Taking 2 weeks for the next posting/reading...

With Thanksgiving and all, I thought we'd give ourselves 2 weeks until the next post. We will read through Volume 2 Ch. 11 to post next by next Sunday, Dec. 2nd. Okay? okay.... :-)
Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Part One (thru Ch. 17) of P & P...

Again we see Austen's theme of money and it's importance over all else in relationships during this time period and culture. I think money/class (at least in Darcy's case) is something you have that can not allow to you have feelings for someone in another class, as if it is just not an option. Darcy is intentionally trying to distance himself from Elizabeth because he does have feelings for her, but somehow knows it could never work out. Or it's just his pride battling it out with his heart.... because Bingley also has plenty of wealth but continues to show interest in Jane... And what do you think about Charlotte's comment to Eliza about Jane needing to secure Bingley before falling in love with him: "Jane should therefore make the most of every half hour in which she can command his attention. When she is secure of him, there will be leisure for falling in love as jch as she chuses." ha!
And good grief, another weaker male/father in Mr. Bennett who lets his wife practically control everything! (at least so far... :-) Speak up man! I do enjoy his comments about disagreeing with his wife about their two youngest daughters being foolish (while she says they are sensible).
And then the new guy...Mr. Wickham...he must be a looker, but also must have something intriguing enough to capture the interest of Elizabeth who earlier stated the importance of knowing one's character...

Next up...Pride and Prejudice

Moving on to the next Austen classic! I loved this one in high school and I remember Melissa and I renting every movie rendition available, but none of them quite measured up to the book! (That was before the most recent movie release a couple years ago, which I did quite enjoy) This one is about the same length as Sense and Sensibility, so 4 weeks at about the same pace should work out.

Let's plan on reading through Ch. 17 by next Sunday.

The final chapters of Sense & Sensibility...

Ahhh....lovely, everything resolved.
What a turn of events for Miss Lucy Steele and the Ferrar's brothers?! And no matter how hard Mrs. Ferrars wanted to disown her sons on account of Lucy, she of course allowed Robert back into her circle of wealth. And they say parents don't have their favorite children... I say they deserve each other.

I cannot, like the Dashwood women (especially Elinor), conclude by saying "poor" Willoughby. He still was in the wrong! And yes, they may see him in a little better light after his explanation of things, but it seems to me that they are blaming his faults on how the world brought him up. Similar to today, we are in a world of blame, it is always someone else's fault. Elinor's thoughts on what happened to Willoughby, "The world had made him extravagant and vain--Extravagance and vanity had made him cold-hearted and selfish. Vanity, while seeking its own gulity trimph at the expence of another, had involved him in a real attachment [to Marianne], which extravagance, or at least its offspring necessity, had required to be sacrificed. Each faulty propensity in leading him to evil, had led him likewise to punishment. The attachment, from which against honour, against feeling, against every better interest he had outwardly torn himself, now, when no longer allowable, governed every thought; and the misery, was likely to prove a source of unhappiness to himself of a far more incurable nature." Yes, the pressures of society and wealth in that time period were extreme, but it was still up to Willoughby to make his own actions!

I do love how they concluded that Marianne entirely gave her heart over to Colonel Brandon because she "could never love by halves". She finally saw in him what everyone else saw all along.

Final Reading!

I am assuming for next week we will finish up the book!

Part Three

I find it humorous that yet again Mr. John Dashwood tries to make excuses(in his own head) and out loud to Elinor about all the reasons why he is so poor. Basically trying to make himself feel better about not giving them any money. AHHHHH I just wanted to scream at him. It was also funny to me how a little later on in the reading he makes mention of the fact that there is no way Edward can live off of two thousand a year(when talking about the engagement to Lucy). Which if my memory serves me correct I think that is the amount that Mrs. Dashwood and the girls are living off of. He doesn't seem to think they can't live off of it.

I also found it interesting how much weight was put back then into the amount of money someone was worth. It was hilarious to me that Edward's sister and mother freaked out about him marrying Lucy. I mean sure similar things happen now in terms of marrying people at the same status as you but I don't find it near as crazy.


Can you imagine if you were told to tell the man you thought you were going to marry that he was going to be able to marry another woman now because of Colonel Brandon's gift. How horrible.

I found this part of the reading very interesting. I think Jane Austen showed two different viewpoints and ways of dealing with loss and grief. She showed the outspoken crazines of Marianne and then the quite reserved inward grief of Elinor. I think this showed that everyone grieves in their own way. I think I am more like Elinor. I know it is hard to believe but I tend to keep those feelings in and not want anyone to see them on the outside. I am all about keeping up the appearance that everything is okay. As many who know me would agree I generally stray from conflict.