"Sometimes the last person on earth you want to be with is the one person you can't be without." (movie tagline)
I'm excited to see the new Pride & Prejudice movie. I first read this novel in the summer of 1999, bought on a whim from a bookstore in the Frankfurt, Germany train station. I had finished the two books I had brought from home, and knew that in less than a week I'd be in London for the last leg of my European backpacking trip.
Austen did not disappoint, especially while reading her in the English garden of a B&B in the Cotswold, and eventually touring Bath and visiting the Jane Austen Centre there.
That next academic year, I taught the novel to my 10th grade Honors English classes. Overall, they loved it. The boys were a little less enthusiastic, at first...but once you start discussing gender issues, class, family dynamics--just about every adolescent becomes interested in the discussion. I livened it up and showed the novel's relevance to today with clips from "You've Got Mail". We also watched a bit of both movie versions that were available at that time--the BBC Colin Firth version, and the black/white Olivier one. Because these kids LOVED drama, we also had our own in-class version of "The Gerald Springfielder" show, where select students dressed up and got into the mindset of their designated character to "face off" on the set of our imaginary talk show. Of course, they also had essay responses, reading journals, etc...all that rigorous academic stuff because it is Honors, afterall. However, those more creative, non-traditional lessons are so fun to do with a group of responsible students who don't push the boundaries too much. They knew how to have fun, without taking advantage of the situation to goof off and ruin the spirit of the lesson.
My 14-year-old niece is currently reading the novel. I gave it to her as a junior-bridesmaid gift this summer. I can't wait to have a "book group" discussion with her. My sister tells me Jessica is savoring the book. This makes me so happy.
I'm tempted to read the novel again this weekend.
