“A close bonnet and demure air”: Mansfield Park, Chapters 1-5

What up, chapter five?

…yes, five. I know I said chapter ten, but isn’t five a nice stopping place? Also, because this is a place of honesty: I kept falling asleep. (Not Jane’s fault. Mine, for trying to read in bed. At night. In my jammies, while sleepy. And clutching a glass of warm milk.)

So…how’s it going, Mansfield folks? Is it too late to make a “Man’s field” joke here?

All narcolepsy aside, and with the understanding that things might go sour later—turns out an awful lot of you are not fans of Mansfield Park, so I’m sort of waiting for the other shoe to drop—I’m really enjoying it so far. Various and sundry thoughts:

– Fanny is…well, she’s no Elizabeth Bennet, or any other booty-kicking heroine, is she? But she’s not all bad: she likes pragmatism, horses, and her cute cousin, and what’s not to like about any of those things (besides the “cousin” part)? I keep wondering what Jane Eyre would think of Fanny. What’s the opposite of Jane Austen Fight Club? Jane Austen Slumber Party? Where they braid each other’s hair and talk about how they’re surrounded by drama queens (sorry, Rochester)?

– Does it make me a contrarian if I say I sort of wish Edmund would give it a rest? JEEZ. We get it. YOU’RE AWESOME.

– On the other hand, why don’t handsome men ever give ME horses?

– Jane’s little diatribe about who’s out and who’s not out—how it’s so hard to tell and nobody’s raising their daughters right these days—is…basically a blog post, right? It’s gotta be Jane working out the repercussions of some ultra-embarrassing moment. It also assures me that Jane would appreciate this site and our moments of occasional crankiness. Get off Jane’s lawn!

– Mrs. Norris cracks me up despite being Jane’s favorite lady-trope (see: Mrs. Bennet). I assume the connection between Fanny’s embarrassing aunt and Filch’s cat at Hogwarts is intentional.

– The Crawfords have just arrived on the scene, and I have to say: I’m intrigued. If Fanny’s a wimp and Edmund’s a goody-goody, who are these interesting and independent (and possibly evil) people? TIME WILL TELL.

If you’re reading along, how’s it going? If you’re not, what do you think?

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Confession

Readers, I have something to tell you. I’ve been keeping something from you. For two and a half years, I’ve been lurking (so to speak) in the shadows with a secret on my mind and shame in my heart. And now I’d like to come clean.

I, Miss Ball, co-founder of Austenacious and crafter of the occasional Fanny Price joke, have never read Mansfield Park.

I know. I KNOW!

Now that my personal scandal has broken and my private shame is displayed for all to see, I hope you won’t ride off to Scotland looking for me—I’m ready to make things right, no bribery or shotgun weddings required. (See? Pride and Prejudice references, at a time like this!) Over the next few weeks, I’ll be reading Mansfield Park—and, readers, I’d love to have you along for the ride. Will you read with me? Whether you’re tagging along to right a wrong of your own (I wouldn’t ask; I’m a lady), or just love hanging out with that sassy Fanny Price, I can’t think of better reading and discussion partners than you fabulous party people.

Next week (3/7), if you’d like to read along, we’ll be talking about chapters one through ten.

Let’s read. Let’s chat. Let’s eat cookies!

(Maybe that last one’s just me…but let’s be realistic. See you next week, novel in hand.)