Classics for Beginners discussion

Starting on May 1st over till June 31st.

Just read P & P this year. It was a reread and I loved it even more this time around.

I've read it once and loved it.

I read this book when I was in high school, and I loved it. It is one of the few classics that I will pull off the shelf to read over and over again and again. I think I've read it about 7 different times. I feel the book really appeals to women, and would be shocked if a man read this book (unless it was for a class).

I read it for the first time this year! I was very proud of myself btw....lol....if I did not have so many other things to read right now I might reread it...who knows.

Question

Miss Bingley offered her the carriage, and she only wanted a little pressing to accept it, when Jane testified such concern in parting with her, that Miss Bingley was obliged to convert the offer of the chaise into an invitation to remain at Netherfield for the present. Elizabeth most thankfully consented, and a servant was despatched to Longbourn, to acquaint the family with her stay, and bring back a supply of clothes.

Can you translate this? I have problem understanding that the offer "to remain at Netherfield for the present" is the same as "to acquaint the family with her stay"

I am by no means an expert in "translating" this but my take was the later quote meant that some one was to be sent to her (Elizabeth's) home to tell them she was staying with her sister and the former quote that she had been offered by Miss Bingley to stay there with Jane....

Kristine wrote: "I am by no means an expert in "translating" this but my take was the later quote meant that some one was to be sent to her (Elizabeth's) home to tell them she was staying with her sister and the fo..."

Oh thanks. She was given the compromise because Jane was alone. I understand it now.

If you have any more problems feel free to ask!

I have so many. But here's one.

Why does the film introduced Collin as a short man while in the book he was referred as a tall figure. Is this a pity or discrimination? <_<

I think in the film was trying to just add one more characteristic to why the Bennets don't like Mr. Collins. You have to keep in mind that the film and the book are two separate entities. You can't look at them as the same thing, because a different person is in charge of interpreting the story for a film. That's why a lot of people say the books are better than the movies because someone might have changed different details about the book for numerous different reason to make it fit in with the requirements of the film.

@Kristen

Thanks for the input. I understand it now.

Note: it is just like any modern book such as Harry Potter books, they squeeze a book to fit actors, time scales ect. These are the same for classics too, they are not an alien book form.

Nicolle wrote: "Note: it is just like any modern book such as Harry Potter books, they squeeze a book to fit actors, time scales ect. These are the same for classics too, they are not an alien book form."

However, if a person review a movie adapted from the book, he have to consult if it is well adapted. Then, the movie is still subject to the book.

If they have to change, there must be a reason. Besides changing a tall person (from the book) to a small person (from the movie) is entirely nonsensical unless they have message to show.

butter be wrote: "Nicolle wrote: "Note: it is just like any modern book such as Harry Potter books, they squeeze a book to fit actors, time scales ect. These are the same for classics too, they are not an alien book..."

We all know there's a message to show, so there's no point in being politically correct and pretending to be blind. A man's height in our culture is a huge deal, and making him short in the movie makes it appear as if he's overcompensating for that.

Alicia 慧娴 wrote: "butter be wrote: "Nicolle wrote: "Note: it is just like any modern book such as Harry Potter books, they squeeze a book to fit actors, time scales ect. These are the same for classics too, they ar..."

Pardon. What do you mean by overcompensating?

butter be wrote: "Alicia 慧娴 wrote: "butter be wrote: "Nicolle wrote: "Note: it is just like any modern book such as Harry Potter books, they squeeze a book to fit actors, time scales ect. These are the same for cla..."

Websters; Excessive compensation, especially the exertion of effort in excess of that needed to compensate for a physical or psychological characteristic or defect.

If he's picked on in person for his height, or anything really that's a cultural stigmatism, he's going to be over the top in another other way. And Collin was, if I remember right, very fond of long monologues and trying to appear to be more intelligent than everyone. (I haven't read it or watched the movie in ages, but I don't think I've twisted that part of his personality? Maybe.)

I guess I can simplify that by saying they may have wanted him to appear insecure, like scenes in the movie where Lizzy towers over him and the camera takes an angle to make sure we notice this.

Kristen wrote: "I feel the book really appeals to women, and would be shocked if a man read this book (unless it was for a class)."

I'm not sure this is quite fair. The only difference is that whilst most girls want to marry Mr. Darcy; most guys want to be Mr. Darcy! :D

LOL Marcus.

Fair point Marcus.

@ Marcus-
Not many of my guy friends have read Pride and Prejudice, and if they have they didn't really like it. So that may have influenced my speech, but I do think you make a valid point! lol

Maybe I'm the exception that proves the rule then :)

Unless British guys are different?

haha that or you have actually read the book, instead of being like my friends who say they have because it's their girlfriends favorite (yet all they ever read was the spark notes online) and she think's it's just too cute that you both like the book. lol

Theories...theories...

Could also be that they were required to read it and that killed the book for them. I was required to read P & P in high school and the analysis sucked all the fun out of it. I just reread it on my own and I appreciate Austen alot more than I did when I was 16.(and I'm a girl!) I'm rereading all her books, at present Sense and Sensibility is my favorite.

Genna wrote: "Could also be that they were required to read it and that killed the book for them. I was required to read P & P in high school and the analysis sucked all the fun out of it. I just reread it on my..."

"the analysis sucked all the fun out of it"
I like analysis especially after reading the book. Lets you use your mind.

butter be wrote: "Genna wrote: "Could also be that they were required to read it and that killed the book for them. I was required to read P & P in high school and the analysis sucked all the fun out of it. I just r..."

I enjoy reading the analysis as well, but I can understand why someone wouldn't find it enjoyable.

Alicia 慧娴 wrote: "butter be wrote: "Genna wrote: "Could also be that they were required to read it and that killed the book for them. I was required to read P & P in high school and the analysis sucked all the fun ..."

Why? Because it takes time?

butter be scotch wrote: "Alicia 慧娴 wrote: "butter be wrote: "Genna wrote: "Could also be that they were required to read it and that killed the book for them. I was required to read P & P in high school and the analysis s..."

Yeah, might disturb their 'flow'.

butter be scotch wrote: "I like analysis especially after reading the book. Lets you use your mind."

I don't mind a bit once you've finished the book but at our school we had to analyse Of Mice and Men: with Notes in minute detail and it sucked the fun out because we ended up doing more analysis than reading!

Indeed it does disturb the flow. We analyzed while reading. I like to think about the book while I'm reading it. That's why they put reading guides on the last page of the book! I like bookclubs because you're supposed to finish the book before you go.

@ Marcus
We also read of Mice and Men for American lit. I really prefer British lit and I'd rather analyze poetry than prose.

Marcus wrote: "butter be scotch wrote: "I like analysis especially after reading the book. Lets you use your mind."

I don't mind a bit once you've finished the book but at our school we had to analyse [book:Of M..."

This is why I usually read books before we start them in college, I get to know the story and my opinon is based on the book not the tons of narrative devices and plots to decifer in detail.

I finished this a few days ago. I've attempted it numerous times since 7th grade, but I never could finish it because it always turned into an assigned read, and I can NOT finish a book if it's assigned. I have no idea why, but I've always been that way, so I usually tried to figure out what books were going to be required and I would read them ahead of the class. I digress from the subject, though, so I'll move on. It took me a while to really get into the story this time, for some reason, but once I did I could hardly put it down.

That was similar to my experience of this book. Once you begin to recognise the characters and their traits it becomes easier and addictive!

yeah, I agree with many people here, once you read it several time and understood it you can never forget it. It timeless and just beautiful, I cant even count how many time i have read it. It is my go to book when I am really down.

Goosegirl wrote: "yeah, I agree with many people here, once you read it several time and understood it you can never forget it. It timeless and just beautiful, I cant even count how many time i have read it. It is m..."

I'm right there with you. I know the book so well I can pick it up and start reading at any point. I was in London recently and wanted to buy the BBC DVD (Collin Firth version) but they were out :-(

That is supposed to be the best version of Pride and Prejudice.

It is the best version. You could have had my copy, Patti, if I knew you were in town!

I read it twice. Jane Austin is amazing writer!

Kristen wrote: "@ Marcus-
Not many of my guy friends have read Pride and Prejudice, and if they have they didn't really like it. So that may have influenced my speech, but I do think you make a valid point! lol"

My husband said he would rather go to the dentist than read a Jane Austen book. I just laughed.

I have some comments about the book but I am not sure if I should make them because others have not read the book yet. Is there a place for comments about story line on this site?

Feel free to make the comments here.

Okay, here goes....

(It has been a few months since I read Pride and Prejudice.)

I found it interesting that not one of the sisters seem to show any emotion or interest in the fact that Lydia's behavior should have destroyed their reputations as well as her own. Mr. Collins is the only one, by way of a letter to the girl’s father, who even mentions it. I know that was the way it was back in the day.

The other thing that was interesting was how open and honest Elizabeth’s self examination was with regard to Mr. Darcy’s letter after he declared himself in love with her and was very forcefully rejected.

I agree with the latter comment, it was quite abstract and unexpected.

I just finished Pride and Prejudice today. I'm quite confused and I feel the need to re-read it some other time. But do tell, what is the moral lesson of the novel?

I don'think there is necessarily a moral lesson, just that love can overrule other emotions and rationality.

First Impressions (wasn't that the first title) are not always accurate. :-)

Maybe I read it too fast. But I really didn't appreciate the book on the first read. I'll re-read it again when I have the time. :))

For me Pride and Prejudice took me 2 to 3 time to really understand and fall in love with. There is no central moral in the book, it more about the society and how people interact with each other in the 19th and 20th century. What really atractive about the book is the characters and how you can relate to them. What you gain morally is really depend on you. I gain alot of perspective from this book, I mean I was born in this century and it is so interesting to look at the role of woman, the idea of class and friendship and family in those time. I also can relate alot to Elizabeth and I think that is part of the reason why I love the book so much, I love that all characters are flawed and as they started learning about themself I am also becaming more aware of my own prejudice against other people.

Oh yeah, that too. I also became more aware of how I perceive other people and sectors of some kind. I have nothing against the book. I just pity myself that I didn't enjoy it as well as you all did. hehe Sorry about that. But rest assured that it will be on my to-read list again! :))