Standouts & Walkabouts 

Pride & Prejudice is a movie for girls who like England, know things about proper conversation and can perhaps curtsy the proper, nodding way. They know what the full moon in the clear sky is for, and what a gazebo might be about and that ribbons can change the world but don”™t matter that much, either. It is giggles and society and about sinking your teeth into a life and a voice that is so rare in visual stories and the fact that the English countryside truly is beautiful. As is the rain.

It”™s for sisters and families,
For society,
For friends.

For everyone who does not want to get married,
Or who does,
Or who”™s scared not to.

For girls who know what a ball really is about, and make it what they will, and girls who are too modest, maybe too plain.

I first read Pride & Prejudice early on in secondary school and only because it was required summer reading. I looked over my stack of books... I had waited until the last week of August, but I wasn”™t worried; I do love to read and am rather good at it when the occasion calls. There was the list:

Beloved
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Jane Eyre
Pride & Prejudice

A classic or modern novel of your choice (I choose The English Patient)

I read P&P first; it had the most boring title and cover, and I figured that I should get it over with.

I did my summer paper on Beloved because I was interested in the use of different colors in the novel, and that was a choice of topic.

But, mostly, because I loved Pride & Prejudice too much to write an analytical paper about the story.

After Pride & Prejudice, I read other society novels. Jane Eyre was depressing, Anna Karenina was great but not as fun, Vanity Fair had nothing on the novel nor did the film have anything on this film.

Pride & Prejudice is the best society novel I have read.

And I”™ve read it twice.

The second time, (not too long after the first), I did the job episodically while curled up in my favorite corner loveseat at Mondrian. I was in LA to shoot J”™s Crush or the like. I had no friends there. I spent my down time at the hotel with Eliza, the Bennets and Mr. Darcy and it was all perfect.

Yes, it is the best society novel.

Yes, this is one of those rare cases where the movie improves upon the book.

Yes, it is for girls.

Thank you; we have it gladly, something for us,

For the girls who prefer to walk.

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