I like her letters for being a view into life of the day. They tell us,
also, that she was a real person. A person with links and dislikes and a
sometimes sharp tongue( or pen). I think Fanny Price is the most
misunderstood character in Austen's novels. Remember all the Fanny wars
that used to erupt on Austen-L and other fora? I don't understand how so
many can say they hate her, However, I do believe that a good many of
those who say they love Austen mean they love the movie versions of Pride
and Prejudice.
The other subject on which I am adamant is that Cassandra didn't burn
Jane's letters to her , but she burned her letters TO Jane.
Nancy
On Fri, Apr 25, 2025 at 11:07?AM Ellen Moody via groups.io <ellen.moody=
[email protected]> wrote:
I'm reading this between sequels -- I might reread The Other Bennet
Sister. I'm finding it very fresh, stimulating, but not sure how to
blog/write about it. It seems to me Todd is doing something unusual: she
comes in at an angle which is usually omitted: her gut reactions, partly
founded in personal history and hr reading of other l'ecriture-femme I'd
call it.This is the level that undergirds and explains a close reading or
other kind of book (scholarly, source study &c) about books. The problem
I'm not sure how to write coherently myself. But it is very interesting. I
find my gut reactions to Austen's books were intially and still are quite
different, but think hers are the more frequent. And thus it has
explanatory power for me. For example my favorite heroine is Elinor
Dashwood, and after that Fanny Price; the book I'd start with Sense and
Sensibility. Far from finding Austen's letters captivating, I find them
interestingly bitchy, resentful, always partisan.
More when I've finished. I plan an omnibus blog when I finally am feeling
stronger not so tired.
Ellen
