A link to the trailer for the movie adaptation of Cloud Atlas, one of the first novels on our reading list.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYjSPPy08Dg
Laurence Sterne, as Tristram Shandy, meeting Death
Laurence Sterne, as Tristram Shandy, meeting Death, 1768
Blog Post #1
ReplyDeleteJanuary 21, 2013
Northanger Abbey is really unlike any book I’ve ever read. So far, I’m finding the book very Jane Austenesque. So many of the themes are similar to Pride and Prejudice, which is one of my favorite novels. So far Catherine Morland is very similar in description as Elizabeth Bennett. It seems as though both were described as pretty but on the plain side of attractiveness but their personal qualities seem to be so appealing that they are prettier for it. There are some of the same themes recurring in that in Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth did not care for Mr. Darcy at all and the same is true of Catherine’s feelings toward Mr. Thorpe.
What is so intriguing about Northanger Abbey the literary telling of this story by Jane Austen. We were warned that this book constantly takes the reader out of the story and reminds the reader that they are indeed reading a book but the way in which Jane Austen does this is pretty compelling. I almost feel like the author is reading the story to me and then interjecting her intentions to me in a similar fashion to a ‘side bar’ in a courtroom. It is like she wants me to know how she intended her characters to be viewed in my mind’s eye. The reason I say so is because it seems that she mostly pulls me back out of the story when introducing a new character.
I also really like how Jane Austen talks about literature in general in the story, throwing in little bits and pieces of intrigue. On page 36, it seems as though she is going on a tirade about reviewers and the “undervaluing of the labor of the novelist.” This part of the book was quite unexpected. I wondered immediately if this was a revision to the novel after she bought it back from Benjamin Crosby & Company after they neglected to publish it after acquiring the rights from Austen’s brother. It seemed in the moment that I read the passage that she was really taking the ‘side bars’ and utilizing them to make a broader statement about the literary community and the strengths of the writers versus the weaknesses and failings of literary critics and publishers. As the story continues to unfold, I’m actually looking forward to more ‘side bars’ because I feel like Austen is taking the time to befriend me by letting me in on her little secrets. It is a little silly but it does feel like I’m making a new friend in some ways who is trusting me with her private thoughts.
I agree that Austen takes us out of the story with her personal commentary, and I particularly enjoy the extra angle she provides by doing so. It adds a more personal touch to the story, and it treats any Austen fan to intimate moments where you can see how her own mind wonders during the writing process. As Jennifer mentioned, the scene when Austen takes a moment to highlight the conflict between novels and poems, as she mentions that poems are, "...so often consisting in the statement of improbable circumstances, unnatural characters, and topics of conversation which no longer concern anyone living..." Though her commentary is quite insightful, it does not necessary fit into the narrative, and this begs the question: Does this moment highlight her imperfections as a writer, or is it too valuable to critic? The comments she makes are truly insightful, so they cannot be disregarded as mistakes, yet they are not completely integrated which hints at her immaturity as a writer. In my opinion, though such an inclusion might not be 'proper' because it really does break the flow of the story, the point she is making is too well asserted and relevant to her time to not be seen as incredibly valuable.
ReplyDeleteOn a completely different note, I cannot ever read Austen and not be enamored with her ability to explore the tensions between the sexes. A specific quote from Mr. Tilney when he states that, “man has the advantage of choice, woman only the power of refusal” truly struck me because this so eloquently sums up the traditional gender roles men and women have lived with for thousands of years. Austen explores this truth in her story’s so well as she unveils the struggles both genders face with the rigid behavioral practice. Sure, we see the emotions that Catherine faces as she has to sit back and wait for men to approach her, but she also, and possibly unknowingly, emphasizes how difficult these standards can be on men. It would be very one sided to see the brutish Mr. Thorpe as being completely selfish. Instead, he has anxieties of his own and feels the pressures to perform, and he has just not managed to execute his actions with the proper finesse to garner Catherine’s favor. To sum it up, Austen’s exploration into gender roles helps reveal how flawed these standards can be for both sides.