all said :) even if we have no snow..

nice diagram Cari. It helps in linking the main characters.

Those diagrams are good to help link all the characters together :)

wow that helps :) veryy complicated

I couldn't get it big enough so it is kind of hard to read... oh well. I spend about 15 minutes studying this. :P

Haha!! Enjoy Northanger Abbey Caro! :)

haha thanx! havent started...YET!

I've just finished Pride and Prejudice and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It was so good!
I loved all of the characters and it was so entertaining the whole way through.
I wrote a blog post about it here:
http://anabundanceofkathryn.blogspot.com

Yay! A new fan! It is such a wonderful book and its great when new people discover her work :) I am glad you enjoyed it! Great blog post as well :) have you seen any of the adaptations?

Hi Soph! Thanks for reading my blog post. I haven't seen any film adaptations yet. I've got the 2005 one recorded so I'm going to watch it soon.

Enjoy that one. It is great. It is a really beautiful film. The scenery, music, costumes etc. the actors are great as well. But I also recommend the 1995 series which is SO accurate! And that again has nice scenery and costumes and the hero and heroine in particular as well cast. You will have to let us know what you think when you have watched it :)