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Listen to Jane

posted 17th December 2009    Written by: Marisa    CATEGORY: All Posts, Inspiration, Marisa, Quarterlife Crisis, Season 1

austenThere are times in life when you need Jane Austen.

Then there are times when you can’t stop reading one of her novels for fear you might miss the character development, but then you realize that wait, you’ve read this book many, MANY times before and it’s okay, you can always read it again.  Always.

Her novels are like music for my eyes.  Especially Persuasion.

ESPECIALLY CAPTAIN WENTWORTH.

It’s neither unique nor different when declaring my admiration for Jane Austen’s Persuasion from other fans and/or fangirls (yes, my fangirl list is long).  I hesitate now to read new literature; it’s become a horrible habit where I just rely on the familiar and safe in literature. I have my Jane Austen safety net.

Anne Elliot has become my literary alter ego. In Persuasion, she is the main character; a daughter born in nobility where her father spent too quickly of a family fortune and title, thus being forced to let out the grand Kellynch Hall.  She is 27, single and not given much hope for prospects in life.

I like Anne.  In fact, in the beginning, I see a lot of myself in Anne.  One of the central plot lines and character building themes is surrounded around Anne’s ability to be persuaded.  And because she was persuaded at the age of 19 to break the engagement to the love of her life, Captain Wentworth (due to his low status and lack of money), she is now alone, dependent on her father and the family name and stereotypically given the societal death certificate: Spinster.

I too became easily persuaded at that young age to follow what seemed a traditional path, not to follow the inspired road. While reflecting, I now think that choice became both a negative and a positive.

With the exception of Captain Wentworth (oh god, wouldn’t that be fabulous), I find myself traveling along the same journey that Anne finally discovers for herself.  Throughout the novel, she learns of her own independence and the necessity of it to not only to survive while living with her father and annoying/spoiled sister, but also to win back the love of her life she scorned those many years ago.  She uses this independence to show her growth, true noble character and desire.

She knew once Frederick was back in town that she had to prove herself once again.

Listen, I know may be projecting my own trials and tribulations with Anne and the book Persuasion with bias. My love for Jane Austen will never die, NEVER.  And I’m definitely not impartial to the style, the vernacular and the characters– her era was what I basically yearned and studied for while attending college.

But, that said– I just wanted to point out that between August 1815 and August 1816, Jane Austen wrote about a Quarterlife Crisis for a fictional character she held in high regard and obviously wanted to complete with a positive resolution.

If Anne, although fictional, could survive her QLC in less than 500 pages, who’s to say that I can’t achieve the same success in my book of life?

I’m sure Jane would agree.

She would also tell me where to find my Captain Frederick Wentworth and how we should go about with a proper introduction.  She would prefer the tall one with the honey blonde hair, inquisitive steel eyes, and steadfastness of character.

Yeah, Jane’s my girl.

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photo credit: Theo Westenberg on Seraphic Secret

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