Letters to Alice and Pride and Prejudice (1 Viewer)

[Mikkx]

Okay i know there's been a few threads on this floating around but it seems most are from a while back or have no replies - maybe because this doesn't seem like a popular topic and may come across as a bit of a feminist study

So this is just a new thread for those who want to share their ideas/what they have to contribute with everyone else.

My problem is how to make the connections - there seems to be so many ideas that connect, but i can rarely find quotes and/or techniques that link the two texts

many thanks
xx

 

[ohexploitable]

just choose 3 ideas, i am doing didactic purpose, marriage and decorum

don't need techniques which link/are similar, u need ideas to link but techniques to support those ideas

i couldn't find many techniques in letters to alice, epistolary form, some metaphors and allusions to other texts idk, "city of invention" metaphor

plenty of techniques to be mentioned in pride and prejudice

 

[Joy_2575]

Okay i know there's been a few threads on this floating around but it seems most are from a while back or have no replies - maybe because this doesn't seem like a popular topic and may come across as a bit of a feminist study

So this is just a new thread for those who want to share their ideas/what they have to contribute with everyone else.

My problem is how to make the connections - there seems to be so many ideas that connect, but i can rarely find quotes and/or techniques that link the two texts

many thanks
xx

I absolutely love the two texts:

I'll help you with one connection:

Social class system

when one reads P & P, one realises that there is a rigid social class system, represented through the character of Lady Cath.

“You will be censured, slighted and despised by everyone connected with him. Your alliance will be a disgrace; your name will never be mentioned by us”.

However Lizzy Challenges this: “In marrying your nephew I do not consider myself as quitting the sphere he is a gentleman and I am a gentleman’s daughter: so far we are equal” and provides a new found meaning of what it is to be of social equals. she believes it is based on what the person is like, manners etc...

and eventually she breaks through this rigid barrier that Austen mocks to a certain extent and allows Lizzy to marry Darcy!

however, when we read Letters to Alice, we realise that class was important and it was not so possible for Lizzy to marry Darcy. she says it was a "fantasy"

also she says: "In the genes vs. environment debate, genes won hands down, even in Jane Austen”


it is then that we begin to question, would Darcy have married Elizabeth in reality? If not, Why did Austen allow Lizzy to marry Darcy in her novel? Why did she write a fantasy?

then you could apply Weldon's better Novels theory (letter 2 , end) that Austen attempted to change the society of her time and provided a new meaning of what it is to be of social equals, which was radical for that time.

so that is a connection. Weldon allows us to better appreciate P &P by providing contextual information of her time and through the representation of Austen as a better builder in the city of invention

Hope that helped

 

[crimson_delight]

Oh yeah I've been looking for examples from these two texts for ages (nobody I know is studying LTA and PP ... well except obviously my class, but you know), and haven't been able to find much ...

Role of women:
LTA: epistolary form usually provides various perspectives, but the fact that LTA is written from one person's perspective illuminates the change in the representation of women, and how they are valued in the 20thC in comparison to the 19thC.
PP: repetitive motif of the window is the access to knowledge (i.e. when Bingley comes, the girls first see him through a window), which reflects the limited access to knowledge women had in the 19thC, and how they could only gain this access through a man (which is mirrored through the architectural symbolism of Pemberley being Lizzy's place of self-awareness and knowledge).
LTA: ideas of feminism are reflected through the characterisation of both Alice and Aunt Fay; being the two main characters of the novel. Also, Fay directly quotes feminism and attacks the patriarchy through ... whatever language.
PP: Lizzy's character of being an individual, defying social norms (not accepting Collin's proposal, laughing off Darcy's belittlement towards her etc), is accepted in Austen's society - by some. Others like Lady Catherine represent the conservative representation of women.

Social class:
- show evidence from Weldon and Austen -

Literary acclaim and textual form:
- stuff like epistolary form, Austen's free indirect discourse, Weldon's worshipping of literature, etc.

Eurgh I give up. I disliked this Module a bit, and I'm sure I failed, but I'm sure you'll be fine! Good luck.

 

[pineapples98]

also she says: "In the genes vs. environment debate, genes won hands down, even in Jane Austen”

Hey I know this is a really old thread, but does anyone know where this quote comes from ???
Thankyou !