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Rhi
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Jan 21, 2009 05:00AM
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Rhi,I'm almost up to Chapter 7. I'm heading off to bed and my goal is to get through Chapter 10.
Loving it so far!
Where is everybody? Come on ladies...are you reading this yet? I'm having a blast....getting ready to start Chapter 13!
I started it a few months ago, before finals, and haven't picked it up again, but I did get up to page 50 or so. I last ended at the point where the sister (help me out- can't remember her name) was getting better and able to leave the home of that wealthy family and go back to her own home. I'm so hoping that Mr. Darcy ends up a bit softer because I think he has potential (in an Edward Cullen sort of way).
Jane is her name. Will you be able to pick it back up and join us?
I am on Chapter 8. I love it so far. There are some characters I am not that into..like Mrs. Bennett. She kind of gets on my nerves. Elizabeth and Darcy are just wonderful characters. They are so interesting to read.
It's actually a requirement for a class of mine so when I get back home (been out of town for the week) I will be picking it up again. It's more tempting now that I can discuss it here too!
Mod
what i love about her, is that she enables mr. bennett to just be all round awesome. without her we wouldn't get his sarcastic and dry asides.
made all the funnier by her complete lack of awareness to them!
Rhi wrote: "oh yes, mrs. bennett.what i love about her, is that she enables mr. bennett to just be all round awesome. without her we wouldn't get his sarcastic and dry asides.
made all the funnier by her co..."
I would agree with that. :)
I'm going to make a comment more on the writing style of Jane Austen. I can't believe how fast it all seems to go. It is actually nice not to have all the adjectives and adverbs to stumble over. She just gets right to the point. Only a few times have I had to re-read a paragraph to understand what she was actually saying. I love it so far. I am glad I have watched the movie prior to reading the book. It does make it a little easier too.
Heather wrote: "I'm going to make a comment more on the writing style of Jane Austen. I can't believe how fast it all seems to go. It is actually nice not to have all the adjectives and adverbs to stumble over. Sh..."I love your observation Heather. I feel the exact same way. I'm on Chapter 19 and it is just flying by. Like you I'm so happy that I've watched the movies multiple times :)
I would have to say my least favorite character is Mr. Collins. He is just flat out annoying and believes because he works for Lady Catherine that that somehow elevates his status in life. Does anyone else feel that Mary would have been the best choice for him instead of who he eventually ends up with....Charlotte?
I only started today and am up to chapter 4 I think.Althogh I think my brain is waiting for my copy of Eclipse to arrive so I can read it, as I keep having to re-read sections of P&P at times when I am not concentrating...*ha*.
I must say though I am enjoying the book more this time round then when I was in school and MADE to read it (but then, I rarely liked any books we had to read in school and then had to pick to death in English - many times that destroyed them for me!!!).
I agree wtih Heather too - i think the fact that there have been some great tv/movie versions of the story which I have watched over the last couple of years before picking up the book again has helped reignite my interest!!
I've read through Chapter 10. I'm having a difficult time keeping up with who is actually saying what! I haven't seen any of the movie adaptations. My taste in movies is entirely different from my interest in books.
Oh, I know what you mean, Renae! Sometimes I have to read an entire dialogue again to figure out who said what. I love Jane Austen's books but it is sometimes challenging to read them (English is not my first language).
I find Mr Hurst very annoying - isn't he just an absolutely useless character? Miss Bingley's character is well written albeit irritating and snobbish, well, and Elizabeth is just fabulous.
Does anyone else think that the opening sentence is the best ever?
Whew . . I'm glad it's not just me! I have adjusted to her writing style now that I'm well into the book. I'm finding Mrs. Bennett and Mr. Collins most annoying at this point. If Collins' apologizes or thanks someone one more time . . . yikes, he's annoying!
Renae wrote: "Whew . . I'm glad it's not just me! I have adjusted to her writing style now that I'm well into the book. I'm finding Mrs. Bennett and Mr. Collins most annoying at this point. If Collins' apolog..."But of course he and Mrs. Bennett are alike...they're both too caught up with appearances to care much about anything else!! How would you like to be married to him and have Mrs. Bennett for your mother???? I would have to be locked up in a padded room!!
I am not sure I can get through this one. I don't like giving up on books but I am not motivated to pick up this one at all...it goes on and on and it is difficult for me to figure out the Mrs. and the Miss and the Bennett and the other characters...I can't focus on it at all. So then I have re-read...I think I am up to chapter 14 but not sure how far I will go. :(
I am also stumbling at times while my brain adjusts to the dialoge - I one point read about 3 paragraphs along before realising Austen was talking about an entirely different person to who I thought it was...ARGH! And I also have difficulty with the formality - I wish she had the first names in there more often. Except for Mr Darcy - the formal title suits him down to the ground *heehe*I am getting there though, and there are some pearler moments.
Two of my faves so far are when Mrs Bennet tells Jane to go to Bingleys on horseback so she would get rained on (classic conspring mummy moment!), and then in chapter 10 I think it is when Darcy is writing the letter, and Miss Bingley is all chatty and interrupting, and makes the comment about "How can you contrive to write so even" and the next line is: He was silent. That gave me a chuckle!
I actually like the way Austen really seems to give you a feel for the characters personalities too - and I think she does a thoroughly good job of getting across how ruddy annoying Mrs Bennet is!! SOme of her dialogue I can barely get through without wanting to slap her...LOL!
So while it is a bit of a hard task at times, I am really quite enjoying reading it so far - although ask me in 50 pages and I may change my tune, as Eclipse is due to arrive then...LOL!
Lee and Melissa...Please try to stick with it!! :)
Check this link out...it's your own version of Cliff Notes but right on your computer.
http://www.shmoop.com/themes/literatu...
Hope this helps!!
Staci
Melissa, I understand what you mean. I felt the same way the first 100 pages or so. It really does get better about half way into the book. I would say KEEP GOING!!!
Finally got to start this one this evening -- quite quick going, which surprised me. I knocked out the first 10 chapters in about 30 minutes this evening. Anyway, on to observations. Austen is spot on with her characterization of class and their conceits. Bingley doesn't seem to be the catch that Mrs. Bennett is making him out to be -- he's almost flighty, for a man. Not a good thing...And Mrs. Bennett -- argh. Could she be any more annoying? Though I do love how Mr. Bennett makes all his snide comments without her noticing. I'm enjoying Elizabeth and think Jane is too nice for her own good. And despite everything, I'm almost annoyed at Darcy and how he first snubbed Elizabeth but now is infatuated with her...it feels like too much manipulation by Austen. Does that make sense?
There's a passage that I've been wondering about in chapter 4. I can't make out if Jane Austen is being sarcastic or serious. It's in reference to the Bingley sisters and is stated as the authors point of view..."They were in fact very fine ladies; not deficient in good humor when they were pleased, nor in the power of being agreeable when they chose it, but proud and conceited. They were rather handsome, had been educated in one of the first private seminaries in town, had a fortune of twenty thousand pounds, were in the habit of spending more than they ought and of associating with people of rank, and were therefore in every respect entitled to think well of themselves, and meanly of others."
I kind of assumed that the phrases, "were in fact very fine ladies" and "entitled to think well of themselves, and meanly of others" were at least a little sarcastic. But I'm not certain about that - I wonder if I'm assuming too much about Jane Austen's opinions - she definitely writes as though she doesn't approve of all the snobbery and restrictions of her time, but maybe I'm assuming that her thinking is MORE modern than it really is.
Audrey, I know what you mean about Darcy - He didn't see ANYTHING worthwhile in Elizabeth and then he completely flips in one moment. After we get past that, his gradually falling more in love with her works fine, but that first bit is a little hard to believe. I guess love frequently doesn't make sense , though :)
Bingley has always reminded me of a puppy - lovable, enthusiastic and very easily led. That's why Jane would be perfect for him - she's so kind and sensible, as his main confidant she would always have his best interests at heart and keep him from rushing off into something stupid. And he does seem like a genuinely good person, which Jane deserves (she does seem a little unreal, being that nice).
Mod
but again, maybe i relate too much ;)
i think i read that paragraph very much tongue-in-cheek tara. what she is saying is true, but i can't help but feel austen is quitely mocking all the preconcieved ideas of her time.
Yeah, I took that passage to mean that, according to the social class standards of her time, they were considered fine ladies -- and then all those details go on to explain just what is meant by fine lady, which obviously means something much different when you are referring to the upper class than if you were referring to the middle class.
i scrolled down...so i haven't peeked yet...i am on chapter 9...
and i just wanted to say its INCREDIBLY hard for me this book. Maybe I'm dumb, I feel that way anyway...i will get through it...I am so stoked that this is my first book club and this is the first book...but I will add my two cents when I get done with chapter 9 & 10 today...i must admit I thought about getting cliff's notes...but I'm thinking that defeats the purpose.
xo.
aw.
Ashley wrote: "i scrolled down...so i haven't peeked yet...i am on chapter 9...
and i just wanted to say its INCREDIBLY hard for me this book. Maybe I'm dumb, I feel that way anyway...i will get through it...I a..."
No...it's not just you. Austen's prose is pretty dense (even though it's better than a lot of other novelists writing during this time). Part of the problem, I think, is that no one ever just comes out and says anything directly. It's all talking around in circles, you know?
Mod
i don't think that defeats the purpose ashley! not if you use it as an aid.
staci posted a link to an online type one here:
http://www.shmoop.com/themes/literatu...
Thanks girls!!!you all are superstars,
and super supportive.
i threw this book against the wall last night.is that blasphemous?
Ashley said: i threw this book against the wall last night.is that blasphemous?
LOL...I hope not, as I've thrown a few classics against the wall myself. My copy of Tess of the D'Urbervilles was pretty well trashed by the time I managed to finish it. I'm sorry you are not enjoying Pride and Prejudice, but fortunately, there are other books coming up that might be more to your taste. I'm sure we all have books that just don't click for us. Sometimes it's even just a matter of timing - I've had books I couldn't get into and thought I would never like and then stumbled on them later and found they really resounded with me. I used to make myself finish books I wasn't enjoying, but I don't do that anymore. Life is too short and there are too many other good books to read.
I used to make myself finish books I wasn't enjoying, but I don't do that anymore. Life is too short and there are too many other good books to read.YES THANK YOU.
I am anxiously awaiting the next one, and think I might just watch the movie instead.
:)
Mod
i was *just* going to suggest this, ash.
and like i said anyway. i'm gutted myself that P&P was the first choice. who did that? who is responsible?! OWN UP!
;)
