Tag: classics

Sorry Darcy, You’re Tolerable But Not Handsome Enough To Tempt Me

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PrideandPrejudiceCH3detailThings I love: Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice. Colin Firth.

Absent on that list? Mr. Darcy.

That’s right–I do not swoon at the alter of Darcy. That’s not to say I dislike Darcy or think he’s annoying. I think it’s a fantastic and fascinating character; I think he and Elizabeth are perfect for each other; I love his emotional journey in the novel. But I don’t think he’s a perfect guy.

At More Intelligent Life, Allison Pearson shares her thoughts on what makes Darcy possibly one of the most attractive characters in literature. Oddly enough, this got me thinking about what makes Darcy an unattractive character. So often he’s shorthand for a swoony guy–the kind of broody, super rich guy who will save your family from ruin and mention how accomplished ladies are into reading. (Point there, sir.) Why wouldn’t I swoon over a guy like that?

Because he’s not just swoony–and I love that about him. Pride and Prejudice isn’t a silly romantic comedy. It’s about two very specific people dealing with major social issues and clashing over their respective faults. He can be snobby and withdrawn, and he puts his foot in his mouth way too often. He even convinces his best friend to break up with the nicest girl ever because he doesn’t think she’s that into him. Darcy certainly grows throughout the novel and addresses these behaviors, but those are pretty big flaws. And this makes him a compelling character, but not necessarily the kind of guy I was dreaming about in high school.

I like that Darcy’s not swoony. He’s complex and human–just like Elizabeth Bennet. Their relationship is so much about how we make mistakes and judge others inappropriately. They need to get out of their own ways before they can really connect. A lot of people look down on Austen’s work as trivial and “girly,” but her stories are about the connections we try (and fail) to make. They’re not swoony romances–they’re about real, flawed people. When those people can learn from their mistakes and be open and honest, there’s the possibility of deep human connection.

Darcy and Elizabeth are right for each other. I think they end up having a lot of fun together and eventually bring out the best in each other. But I’m pretty sure that Darcy and I wouldn’t have that same chemistry. Pride and Prejudice is about a really compelling relationship between two individual people, not a couple of romance cyphers. And that’s what makes the romance compelling.

Don’t get me wrong–Colin Firth can wear old timey clothes and jump in a lake whenever he wants. But I like the man behind the wet shirt–I just don’t need to swoon over him.

Of course, a poll on Masterpiece’s website seems to suggest I’m alone in this.

Friday Fifteen

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Just like all sitcoms need a Christmas special, so does the Friday Fifteen. Onto the Christmas-iest in fifteen-word book reviews!

97803948007901. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
It’s not Christmas if you’re not haunted by memories of your past.

2. The Case of the Magic Christmas Bell (Sweet Valley Kids Super Snoopers #2) by Francine Pascal
I wrote a complete rip-off of this when I was eight. Was only mildly ashamed.

3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
“…Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day” = one of the best lines ever.

4. Samantha’s Surprise (American Girls: Samantha #3) by Maxine Rose Schur
Victorians? Dolls? Paper snowflakes? I freaking loved this book in fourth grade.

5. A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas
Lovely writing, cozy Christmas feel–great read aloud. (Secretly want it to be about whales)

Links Galore

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A few more links to wrap up the week:

A Place for “Weak” Reading

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The Hub has a great defense of “weak” YA fiction in the face of rising literary pressure from the Common Core and what this means to teen readers. Maria talks about why not all books need to be weighty works of literature, and why those stories aren’t necessarily going to inspire all readers anyway. One point I liked:

“Thinking about reading for pleasure,  I realized an important point. Literature that is “weak” — not intellectual, not “literary” — is often very enjoyable. It doesn’t require a dissertation; it just takes you along for the ride. And this is exactly the kind of literature that has the most power to motivate a struggling reader who thinks reading is boring.”

Although it’s important to help students’ vocabulary grow and to teach them how to analyze a text, it can be just as important to show students how awesome reading can be. Some students may love The Great Gatsby (crazy drunk parties and romance? heck yeah!) but others might be put off by the initial effort involved in reading and analyzing it. Lighter YA might never show up on the curriculum, but these can be so helpful for students who are developing their love of reading.

On a more personal note, I was always a reader. I was never put off by analyzing books in class or old-fashioned language. But I also read a lot of “weak” fiction in my day. Even though I’d like to claim that my young reading experience was all Madeleine L’Engle and Lois Lowry, I also read a lot of Sleepover Friends and Baby-Sitters Club. Those books didn’t hinder my reading experience; and honestly, sometimes it’s nice to balance reading experiences between the light and the heavy.

Also, I can name at least three times when reading lighter fiction worked in my academic favor:

  • In history class in 7th grade, we were just starting our Civil War unit. Our teacher asked when the Civil War ended and I knew it was 1865 because of Happy Birthday, Addy.
  • On the AP US History exam, I knew the answer to one of the multiple choice questions (can’t remember what it was about, exactly) because of the Felicity books. (Basically, all my knowledge of US History comes from American Girl.)
  • Taking the SATs, I recognized the word androgynous not from our English class vocab lists, but from Francesca Lia Block’s I Was a Teenage Fairy.

Again, this doesn’t mean Great Expectations or Hamlet should be taken off the curriculum. But I think we need to remember that students can get a lot from learning how to love reading and understanding that this experience can be part of their everyday lives. And a lot of times, that connects with reading “weak” fiction for fun.

Our Town and Realizing Life

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9780060535254Last night, Walt and I saw the Huntington Theatre’s production of David Cromer’s Our Town by Thornton Wilder. This might be my favorite play ever and this production was stunning. In general, the show emphasizes the fleetingness of life and the importance and beauty of the everyday. Cromer’s production takes this to a new level and I’m still pretty much an emotional wreck about the whole thing. (But in a good way.)

But it also made me think about an article I read recently about the art of being still and how that can help you as an artist. It’s easy to rush through the day and never really notice or appreciate the things and people around you. In Our Town, Emily and the Stage Manager have an exchange:

EMILY: Does anyone ever realize life while they live it…every, every minute?
STAGE MANAGER: No. Saints and poets maybe…they do some.

But even poets can get caught up in the rush of day jobs, laundry, making breakfast, paying electric bills, etc. In his article, Silas House suggests that we slow down and focus on the situation around us and ultimately utilize it in our writing:

“We must use every moment we can to think about the piece of writing at hand, to see the world through the point of view of our characters, to learn everything we can that serves the writing. We must notice details around us, while also blocking diversions and keeping our thought processes focused on our current poem, essay or book.”

I like the idea of a focused, hypersensitivity. Even if you don’t focus on a particular project, as a writer it really helps to live in the moment. You’re more likely to notice surprising details or odd characteristics when you’re not thinking about how you need milk or that you should email your friend about dinner. Not only is this important for general quality of life (it all goes so fast and is so beautiful), but it can bring a whole new depth to your writing life.

If you’re in the Boston area, you need to check out Our Town. And if you’re not, you still should check out a copy of the play. So good, guys.

A Room of One’s Own

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Artist Julia Callon’s Houses of Fiction project is freaking awesome. She’s designed dioramas inspired by famous female characters in classic literature. Each diorama has two images–one representing the “passive, subservient woman” and the other representing the “madness”–in order to reflect the conflicting ideas of womanhood in these novels. I especially like her take on The Yellow Wallpaper:

Make sure to check out the full set of photographs on Callon’s website.

(image: Julia Callon)(via The Atlantic)