Pride and Prejudice

For this week, I read Pride and Prejudice: The Wild and Wanton Edition, which, I have to say, was way more entertaining than Jane Austen's original writing. It reminded me that people were still very much normal humans in the 1800s and they had sex just like us. I also very much liked hearing Mr. Darcy's inner turmoil about Elizabeth Bennet. Hearing his thoughts made his fiery passionate love seem more realistic and believable.

After reading the story again, I realized at the end why the book was called Pride and Prejudice. It was around the part where Lizzie was lamenting on how her pride kept her from accepting Mr. Darcy's proposal when it hit me. Now, Austen's Sense and Sensibility makes sense as well.

Jane Austen enjoyed this world of the British gentry where women's only goal in life was to get married. Their lifestyles didn't make any sense to me. As far as I could tell, the characters only earned money from inheritance or land. They just spent all their time visiting other members of their class. And they would stay at the host's home for two months.

I found it interesting how there is a high school version of Pride and Prejudice. However, I later saw that Pride and Prejudice could easily be translated into a high school drama. Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy were the popular jocks and Jane and Lizzie Bennett were the outsiders. That's all the wealthy people of Britain did: create drama with their eloquently written letters. And Miss Bingley was an expert at throwing shade.

I read a little about Jane Austen and found out that she never got married herself. All of her novels are about women who finally achieve marriage and love. Jane Austen never found her destined husband. I guess her writing was a way to live out her fantasies.

The last thing that I enjoyed about the book was how entertaining Lydia Bennett was as a character. She made so much sense when she hooked up with soldiers in alleyways instead of innocently being near them. It completely explained her choice of running off with Mr. Wickham with a total disregard for her family. She was an amusing character.