P7 Do You Love, Loathe, or Appreciate Jane Austen? by Stephanie Faucette

Amelia Allemond

2023-08-18 18:21:47 UTC

- it's her stylistic brilliance, not what she's actually writing about that makes her unique.

Heathcliff and Catherine's toxic, all-encompassing affair makes for a much more interesting read, and a deeper introspection of humanity, despite its overly dramatic nature.

I think Jane Austen is a very good writer, she has excellent vocabulary and is great at making her novels flow. However, it was hard for me to get into Pride and Prejudice. It was predictable, felt repetitive, and was hard to follow at times. I prefer books that put me on the edge of my seat, are exciting, even ones that have a cliffhanger making me want to read more or the next book in the series, and Pride and Prejudice just didn't do any of that for me.

Clara Cole

2023-08-18 18:25:16 UTC

"She created characters we see today, like a minor character in Northanger Abbey called John Thorpe who thinks he's God's gift and is obsessive about his horse and carriage. "He's basically just a boy driving a souped-up Fiesta wearing a baseball cap. She just created these characters so brilliantly."

""the principal defect of her writings" was an "extremely deficient" lack of imagination"

Jane Austen's characters feel very real and can be applied to the kinds of people we see today, which adds to the charm of her writing. They all had their own wants and views on different subjects, which made them more dynamic.
Although her characters are interesting and unique, the actions they take and the places they go aren't very imaginative. While reading P&P, I found myself bored by the setting and some of the conversations as things got to feel a bit repetitive.

Maddox Saurage

2023-08-18 18:25:30 UTC

I appreciate Austen because her writing was really good and well written, and captured the way life was at the time. It also helped to teach us about the effects of pride and prejudice, her main theme. I personally was not the biggest fan of this book because the romance was shallow, and there was never a really dramatic time in the book when I was on the edge of my seat to read the next chapter. I was a little bored during it, and would have liked it better if there was more substance and interest to the plot point and also deeper connections between the relationships of people. Though her lesson about pride and prejudice was well spoken, I do not think that the plot and execution was intriguing enough to me as a reader.

" And while I agree the themes of love and familial devotion play a large role both in the literary and actual world, there is so much more that motivates human behavior... Emily Brontë captured true human emotion in a much more believable, dramatic fashion than Ms. Austen did in any of her novels. "

Jolie Primeaux

2023-08-18 18:26:24 UTC

"There was absolutely no reason for her to become famous - except from the fact she's a genius."
This stood out to me because most of her work was published without her name, so the reason why she became famous is solely based on her work, not any personal reasons. I can appreciate this and the attention around her novels, but personally I was not a fan of the slow burn romance between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. It was too slow burn. But, looking beyond that, I understand that some people love her work, just it's not for me.

Audrey Rothkamm

2023-08-18 18:26:53 UTC

I appreciate Jane Austen because she has written some of my favorite books but I also understand why some people do not like her works of literature. Many people praise her because she was such a brilliant writer who was able to convey a sense of femininity in her works. Prof John Mullan says, "All of them put together aren't worth one sentence of Austen - it's her stylistic brilliance, not what she's actually writing about that makes her unique". Jane Austen was able to write her books with such excellence. Her books are not cut and dry at all. They have have an underlying meaning and many of her novels have multiple meanings. She used so many different techniques in her writings which showed how much oof a genius she truly was.

Lanie Maynard

2023-08-18 18:27:54 UTC

"She's writing about people and their problems, their dysfunctional families, why, and even if, women should marry. Those issues were relevant then, and they're relevant now." Austen's critics tend to diminish the reality of the importance of a happy marriage and family life. In one article, they stated that this can't be the character's biggest problem. While that it is not likely the main issue in lives, diminishing the genuine affects love and relationships can have on a human person is unrealistic. Sure, there is so much more to the human mind than emotion, but it is the one thing that can override the brain in an instance. It is a powerful thing, and it is mostly influenced by the people around us. Thus, Austen's writing that focuses on love and relationships is actually relatable. While her plotlines do not display the radical changes in human emotion like other novels, the characters are relatable in their everyday relatable feelings.

Madeline Cannon

2023-08-18 18:28:31 UTC

- "[Austen's novels] show us too much of the littlenesses and trivialities of life, and limit themselves so scrupulously to the sayings and doings of dull, ignorant, and disagreeable people, that their very truthfulness makes us yawn. (The Westminster Review)

I personally appreciate Jane Austen's work because I am able to recognize that she is a wonderful writer, but I just don't find myself wanting to keep reading. I appreciate the works and their significance, but I tend to get a little bored reading them. This is probably not a problem for others, but for me, it makes it challenging to get into the book and turn it into a page-turner. I personally found it very easy to predict the outcome of everything, which some people may enjoy, but I do not.

Celine Chanakian

2023-08-18 18:29:04 UTC

I appreciate Jane Austen, even though P&P is the only one I've read, but I feel like she is a genius especially in the way of how she tells stories'. They are filled with new plot twists every time, which makes them interesting. Also, the characters that she uses are relatable in real life, even though it was written way long ago, but people still encounter problems similar in life like that. Her stories are not boring so it makes you come back again to reread it.
"The professor said what makes Austen's work so special is her ability to constantly surprise readers - even those who have read her works time and time again." (pg. 3, Why is Jane Austen...).

Sarah Banner

2023-08-18 18:30:35 UTC

Jane Austen is a brilliant author and obviously very passionate about her work. Her novels were published with anonymity despite their popularity proving she was not writing for fame but rather because she loved it. Her characters are timeless and we can see them in our lives today. I'm sure we have all met plenty Mr. Collins! Ralph Waldo Emerson claimed that Austen's books were without genius, wit, or knowledge of the world, but fails to see how hard it was to not being confined to English society (especially as a woman). I thought P&P had many aspects that showed diverse emotions and dove into the minds of the characters. Austen did not have a 5 star education or have information readily available whenever she wanted. She did all that she could with what she had and deserves the appreciation she receives. I am sick of women always being overpowered and infatuated with the men in the book but I only saw that in Jane. The British Critic Journal states, "her characters, her incidents, her sentiments, are all obviously all drawn from experience," as if she could google inspiration or be able to see different standpoints. Based on her wealth, her time period, her struggles, and her literature, I can proudly say I love Jane Austen and consider her a genius.

Emma Gremillion

2023-08-18 18:31:10 UTC

"She's writing about people and their problems, their dysfunctional families, why, and even if, women should marry. Those issues were relevant then, and they're relevant now."
Jane Austen was able to write stories about issues in her time and still make them relevant 200 years later. Her characters are also still people you can see today, at least on the base level. Her writing style is also very captivating and its one of my favorite things about her books. Also Charlotte Bronte she's just mad Jane Eyre sucks. At least Jane Austen's love interests don't lock up their wives. "Rochester was hot" Mr. Knightly better sorry to break it to you. Also Also Ralph Waldo whatever opinion doesn't matter go hug a tree.

Amelia Brooks

2023-08-18 18:31:37 UTC

I can appreciate Jane Austen because of her unique writing style and how she addresses marriage in her society. She is being criticized because her stories are "obviously all drawn exclusively from experience" (British Critic). While meant to be an insult, I can see this as just the opposite. Austen creatively warps the mundaneness and repetition of life into a timeless novel. She produces complex, realistic relationships between characters, and Austen emphasizes and repeats the message of marriage because that is what society emphasized for women. She critiques the society around her by generating realistic stories and relationships.

elise brown

2023-08-18 18:31:42 UTC

Personally, I do not like Jane Austen's work. All conversations seemed to center around marriage, or a man and what he was making. We were supposed to view the Bennet's as lower class, but I never quite understood why. They seemed significantly well off, never worrying about anything besides balls or husbands or whose daughters were pretty and whose were not. there was even a section in the book where Mrs. Bennet was referring to elizabeth as not pretty, but hopefully pretty enough to find a husband, despite the fact that she is Elizabeth's best friend. Elizabeth also looks down on Charlotte for her marriage to Mr. Collins. Although not an ideal partnership, living in a society where the primary worry was marriage, she should not be viewed as dumb or less than for her choice which came out of a lifelong pressure. I felt like we were supposed to like elizabeth because she was the seemingly most intelligent Bennet sister, and in the part where she joes to visit Jane when she is ill, it seems like the intention is to make her look unworried of others opinions and headstrong in her behavior, which is always contradicted by her own embarrassment regarding her mother. "[Austen's novels] show us too much of the littlenesses and trivialities of life, and limit themselves so scrupulously to the sayings and doings of dull, ignorant, and disagreeable people, that their very truthfulness makes us yawn."

Avery Deaton

2023-08-18 18:31:59 UTC

"[Austen] is very pertinent even today," said Marilyn Joice, chairman of the northern branch of the Jane Austen society. "She's writing about people and their problems, their dysfunctional families, why, and even if, women should marry. Those issues were relevant then, and they're relevant now."
I think Jane Austen made significant contributions to the literary community due to her works standing the test of time. However, she didn't have a huge impact on me personally (I was a little bored) but I recognize how many people could relate or enjoy her work.

Abby Watts

2023-08-18 18:32:18 UTC

"She's writing about people and their problems, their dysfunctional families, why, and even if, women should marry. Those issues were relevant then, and they're relevant now." (Why is Jane Austen Trending)
I appreciate Jane Austen because of her ability to create characters and plots that people have related to for over 100 years. Her criticisms of society mend with the humor she incorporates into her novels. this is relatable to present day, where people may criticize their society but still find humor in their challenges. She "changed the literary world" through writing about the simple struggles in life.

Lauren Quebedeaux

2023-08-18 18:32:41 UTC

"She's writing about people and their problems, their dysfunctional families, why, and even if, women should marry. Those issues were relevant then, and they're relevant now."

While I could not agree more with Marilyn Joice, the woman who is quoted above, my critiques of Jane Austen after reading Pride and Prejudice remain. I completely understand why so many individuals adore Austen. Her stories resonate with so many, even in today's day and age, and make women feel seen. Furthermore, Pride and Prejudice is rumored to be the first emeries to lovers trope (superior book trope in my opinions <3). This proves that her story lines left an impression on society. Meanwhile, her use of excessive wording overshadows the plot. While I truly did enjoy Pride and Prejudice, halfway through I felt like the story was dragging out due to the unecessary dialogue and details.

Ms. Faucette

steph_faucette — 2023-08-18 18:32:56 UTC

It's time for me to come clean: I'm an English teacher, and I don't really love Jane Austen. I know, I know. Bring in the firing brigade, I'm a fraud!!! An absolute SCANDAL. But, at least I'm truthful.

I respect Jane Austen. I admire her sparkling wit and her subtle yet scathing critical tongue, but I'm definitely NOT an Austenite. I'm a hopeless Romantic at heart, and also a lover of dystopian literature, magical realism, the postmodern, tragedy, and the absurd. So while I deeply appreciate Jane Austen's impact on English literature, and while I certainly admire how she paved the way for female writers, the struggles with social conventions that drive her novels tend to bore me. She's a lovely and prim comfort read, but I just don't want to sink my teeth into her writing like I do the Bronte sisters.

All of this being said, I think it's IMPORTANT to read Austen and to acknowledge her successes. We sorely need to read literature we don't love to know what we do love, and to understand how far literature-- especially the literature of women-- has evolved. And there's no denying Austen is a total genius.

Laura Zapata

2023-08-18 18:33:37 UTC

I respect Jane Austen's ability to write a book that people are still talking about hundreds of years later, but her writing style is not my favorite. I found it to be a hard read at times. That being said, I agree with Prof John Mullan that, "All of them put together aren't worth one sentence of Austen - it's her stylistic brilliance, not what she's actually writing about that makes her unique." There were many other authors at the time but Jane Austen is one of the one's that stood out the most. She was able to make not only relatable characters but also ones that are interesting and complex.

Blanche Coleman

2023-08-18 18:33:53 UTC

"[Austen] is very pertinent even today," said Marilyn Joice, chairman of the northern branch of the Jane Austen society. "She's writing about people and their problems, their dysfunctional families, why, and even if, women should marry. Those issues were relevant then, and they're relevant now."

I appreciate Jane Austen because her stories and writing style allowed her novels to become popular and stay popular even 200 years later. This was due to the issues she presented in her novels and how relatable they are to the audience even to this day. Personally I like her story lines but I find her descriptions and story setting to be a little boring and repetitive.

Grace Rennhoff

2023-08-18 18:34:29 UTC

"All of them put together aren't worth one sentence of Austen - it's her stylistic brilliance, not what she's actually writing about that makes her unique. "
I respect Jane Austen for being such a well known and accomplished writer. Her writing itself is beautiful, however, Pride and Prejudice was too predictable for me, and the story did not have anything keeping me on the edge of my seat, so it was hard for me to stay focused at times when the conversations between characters became too dull and repetitive.
"But in all those arguments, the debate always comes back to love... often caused in some part by family relationships. There seems to be no deeper cause or darker torment. (Basically these characters just aren't relatable, this can't really be their biggest problem.) And while I agree the themes of love and familial devotion play a large role both in the literary and actual world, there is so much more that motivates human behavior. "

Lillian Schaeffer

2023-08-18 18:36:09 UTC

I appreciated reading Jane Austin's novel Pride and Prejudice and Austin's style of writing especially how she leaves out details in the novel. I enjoy how instead of focusing on minor details of like how the characters look she immediately talks of what's going on in the novel. This also leaves more to the imagination for readers since they can compose the appearance of the characters. However, reading the book became boring and kind of predictable as the only topic was love.
"Heathcliff and Catherine's toxic, all encompassing affair makes for a much more interesting read, and a deeper introspection of humanity, despite its overly dramatic nature." I agree that Bronte's novels were much more interesting due to more obstacles for characters. This resulted in a much more interesting read.

Rocio Larenas

2023-08-21 16:58:49 UTC