So I said I'd be back in July with Legend of Korra, but a friend of mine and I are doing a re-read of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park so yay! I return early.

Mansfield Park and I have a funny history. I first read it when I was fairly young, and I loved it. I was shy, retiring and extremely prissy, and Fanny Price spoke to me.

I grew up, became slightly less shy and infinitely less prissy, and when I read it again in late high school/early college, I found myself still liking Fanny, but much more uncomfortable with my perception of her very rigid, stern morality.

Over half a decade of continued growing later, I'm curious to see how I'll react now.


Ahahaha poor Sir Thomas. I love the way Austen sets up her characters. I'm not sure a modern writer could get away with the telling rather than showing, but I find her narrative voice so charming that I'd let her tell me everything.

I also like the contrast in the three marriages: Lord and Lady Bertram, Mr. & Mrs. Norris, and Mr. & Mrs. Price. None of them genuine love matches, but all in different ways.

Lady Bertram's is a shallow relationship (reminiscent of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet's, actually) -- from the very first sentence, it's clear that whatever feeling there was in the relationship was on Sir Thomas' side.

Miss Maria Ward...had the good luck to captivate Sir Thomas Bertram

Lady Bertram isn't an object; she is the subject of the sentence, but she is passive. She didn't set out to captivate him; she just got lucky.

Mrs. Norris married simply for money, and Mrs. Price married impulsively, as an act of rebellion more than passion.

Class, of course, is an issue from the get-go.

Also, I forgot how short her chapters are. Aiya! Looking forward to meeting Fanny.