Olivia Gonzalez

In my experience, I have never read about Jane Austen. In fact I thought she was one of the president’s wives, Jane Wyman until about a year ago when I was taking an Emily Dickinson class. I think reading about romantics has definitely opened my eyes in the world of what other people are thinking. Other people in the class may know that I am a STEM major (biology!) but others don’t know that there’s something different in the way science brains work! I’m taught to be direct, get to the point and think about the other perspective while this class has taught me to do the opposite! It’s such a great opportunity to learn how these romantics were thinking in their timeline and that they just wrote because they wanted to, without reason! Reading Pride and Prejudice was so fun because I don’t think I’ve read an American romantic book by a woman! Such different verbiage being used in situations showed that this writing was made by a lady and not a man. I’ve never seen the movie nor read any other of Jane’s books but after reading one, I think I might have to check it out! I think how Jane describe Mr. Colin’s was such a bold move in a man-ruled and dependent era. Maybe I’m closed minded in reading but I hardly read any type of literature where a man brings a man down in any shape or form or just describes a man as someone like Mr. Colin’s. 

After reading this book and because of our talks in class, my fyp and my instagram feed has been taken over by Victorian literature and Jane Austen. I think it’s so funny that two weeks ago, I had almost no idea who Jane Austen was, her writings and her ideology. However just after a book and looking into her background, what a mind opener!! However, my journey here will not end with this book! My goal for winter break, or summer break if I get too busy, is to read another Victorian / Jane Austen book. I provided some memes from my Instagram page to share some laughs! 

Emily reads Jane Austen

 Hi everyone, listen in as I, Emily McClure, share my thoughts and opinions on my first dive into Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice!

Karan - Finding the Romance in everyday life

 

Jane Austen and her wit wiggled its way into my heart once again. Having not seen any film adaptations of her work since I was 10 years old and absolutely refusing to read any of her novels, until this semester. Being practically forced to do so by our lovely and dear Dr. D'Amico. Why did I refuse so harshly? Because I am sensitive. Because I know that when I first saw Pride and Prejudice (2005) when I was discovering myself and (very inconveniently) boys I was discovering a part of something that sang to me...and I was afraid. Afraid of feeling so much and too much that I would never be able to harden myself again. Unfortunately, at this age there were a series of events that led me to not trust myself, and especially, others. (See my Quirk publication here for further details: https://www.uiwquirk.org/nonfiction-2025/lermahellfire-one-zzlhb ) Now, I am a woman with a daughter who feels as deeply as I once did. She does so with such confidence and courage. There is no fear in her tears, her anger, or her overwhelming complexity. So, when Dr. D'Amico assigned Pride and Prejudice, I knew I was going to feel all the things I once did. This time, I had a small brave girl to inspire me. What was released was childlike whimsy, courage to find the beauty in moments that was in-between, grief that I missed out on holding such profound space for my tween and teen self, and to find beauty in the moments of uncertainty. Even if I was uncertain in myself, the breeze still blew and Viviane still sang as she played in her room. Austen's comedy, and characters, reveals something about what we long for and who we think we are. I have always longed for something simply magical. A home where laughter, tears, and all the human experiences can be held warmly and delightfully. Perhaps, a romance that saved me from the dangers of cruelty in humanity and from destroying myself. She conveys a world, where despite the frustrations and error, the world is still good and just. I so desperately wanted that when I was young, and still so desperately want that for my own daughters. I am Mrs. Bennet. 

Jor J.- UIW Engl/Educ Major

Hi guys, Pride and Prejudice is my first Austen experience... BUT it was awesome. Before this semester, I had mostly just heard about it rather than experienced it. I knew it was one of those famous classics that people either loved or pretended to have read, and I’d seen plenty of memes and clips online. When I finally watched the 2005 film for class, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I ended up liking it more than I thought… not in an overly emotional way, but I could really appreciate what it was doing.

What stood out most to me was the film’s visual atmosphere. The cinematography, the muted color palette, and the way nature and architecture framed the characters’ emotions. The rolling fields, the stately homes, the foggy mornings, all of it contributed to a sense of restraint and detail, almost as if the setting itself was a character. I also really enjoyed the soundtrack; the piano pieces in particular added so much to the film’s mood. The music seemed to echo the emotional undercurrents, gentle, restrained, but full of feeling, and it made certain scenes linger in my mind.

I also found myself paying attention to how the characters communicated… or didn’t. So much of the tension between Elizabeth and Darcy comes from what THEY DON’T SAY, or how they MISUNDERSTAND each other. Those pauses, glances, and hesitations felt meaningful in a way I hadn’t anticipated. It made me think about how small gestures or tone can mean just as much as actual dialogue.

Overall, my experience with Pride and Prejudice was pretty neutral at first, but it grew on me. I didn’t "fall in love" with it instantly, but I ended up appreciating its quietness and aesthetic. I can now see why it’s lasted so long; it’s more about observation and subtlety than “grand” romance.

-jor

Ashley Reads Austen

English Major of UIW

Carly Ermer - UIW English Major

            About five years ago I watched Pride and Prejudice (2005). It was my only experience with Jane Austen at the time, until I read the book in my Literary Movement: Romantics class. Surprisingly, I remembered nearly nothing about the movie, except that Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy would inevitably end up together.

            At first, the book was confusing, and I struggled to decipher the language Austen was using to relay the story onto readers, but when we had introduced how important Jane Austen’s first line is, it was as if I was given a key to unlock the door. “It is universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." This line and the irony of which Austen uses to take her first steps into her narrative style immediately sets the tone for the rest of the novel and showcases the ironic humor that is subtlety instated within the characters and plot.

            Reading the book was like experiencing Pride and Prejudice for the first time due to the ironic narrative technique being left out of the movie. I felt this way particularly surrounding the characters of Mrs. Bennet and Mr. Collins individually. However, the ironic technique Austen uses also serves as quiet commentary on each character and their relationships. For example, Mr. Darcy states what qualities a woman must possess in order to be the “perfect” woman. “I never saw such a woman, I never saw such capacity, and taste, and application, and elegance, as you describe, united." This is ironic because, eventually, Mr. Darcy falls in love with Elizabeth, who is the complete opposite of all the things he said he wanted in a woman, and Elizabeth is disrupting the expectation for her have a certain manner in “the tone of her voice,” as Miss. Bingley said.

Mercedes Reads Austen

 Pour yourself a cozy beverage and sit back for a little chit-chat with Mercedes as she discusses modern dating, the oh so awkward Mr. Darcy, and the late great Jane Austen.

Anahi Amaral-UIW English Major

 Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice has been my first personal encounter with this author's work, and I have to say, it was a breath of fresh air! Austen's story is full of exploring the character flaws a person can have and how one can achieve success despite these flaws, and she does this in a story wrapped in mystery. 

Connecting with Nature Along the Way

Her character Elizabeth Bennet is probably one of my favorite characters that I have read about, with her wittiness and self-reflection leading her through the story. Her pridefulness of both her and her family lead her astray in finding a matrimony that is beneficial to all parties involved. She realizes this while uncovering the mysterious and, ironically, prideful character that is Mr. Darcy, who falls in love with sharp-eyed Eliza. 

What makes Pride and Prejudice such a fun read is Austen's ability to make the readers invested in the history of Mr. Darcy, just like Eliza, and go through those same tumultuous emotions as we think we have figured out the answer just to be proven wrong yet again. 

The breath of fresh air comes from the scene where Elizabeth has had enough of Mr. Darcy's negativity and his audacity to propose to her while being so rude most of the time. It's refreshing to see a character's ability to call someone out for their actions and rude personality, but the amazing part is seeing Mr. Darcy do a whole 180 after such a strong scolding. Instead of Elizabeth "getting over" the bad parts of Mr. Darcy (like we see Charlotte do with Mr. Collins) Elizabeth holds strong in her ideals, adjusting them to fit the new information she discovers and still hold Mr. Darcy accountable for what he is rightly guilty of. Mr. Darcy does this as well, forgiving Elizabeth for some of the unjust accusations she made but taking her scolding into heart and using it as a foundation for improving his conduct. I loved seeing him do this because while he mainly did this to help convince Elizabeth to agree to his proposal, he readily agreed that his behavior all around was not very gentlemen-like and sought to improve himself. 

In modern times where accountability and scoldings reach a harsh level that results in neither of the two parties continuing their communication, Pride and Prejudice proves that healthy relationships can still be achieved after the many ups and downs that humans are confined to as we navigate our surroundings.

alex reads jane austen

alex reads pride and prejudice 

For the most part, in my life, I’ve always enjoyed Romance. What I perceive it to be, which is filled with lofty ideals, extensively tagged works on AO3, and maybe a really vivid imagination. But I’ve found an incredible joy in knowing there is more to it than what I’ve always known.

I think the most world-shifting part for me is how romance hasn’t always been: boy meet girl, boy woo girl, boy and girl get married. With all due respect, heterosexual relationships and their trials and tribulations aren’t always the most entertaining forms of media for me, despite their persistence. I find myself wanting more of the female characters, far less of the male ones, and valuing the bonds women create between eachother and taking that away as my favorite parts of the story. And I think that that is okay.

But what has been somewhat knocking the back of my head is how Romance is everywhere. I’ll find myself speaking to a friend about something mundane, and then my immediate follow up is: ah, that’s pretty romantic isn’t it? It is everywhere. Even when you need it least. And yet I am somewhat pleased with this result. Despite the way I might seem, I think finding gentle, quaint experiences a little more exciting is very good for me. Oftentimes I perceive myself as boring, so to think there is a whole other subset of people out there who find the joys in those exact mundanities is rather comforting. To me, that is what romance exists in: the space between everything else.

“How could you begin?" said she. "I can comprehend your going on charmingly, when you had once made a beginning; but what could set you off in the first place?"
"I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun." (pg 359)

To me, love born in those simple moments, slowly and then all at once, is some of the most special kinds of love out there. The encapsulation of it throughout, is one that I very much appreciate. But I’m the last person to tell you that love only is romantic. No, I think love for life is in everything, the colors of everything surrounding you, the air, the way it all moves you toward realizing your heart is what makes you human.