Bad English Major

Surfing around the internets, I found Indie Jane, a "community that celebrates and supports independent/non-traditionally published Austenesque literature." One of their recent posts discusses how one of them "found Jane," which got me thinking about how I discovered Austen.

In my third semester of college, I read two Austen novels, Emma and Pride and Prejudice. I think I may have actively avoided her in high school. The only time Austen would have been assigned then was senior English, in a "pick one of these five novels!" project. (I chose Jane Eyre and liked it. I'm not sure what that says about me.)

But back to Austen. I detested Pride and Prejudice and hated Emma. I don't think words can express how boring and slow I thought they were. I may have actually finished Pride and Prejudice, but I read the first page of Emma and set it aside. (I'll pause here for a moment to allow the haters to hate because the majority of Austen fans looooooove one or both of those novels.)

Given those two experiences, I thought I was one of those weird English majors who hate classic literature... because all English majors like Austen, right?

Fast forward to my sixth semester (Spring 2010), when I discovered Persuasion and Northanger Abbey were on the reading lists. I had a mini pity party because I didn't like Austen, right? Turns out I really enjoyed them. Something about them just clicked the way Pride and Prejudice and Emma had failed to.

Then I went to Australia* and took a semester on Jane Austen. I read all six novels in twelve weeks. I liked Pride and Prejudice better, and discovered I loved Mansfield Park and Sense and Sensibility. (They're my favorites.) I still detest Emma, sadly. One of my professors claimed Emma is the "perfect" novel, but I just can't get into it. Oh well.

*Sorry, Jeff and Luke. You know I can't tell a story without mentioning Australia. ;)