Thread: Jane Austen

I've read all but one of Jane Austen's novels and I love them. They are definatly what would be described today as girly books but they are wonderful. Does anyone else have any opinions on Jane Austen's work?

I love Jane Austen. I'm almost done with Pride and Prejudice-- AMAZING!

words cannot describe the intense dislike i have for jane, ESPECIALLY pride and prejudice i derive no pleasure whatsoever from her stuff. in fact, i was going to create a thread calling for people to share writers they dislike just so i could share my disgust with austen with the world.

peace.

Originally Posted by strangedaze

words cannot describe the intense dislike i have for jane, ESPECIALLY pride and prejudice i derive no pleasure whatsoever from her stuff. in fact, i was going to create a thread calling for people to share writers they dislike just so i could share my disgust with austen with the world.

peace.

Well what about her don't you like?

Hummm, not that it should make a difference, but I have a general distaste for novels of/about Regency England. As for the novel, it just seems so... pointless. Pampered snots playing their little love games in a society of 'good manners' does nothing for me. All of the conflict seems superficial; try starving, you whiny little bitch (not you, Ms. Bennet ) then see how woeful your life is. So what if Mr. Darcy is a proud dink? Suck it up, princess. The characters and their innane problems annoy me more than anything. As for Austen's actual writing style, I'm sure I'd be more thrilled about it if she were giving me a story I actually cared about and characters I didn't want to tie up in a plastic bag and drown.

That being said, none of this is meant as a shot to you or anyone else on these forums. I just intensely dislike Jane Austen. If you find something worthwhile in her writing or her novels, well, we're totally different people and I'm okay with that

Peace.

Strangedaze, if small conflicts turn you away from a novel, then what the hell do you read?
I'm sorry if the wit and ironic humor of Pride and Prejudice was beyond you, which apparently it was if all you saw was little girls bitching.
I hate to bash, so I'm stopping, since I don't know enough about you to formally do it yet, so just tell me, what is a quality book in your opinion? care to share?

As for Jane Austen, I am reading pride and prejudice, but I have seen the recent film, so it is like doing it over again. Other than that I greatly enjoy it. The writing is excellent. Regardless if it's a simple girl story, it is very good otherwise it wouldn't be considered classic literature.

Do you need a hug? I think you do The reason why I ask is that you seem to have taken my opinion of the novel as a slight against you. Why do you care what I read, hmmm? Will me disliking the book make it any less enjoyable for you? Probably not, because your tantrum has done nothing to make me reconsider my stance on the book.

But since we're flinging clumps of shit at each other like five year olds...

I didn't say the book was or wasn't of quality, luv, I just said that I didn't like it or Jane Austen. And I didn't say the conflicts were "small" - I said superficial. I'm sorry if the difference between the two was beyond you As for quality: if you need me to elaborate on what the difference between personal taste and recognition of quality is, I'll be happy send you a pm. Just because something is a classic or enjoyed by you, doesn't mean that it will have the same appeal for me, sunshine. Once you're done berating me for not enjoying the same things you do, maybe we can do the adult thing and accept our differences in literary tastes

Your friend,

Strangedaze!

i love how you can say whatever you want to someone, and then just add a winky... that's one of my favorite unspoken forum rules.

glass thought, it is a little odd that you became so personally offended by mr. daze's comments. i speak from experience when i assure you that strangedaze is definity up to understanding the wit and ironic humor of pride and prejudice.

i can definitely see both sides of this arguement... but am wondering glass thought which other books are you comparing this to? are you so willing to believe it is good simply because it's considered a classic?

perhaps you could admit that the novel is a bit dated?

curiously,
vodka

Yeah, reading what i wrote does make me come off as personally offended. I was simply wondering what strange found good. I have no intention of trying to make him like a book. No matter how much you force me, I will never like Great Expectations. I can understand where he stands, I just want to know what he stands for.
As for classics, I agree that many of them are a bit outdated, but pride and prejudice has enough in common with todays social beliefs to be bearable at least. Parents wanting their children to marry someone of an equal or higher social class. The concept is not as bad as one would imagine, and considering it's aged standing, it makes it more original than any book written about the same conflict nowadays.

Strange, the question still stands: What books do you like?

Originally Posted by strangedaze

Hummm, not that it should make a difference, but I have a general distaste for novels of/about Regency England. As for the novel, it just seems so... pointless. Pampered snots playing their little love games in a society of 'good manners' does nothing for me. All of the conflict seems superficial; try starving, you whiny little bitch (not you, Ms. Bennet ) then see how woeful your life is. So what if Mr. Darcy is a proud dink? Suck it up, princess. The characters and their innane problems annoy me more than anything. As for Austen's actual writing style, I'm sure I'd be more thrilled about it if she were giving me a story I actually cared about and characters I didn't want to tie up in a plastic bag and drown.

That being said, none of this is meant as a shot to you or anyone else on these forums. I just intensely dislike Jane Austen. If you find something worthwhile in her writing or her novels, well, we're totally different people and I'm okay with that

Peace.

Well I hate to burst your bubble, but it isn't Jane Austen you seem to be disliking. that is generally how victorian novels are. You have to realize that in different places and different times things weren't as they are now. Its a love story and you need to realize that. This society of "Good Manners" existed, so its not superficial. That is how people acted back then. Its not like she was making it up at the top of her head, Miss Austen LIVED through that time period. The characters are strong and realistic for that time period. I don't see what you dislike.

Glass - I agree with you on Dickens See? We're not all that different after all. As for authors I enjoy: Kafka, JD Salinger, Salman Rushdie, Irvine Welsh, Mordecai Richler, Arundhati Roy, Joyce, Bret Easton Ellis, Hunter S Thompson, Vladimir Nabokov, etc. Oh, and though it pains me to admit, I LOVED Jane Eyre Again, no hard feelings!

Kira - Are you really arguing that because the Victorian Age happened that I should like the novel? Because that seems to be your main argument and I'm not sure it sits with me. War happens - are you a fan of historical war fiction? Homosexual intercourse happens - are you a fan of gay erotica, if the homosexual characters are real and lifelike to their time period? If you answered yes to both, then I have to say that your reading breadth is stunning, but I'm sure there's something that other people like that you just don't, simply because it does not concur with your literary tastes. Instead of treating me like an invalid by making statements like:

You have to realize that in different places and different times things weren't as they are now. Its a love story and you need to realize that.

...you could just do the adult thing and accept that we differ in taste. Is there anything else I HAVE TO REALIZE? I don't know if your assumption that I'm unaware of how time runs its course in a linerar fashion makes me laugh or if it makes me sad, and for whom. Sigh. Again, I typically find Victorian novels of romance innane and boring. I don't relate to any of the characters on a level I find meaningful. Even though their conflicts DID happen, back in the day, I still find them superficial, and since you're not reading the novel for me, your opinions on whether I should or shouldn't be enjoying the novel count for absolutely nothing. You are welcome to differ on your thoughts regarding Austen and her work, but you just come off sounding like a five year old when you try to tell me that I can't dislike something that you enjoy.

Again, I harbor no hard feelings and though I derive some pleasure in seeing people get so worked up over my dislike for Austen, it makes me wonder whether the discussion is actually about her writing or if people are somehow taking my thoughts on it personally.

Once again:

That being said, none of this is meant as a shot to you or anyone else on these forums. I just intensely dislike Jane Austen. If you find something worthwhile in her writing or her novels, well, we're totally different people and I'm okay with that.

Regards,

'Daze

Strangedaze I think you are being a little too sensitive and too quick to jump on people. Yes, while you do have your own opinons on the book I do as well. What I meant when saying you have to realize is that those types of things actually happened, so I don't understand how they are "superficial." I am not attack you as you interpret that I am.

You can like what you like but I didn't say that you had to enjoy it. I was trying to understand more logic to your opinons.

but you just come off sounding like a five year old when you try to tell me that I can't dislike something that you enjoy.

And I never said you can't dislike it. I was trying to understand why. From what I understand you feel that the events and problems occuring in the novel did not seem real, I was merely trying to explain that it was how things happened during that time.

Again, I harbor no hard feelings and though I derive some pleasure in seeing people get so worked up over my dislike for Austen, it makes me wonder whether the discussion is actually about her writing or if people are somehow taking my thoughts on it personally.

It is obviously about Jane Austen and you said that it wasn't her writing style that bothered you but her plots lines. It seems to me that you are the one taking this thread personally. As you have stated your opinons I have as well. nothing was aimed at your latge ego, but apparently its too big to miss.

...you could just do the adult thing and accept that we differ in taste.

I'm sorry but there is nothing "adult" about that, not that I don't agree. I have accepted your opinons I just have had a hard time understanding the reasoning where my reasons conflict. I'm sorry for trying to have a disscussion with you as you obviously are more interested with taking everything so personally than discussing reasons of your opinons with other members.

I'm glad my ego is large enough to not be missed I'll pm you my thoughts on this whole shi-bang.

'daze

Jane Austen's good, I just started Pride and Predjuice. I'm thinking of reading Emma.

Originally Posted by A Glass Thought

Strangedaze, if small conflicts turn you away from a novel, then what the hell do you read?

Anything that involves the use of crayons.