More Austen...

Excerpt of letter from Persuasion:

I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you...I have loved none but you.

Doesn't that make you want to sigh? This is the highlight of the story. Of course much has happened up to this point--now the guy takes a step of faith to communicate with the girl he loves. She could snub him; she could laugh at him; or she just might be swept off her feet by his soul-bearing words. He's not sure, but he goes ahead and initiates hoping she will respond positively.

This takes a lot of guts for a guy to take that risk, but if he doesn't he will never know what she's thinking. God has made the man to initiate and the woman is to respond. It shouldn't be the other way around. Gals have to be patient for a guy to pursue her, and guys need to take up the call to take the lead and not be afraid of rejection. Miss Right, be in prayer for Mr. Right, wherever he may be, that when the time comes he will be strong and courageous to pursue you with his God-given responsibility.

Will You Have This Dance, Anyone?!

Alright, all you Austen lovers, here's a new quote from Emma, Chapter 29:

It may be possible to do without dancing entirely. Instances have been known of young people passing many, many months successively without being at any ball of any description, and no material injury accrue either to body or mind; but when a beginning is made-- when the felicities of rapid motion have once been, thought lightly, felt-- it must be a very heavy set that does not ask for more.

Dancing is for old people too; it keeps them young! When we had our Resurrection Ball at a retirement home, it was a joy to see the residents sitting around the dance hall where families were taking part in the dance. I spoke with several elderly asking if they would like to dance, and they said no because they were participating while watching. Many reminisced about their younger days doing the swing or foxtrot. They seemed surprised that even the 6 yr olds (or younger) were getting into it. It gave them a few hours of reliving a happy time.

I enjoy watching couples that know how to dance well. They move together with fluid movements and unity, which amazes me. Knowing what the other is doing, they move simultaneously as one. The beat of the music drives them on. I have to be careful not to stare with my mouth open in awe! The Jane Austen books bring us back to that recreation and entertainment enjoyed for centuries; surely not only young people like a dance, but all ages enjoy the felicities of rapid motion!

I'm looking forward to the next ball and trying again some basic steps, hoping not to step on my husband's feet!

Pride and Prejudice

The way I got hooked on Austen was through Pride and Prejudice. My sister-in-law had been telling us all about it and encouraging me to read it until I finally decided to try it and see what all the fuss was about. :) Needless to say I got hooked!

Pride and Prejudice is the story of the Bennet sisters. The story opens on the exciting news that a new bachelor is in town and Mrs. Bennet is "thinking of his marrying one of them [the sisters]." Unfortunately things do not go quite according to Mrs. Bennet's plan, at first.

The said bachelor is a Mr. Bingley who brings with him his two sisters, brother-in-law, and a friend named Mr. Darcy. My first thought of Darcy was that he was a creep and a villain, but soon my opinion was changed. I won't say how, you'll have to read this story for yourself! We are at first only interested in Jane Bennet (the oldest sister) and her prospects for a husband but gradually the story shifts to Elizabeth Bennet and her prospects.

The main character is Elizabeth Bennet and we see the actions of others through her eyes, and only perceive what is happening by what Elizabeth knows. She believes herself capable of understanding and interpreting people and events and if she doesn't, then she just attempts to laugh off her mistakes for "Follies and nonsense , whims and inconsistencies , do divert me, I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can."

Another character I have to mention is Mr. Collins. He is the prime example in this book of Austen's witty style. Collins is a clergymen and the Bennet girls' cousin, and as such "I feel it my duty to promote and establish the blessing of peace in all families within the reach of my influence; and on these grounds I flatter myself that my present overtures of good will are highly commendable, and that the circumstance of my being in the entail of Longbourn estate will be kindly overlooked on your side, and not lead you to reject the offered olive branch." As it can be seen, Collins is full of himself which makes it all the more entertaining when he receives the talking to that he deserves.

The fun comes in conversation between characters. It shows how wrong some people can be when they are holding onto their pride, or are prejudiced. In the end we get to laugh right along with Elizabeth and not only at others, but at herself as well.

Get Hooked on Austen: Emma

As the story opens in the Woodhouse parlor, we read of sorrow mixed with joy as Emma, a young lady almost 21 yrs old, tries to console her father. Miss Taylor, Emma’s governess, has recently married and Mr. Woodhouse laments that it is a dreadful event. Emma, though she will miss her governess and best friend, comforts her father with the thought that they will still see her quite often. Her father, not liking change, cannot be consoled because “Miss Taylor” is now “Mrs. Weston.” Skillfully interweaving many characters into her novels, Jane Austen keeps the reader engaged. Emma is no exception.

Copious characters, in Emma, are promptly placed so the reader must be keenly aware to keep them all straight. I have to admit that I needed a “cheat sheet” to help me when I first read Emma. I was at first confused because “Emma” was sometimes called by her first name, and at other times by her last name, “Miss Woodhouse.” This was done with some of the other people too. It helped me to write down characters as they were added and I kept the list in the book so I could refer to it. Consequently, toward the middle of the narrative I no longer needed my cheat sheet. So keep that in mind, if you are easily confused like me.

At the beginning of the story, the “handsome” Emma is self assured, claiming that she is the one who is responsible for Miss Taylor and Mr. Weston meeting and encouraging the commitment. Having this accomplishment in mind, she states that other couples might need her help in matchmaking also. Fervently, Mr. Knightley, a close family friend, warns her against interfering and her father adamantly counsels her that matches “are silly things, and break up one’s family circle grievously.” With Austen’s wit and sometimes humor, the reader is drawn into the various struggles in which Emma finds herself. At the novel’s conclusion, she has flourished into a wiser more mature woman.

One of my favorite characters is Emma’s father. Although he is a friendly, hospitable man, he has a propensity of fretting about a variety of things such as: drafts in the house, the food people eat, or the weather. Emma, having a bright, happy personality, adores her dear papa and respectfully tries to cheer him when he starts to worry. I can picture Mr. Woodhouse sitting in an overstuffed chair with a blanket over his spindly legs exclaiming, “…But surely, Mr. Churchill, nobody would think of opening the windows at Randalls. Nobody could be so imprudent! I never heard of such a thing. Dancing with open windows! I am sure neither your father nor Mrs. Weston would suffer it.” I couldn’t help but smile as I read Mr. Woodhouse’s concerns.

The reader will certainly learn some valuable lessons from Emma. In Peter Leithart’s book, Miniatures & Morals he states, “Perhaps the most Christian novel Austen wrote, Emma is concerned with the relation of charity and truth; it is about ‘speaking the truth in love,’ or more precisely, about truth-speaking as the path to love.” Remarkably, one noble character, no matter how difficult, does speak the truth in love; while in contrast, the society all around is habitually trying to play its part, which is often a lie. I highly recommend Emma. There is so much to take in and enjoy. Read it and get hooked on Austen!

Jane Austen: Basics

We have not been doing much Jane Austen blogging, so I am going to try to do some more of that. I found out this past summer that some members of my extended family may not know who Jane Austen is and probably have not read any of her books (shocking! :) So, this post is for anyone who wants to learn more about Jane Austen and her books.

Who was Jane Austen? Jane Austen was a novelist who lived from 1775-1817. She wrote 6 major novels which were published, and three unfinished novels, along with several other works. Jane grew up in a large family of 6 brothers and 1 sister. She never married and died at the age of 41.

What about the novels? The novels of Jane Austen include: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Northanger Abbey, Emma, Persuasion, and Mansfield Park. The most popular is probably Pride and Prejudice, which has been made into several film adaptations.

Are there books on the novels or life of Jane Austen? Yes! The one that I have read and recommend is: Miniatures and Morals by Peter Leithart. His new book will be coming out this month called Writer of Fancy: The Playful Piety of Jane Austen.

So those are some basics on Jane Austen. I think we will give you a synopsis of each of the novels in the days ahead. Hope you enjoyed reading these facts!

Persuasion

I just recently read "Persuasion", by Jane Austen, again (for like the third time) and it is an excellent book! I've heard some people say that it is not one of Austen's best books, but I disagree. It's definitely one of Austen's best! Here's why:

1. Anne is a perfect heroine. Not in the sense that she is just too good to be believable, but she is a great role model. Unlike other Austen heroines she has good sense and a helpful personality.

2. The story draws you in from the beginning. You might say, "wait a minute, I read this book and it starts with the history of the Elliot's (Anne's family), how is that interesting?" Well, whenever a history comes along I have to start figuring out how this fits with the story. If we pay attention we catch things earlier and can understand things better if we read this whole history. Also, this was a great way for Austen to introduce all the Elliot's together and then we get to know each of them afterword.

3. God's plan. This book has a good example of God's providence in it. I won't give the story away, but it has to do with our heroine and 8 years gone by.

So, I hope I made you want to read it now. One good thing is that it is actually one of Austen's shorter books. :) Enjoy!

Jane Austen Poll

We have added a poll to the blog (to the right). Please vote and let us know which Jane Austen book is your favorite! And after voting if you could please leave us a comment telling us why you like that book. Others might not have read your favorite Austen book; this way you can tell them why they should read it. Thanks!

The Pemberley Parlor Team