I just finished what will now be known as Austen Week. You may ask yourself, what is Austen Week? Austen Week, though it may never happen again (I don’t know if my cynical and romantic heart could bear it), entailed reading Pride and Prejudice followed by watching the BBC version of the movie with Colin Firth and then reading Sense and Sensibility followed by watching the Emma Thompson/Kate Winslet/Hugh Grant version of the movie.
First of all, although I think Pride and Prejudice is the better book (in theme, character development, great quotes, and plot line), parts of me feel that Sense and Sensibility makes the better movie or maybe the screenplay was better written. It is the only movie that I was fine with Kate Winslet being an actress, and the movie for which I forgive many of Hugh Grant’s indiscretions. Maybe I love P & P too much for it to be made into a movie that does not perfectly do it justice; I don’t believe my sister has yet forgiven me for my diatribes during the Keira Knightly version.
Secondly, I love Elizabeth Bennet. If there were any character I could be in real life, I think it would be her (although, Franny Glass is a close number two). Elizabeth gives me hope that someone who is so moronic at times can be really reflective and end up happy. Plus, I love how much her ideas change and she changes while remaining who she is.
Thirdly, P & P raises the most questions. Sometimes I still wonder if the book is going to end up like I remember it. Every time, to a certain extent, I doubt the ending and read only to be reassured and cast aside my doubt. I struggle and ask myself if I only read it because I know the ending (for I couldn’t bear the story any other way).
In closing if you haven’t read P & P, do it. I have purposely been vague in the plot line as not to spoil it (curses on books that tell major plot points on the back cover like how Dimmesdale is the father and take away the shocking discovery for students). This book is now on my list of pre-requisites for the perfect man. It is also a book that if I have my own daughter, I will read to her and look forward to seeing it through her eyes with the freshness and angst of not knowing the ending.
9 comments:
after a phone conversation i had sunday night, i will need to update my perfect man list to include things like:
- can tie a tie on one's own
- can use proper grammar, expecially considering grew up in a civilized nation that offers 13 years of FREE education
- has at least some interests that do not involve weapons
- maybe i should leave your poor little blog alone, and just deal with mine.
I do forgive you :) I agree that S&S makes the better movie. It gets me every time. and megan- all boys like guns even nerdy engineers have a thing with guns. thankfully not everyhing centers around them- only thinking about them.
jen, thank you. my concern isn't so much that he enjoys weapons, its more that he has no interests that lie beyond weapons.
also, how did you know it was me?
from al. she mentioned your page. Here's to guns, shotguns, and the good 'ol knife!
after my date, i can now add nerf guns to the list. (al, sorry that this became a dialogue between your sister and me. also, i opened my page up again to the public, if you are interested jen)
A) I'm apparently losing points. Haven't read ANY Austen. And, most of the books by great authors I was supposed to read, I either skimmed, read the Cliff Notes, or lied about reading. Here's to having enough intelligence to seem intelligent but not enough intelligence to actually BE intelligent.
2) Nerf guns are the ultimate weapon. Real guns = too dangerous for the average idiot to own. Paintball guns = too inaccurate and only best at medium range. Nerf guns = fun for all ages, multiple uses (nerf darts/arrows/balls can also be knives, grenades, and mines), and different guns have wide variety of styles and ranges. For more information, look up the rules to the game "Chuck and Charlie."
Having not read P&P, I can't say which is the closer adaptation (although I suspect it's the BBC version). However, as a film, the Keira Knightly version works in a way the BBC doesn't. It's got a distinct visual style, the scenes are well chosen and well constructed, the camera work is superb, and the acting is uniformly above par. The BBC version looks like they set up a camera in a room and filmed a play - not a good idea for a film. S&S is also very good.
And I, a guy, hate guns, but I do have a secret soft spot for Nerf.
regarding p&p, we are all forgetting the interpretion by helen feilding via bridget joneses diary.
okay, I didn't forget Bridget Jones' Diary, I just didnt' mention it since there are very few correlations - at least in the movie
Post a Comment