My newest nephew, Harrison Robert, was born on Monday at 9:08 AM. Both Mom and the baby are doing well. He is 19.5 inches long and weighed in at 7 lbs. 4 oz. He’s beautiful! I spent his birthday in the hospital with my sister and her husband and family. I got to hold Harrison a couple of times, and he is so precious. There is just something special about holding a newborn baby!
I know that being an Aunt isn’t quite the same thing as being a Mom, but I relish my role and enjoy it with great delight! It never gets old to me, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. This is my 4th nephew. I also have 5 nieces. Each one brings joy to Aunt Mel! They are truly a treasure to me...
I’ve always thought that Jane would have reworked this novel had she the time to return to it. It was her first purchased manuscript even though the publisher failed to publish it until after her death, and to me, it is her least developed story. It was written as a satire on the gothic novels of Jane’s day, and to that end, it does succeed on a few points.
The main character, Catherine Morland, is a naïve soul. She’s gullible, young and silly--after all, she is only 17. And her youth, inexperience and love of gothic novels lead her into silly scrapes and melodramatic misunderstandings. Her imagination runs away with her before she has all the facts on numerous occasions.
Now as most people know, I love Austen’s works and rarely struggle to warm to her characters, however, I find myself embarrassed for Catherine rather than charmed by her follies. It may be due to the comparisons between Catherine’s silly immaturity and the striking intelligence found in so many of Austen’s heroines like Anne Elliot or Lizzie Bennett. Not that I am a beacon of said brilliance myself, but I do prefer the more mature and developed heroines.
So, I was highly curious how this, my least favorite Jane Austen novel, would work as a film. Taken on its own merits as merely a period film, it wasn’t bad. The acting was done pretty well, and the characters were mostly right. But as an Austenite, I saw a whole lot more to talk about: things were rushed, scenes were mixed up, assumptions were made, the ending was changed, etc. It was confusing.
Now will I need to own a copy? Well, probably...I need the complete set, you know.
My friend Becky and I are often found deep in conversation, and by deep, I don’t necessarily mean that our discussions are exactly penetrating of intellect. We just DEEPLY immerse ourselves in the topic at hand—whether it is philosophy, religion, art, English literature, men, TV shows, movies, etc.
Well, in a recent engrossing exchange over the phone, I came up with the brilliant idea of writing our own Jane Austen type novel using Becky, Sara, Jessica, Kristen and I as the substitute Bennett sisters from Pride and Prejudice. I naturally put us in our particular roles based on our age. This meant that: Kristen would be Jane, I would be Elizabeth (aka Lizzie), Becky would be Mary, Jessica would be Katherine (aka Kitty) and Sara would be Lydia. Without delay, Becky voiced her opinion in the negative.
So, I thought I’d come up with another suggestion and go along with Persuasion’s female characters: Kristen would be Elizabeth, I would be Anne, Becky would be Mary, Jessica would be Henrietta, and Sara would be Louisa. Once again, that idea was quickly rebuffed. In fact, Becky wanted to know how it was that I always got the lead heroine characters, and she was always stuck as Mary. I tried to tell her that it was just luck of being the 2nd eldest, but she didn’t buy that, and so naturally we argued about that for several minutes more. Yes, Becky and I tend to humorously debate on a regular basis. It’s the beauty of our friendship.
Ever since that stimulating conversation, I have been thinking more and more about the idea. I don’t think it would actually be a good idea to base characters purely on people I know. Ironically, I find it much easier with pen in hand to be honest about what I think and feel, and I’m not sure all of my friends would like me to be that blunt in revealing all. I would prefer to retain those friendships I have, thank-you-very-much. Rather, I think it would be wiser to meld characteristics, qualities and perhaps stories from the people I know into my novel. I mean, they say you should write what you know.
Ahhhh...lots to contemplate!
The new PBS Masterpiece Classic version of Persuasion aired last Sunday evening. I waited with bated breath to see how they would treat my favorite Jane Austen novel this time around.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the Ciaran Hinds and Amanda Root version from 1995. I have watched it at least a dozen times, and always anxiously await the letter scene -- the scene where Anne reads Captain Wentworth's letter. It takes my breath away. In both the film and the book, THAT is my favorite scene. The language is delectable...filled with heartfelt honesty and passion.
You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago.
See, what I mean? That's good stuff right there!
So, here we are 13 years after that film, and this latest rendition of Persuasion debuted last Sunday. First off, like my sister, I enjoyed it. I did. Captain Wenworth was a great deal more handsome in this version for our added viewing pleasure. Anne was charming and delightful despite the breathless running sequence at both the beginning and end of the film.
However, Mary was NOT delightful. No, I didn't like the acting, the voice or screen presence of Mary. Elizabeth seemed too old to be merely 2 years older than Anne. She was old enough to be Anne's mother by her appearance.
The film was rushed in places, scenes and language from different sections of the book were pulled together in a jumbled convaluted sequence at times, but all in all, I liked the film and have already ordered my own copy.
I guess even though I tend to be a bit of a purist and don't like liberties to be taken with my favorite books, I am able to separate a rendition as a work in and of itself. Yes, I'll take the time to see the inconsistencies as compared to the novel or previous film versions and do a full critque to be sure, but I can accept this new version on its own merits, too. It had flaws to be sure, but I still found it delightful!
It’s not just that I find this era of online dating or 5-minute speed dating sessions unromantic or excessively droll. I do, but there is more to my disgruntled views on the subject. I’ve been lead to expect more.
I love watching a costumed performance with butterflies in my stomach as I wonder how they will resolve things. I still watch and rewatch anxiously every time. Yes, I know how it ends, but on pins and needles, I watch again wondering how it will turn out this time. Will Captain Wentworth tell Anne Elliot how he still cares for her? Will Margaret Hale finally admit that despite all appearances she loves Mr. Thornton and admires him above any other? For some reason, the magic still exists upon a 2nd, a 5th, a 100th viewing.
I love immersing myself into a delicious period novel. I bury myself deep into another world and discover that there is more to love than instant chemistry or an insatiable desire. I’ve learned that sometimes love is unrequited and that it doesn’t have to be reciprocated to be worthwhile. I’ve noted that love is patient and kind and wants the best for the other even if it isn’t the fairytale ending of dreams.
And that's what I'm looking for...something more. I know the truth is that movies and books can’t top real life. A good book can’t replace the drama, the nerves, the highs, the lows, the joys and passions of living life for real. I know that. But see, I’ve witnessed real love in those around me. I’ve watched friends grow in love and blossom into a couple. I’ve observed apparent opposites struggle in vain until they realized that together they completed the other. I’ve admired several patient men who have waited and waited for the woman they love. I’ve cried with girlfriends who thought they would die of broken hearts only to meet another and find out what true love is. Yes, true life trumps the storybook ending every time in my book.
And so I’ll wait to see how my story progresses! And yes, I did say how my story progresses...I’m not waiting on another to get my story started. Goodness! I’m a third or half way through my story already, and that’s just if GOD sees fit to keep me here! Who knows what the next chapter holds! It may not win me an Oscar for the drama or a Pulitzer for the storyline, but it’s my part of the story. It’s real, full of surprises, and totally unexpected some days. And that’s just the way I like it!
