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MacK's Reviews > Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice
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Where my massive crush on Jane Austen began: alone, on a hot day in Montana, cursing her name.
I had to read it for AP English and I could not see the point. Girls need to marry. Girls can't get married. Girls are sad. Girls get married. Girls are happy.
I went to school to half heartedly discuss it and waffled and wavered in an effort to please my teacher. Finally she said: "was it good or not, Ben?"
"No it wasn't."
"Thank you...now read this twenty pages of literary criticism for homework."
Twenty pages of literary criticism later, I was hooked. Once you know what to look for, it's hilarious. Once you're keyed into the contextual life of women, you have to feel for the plight of the Bennet sisters, and laugh at the crudity of their mother and Mr. Collins.
So yes: I'm a guy and I love Jane Austen. You got a problem with that? Huh? Huh? Do you? Huh??? Well if you do, I'll be over here nursing my dorkiness just waiting for a fight for the honor of my beloved Jane.
I had to read it for AP English and I could not see the point. Girls need to marry. Girls can't get married. Girls are sad. Girls get married. Girls are happy.
I went to school to half heartedly discuss it and waffled and wavered in an effort to please my teacher. Finally she said: "was it good or not, Ben?"
"No it wasn't."
"Thank you...now read this twenty pages of literary criticism for homework."
Twenty pages of literary criticism later, I was hooked. Once you know what to look for, it's hilarious. Once you're keyed into the contextual life of women, you have to feel for the plight of the Bennet sisters, and laugh at the crudity of their mother and Mr. Collins.
So yes: I'm a guy and I love Jane Austen. You got a problem with that? Huh? Huh? Do you? Huh??? Well if you do, I'll be over here nursing my dorkiness just waiting for a fight for the honor of my beloved Jane.
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Comments Showing 1-50 of 119 (119 new)
MacK...I'm proud of you for seeing the light! Love your wit and sense of humor! Bravo!
I also has to read this for AP english... and keep journal entries about it and what happened in each chapter. Part way through I was tempted to look on the dreaded SparkNotes. I finally got into, after reading some other peoples reviews and also got hooked!Cheers for AP english :)
Lol I love the way you wrote this :P
I love this review :). And I perfectly agree that it's all about the perspective with which you approach this fine, fine work. Aunt Jane would be so proud :D.
Great review! I'm glad you liked the book; it's one of my favorites.
Loved your review of what is possibly my favorite book of all time.... I wish more guys thought like this! I'm also very glad you ended up enjoying it!
Lovee the comment. All yours.
Great review Ben. As you found out, it is all about perspective :)
problem? are you kidding? it's kind of a turn on.
Great.. great.. review!!I never knew a guy who loved PnP, but I totally appreciate your honesty of declaring yourself as a fan. You go man!! ^-^
whooaaa.. love to hear that you love PnP... great!!!
I just read this and hated it...could I borrow your literary criticisms so that I know what to look for? I really, really want to like this book, but I just can't see why it's so highly regarded. Help :)
Melissa wrote: ...could I borrow your literary criticisms so that I know what to look for? I really, really want to like this book, but I just can't see why it's so highly regarded. H..."You made a terrible decision to ask an English teacher if he would provide you with literary criticism...foolish...foolish...foolish.
Sadly I don't have the precise name of the author (Dr. Something that-sounds-British?). In general though I would suggest going to any local library and plugging in "Jane Austen" and "Contextual Criticism" that should help you find your way.
As to all the other wonderfully complimentary posts...well, I would blush if it wasn't terribly unbecoming in my efforts to live by the motto: "What Would Darcy Do?"
Um, ok, sorry for asking...Thanks for the suggestion.
I don't have a problem at all with a guy liking P&P. :) It's a classic, not a chick lit, but classic. The writing alone is worth making a guy read it.Now, I'm really commenting because A) I saw 17 comments and got curious and B) I want to know what 20 pages of criticism you read and if it's in a book or on the internet. Basically, where I can find it. :)
~Grace
Oh. My. Gosh. A guy who liked Pride and Prejudice? Why can't more boys be like you? :)
I think no girl would have a problem with that...it is refreshing to see a man that finds in P&P all depths that is in it, and sees more than just girls trying to get married
nice review! im surprised that guys would be interested in a book obviously meant for girls, I too found the book very interesting and got hooked in the first few pages... i dont understand though one comment in the end by the father, he said that his favorite son-in-law is Wickham, could someone explain that?! it made NO sense at all! shouldnt he HATE wickham for all the inconvienience he caused?!
"Girls need to marry. Girls can't get married. Girls are sad. Girls get married. Girls are happy." -I would say that Mr. Bingly and Mr. Darcy were having the same issues keeping up, at first... nice. :)
back in the day, all they seemed to worry about was marriage, dancing and parties...have you noticed none of the guys in the book actually have jobs? (except for the soldiers and Wickham)
No, the gentry didn't have jobs. They were so wealthy their wealth produced wealth and their job was to enjoy it.And don't you worry- if you mention to girls you appreciate Austen- let alone love her works- you'll do great with women
Thats a sad life, I can imagine myself never working, Im not a workaholic (and Im too young to work) but I consider school work as my job and I cant Imagine ever having to stay home my whole lfe and 'enjoy' myself...Call me crazy, but I shiver at the very thought of it
It was my father who turned me onto Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice is one of his favourites. (From a similar experience, reading it in university.) For the longest time, it never occurred to me that a man enjoying Jane Austen would be odd!
Annabanana wrote: "Thats a sad life, I can imagine Especially if you're a woman! At least men can travel & manage the estate- women had nothing to do but get married & then help all the women around then marry. It was such a waste to be a woman with a brain back in the day
awesome. loved reading ur review. very lively.
K8 wrote: "Annabanana wrote: "Thats a sad life, I can imagine Especially if you're a woman! At least men can travel & manage the estate- women had nothing to do but get married & then help all the women ar..."
Exactly! I imagine life to have been very pointless back then, where woman were only objects to be traded (or in this case, married)...That must've been boring!
A guy who gets this book and appreciates it = hot!
I have NO problem with that! :}
Want to just enjoy the P&P love...shouldn't put on teacher hat...but...can't...RESIST!:Annabanana wrote: "i dont understand though one comment in the end by the father, he said that his favorite son-in-law is Wickham, could someone explain that?! it made NO sense at all! shouldnt he HATE wickham for all the inconvienience he caused?! "
I always figured that Mr. Bennet was grateful that Wickham had taken his most difficult daughter, Lydia, off of his hands. With five girls to provide for, and little money to do it with he really needs them to get married. It seems like he trusts that the others could marry, but he repeatedly talks about how Lydia's foolish and irritating (both true) and that men would not see her as a serious candidate for a wife. So getting someone to take care of her (even though she's a vacuous ditz) pleases him. Any other ideas? I could easily be wrong here.
Yet another genius thing about Austen--even the snarky, lovable, comical dad has another side (seeming cold, aloof, cynical to his children). Dagnabbit! I love her.
P.s Totally agree about the boring life of women in the era...perhaps why Jane Austen never married herself (at least until I build a time machine and go back to win her heart)
I guess so, but I would actually hate him for causing so much inconvienience for the family. would it have been odd for women not to marry back then?you just said that Jane never did, so i guess it would be okay, but in that case, why did mr.Bennet care so much about getting Lydia married, I guess he wanted her off his hands, but married or not, shes still gonna be the same old Lydia who will stay dependant as even on Mr.Bennet and her sisters.Also, good luck with the time machine, but just do it after she finishes her novels so that you dont mess with the 'balance of the universe' and what-not =P
I just think he was being sarcastic.
best review ever! :D I also first read this book and thought it was so boring, but once I understood Jane Austen's sarcasm, I loved her books. Now when I read it again I can't understand how I hated this book?
Hey! Hold up a second... MacK I take umbridge to the p.s. in your most recent comment!! (Actually not really, I'm mostly just looking for an excuse to use the phrase 'I take umbridge'...which incidentally is a phrase that was never uttered at one of Hogwarts' many faculty pick up Quidditch games)
Umbrage...umbrage... clearly I have been reading too much HP.
It's so amazing to see a man who understands Jane Austen's writing, or even read BOOKS at that. I applaud you sir.
Hey, I like Jane Austin too, and I also happen to be a guy.
LOL, someone's jealous XD jk, actually, I know tons of guys who have read PnP...they all said they didn't like it though =P
You had me laughing in class. I'm starting it very soon, isn't sort of hard to read?
Also where my massive crush on Jane began, only I cursed her name at first for ENGL101 during a sweltering Queensland (AU) summer! I found just looking at the dreaded tome daunting and got an instant headache, but was hooked before the end of the very first sentence.
I just want you to know you are not the only guy who enjoyed P&P. I really liked it too. You are not alone.
LOL Male PnP Fans...Unite XD nahh,Im female...but my bro read PnP and claimed it was too much of a chick-read for him -_-
This is amazing and I love it! Bravo!
Nice to see a guy can appreciate Jane Austen.
Colleen