English Literature Lesson Number 2

Today I had my second offiicial English Lit lesson with Mr F. I'm really enjoying them so far and I find what we're studying particuarly interesting!

I have never really thought about how the narrator creates the story before, and the realisation that everything in a story has been carefully thought out and used for a reason really draws me in and makes me excited to study more! (never thought I'd say that!!). Although to most it may seem obvious, I'd never thought of it and just skimmed through a lot of the narrative parts in books to get to the more "exciting" parts. Whereas now I realise I may have skipped crucial hints at the way the story is going.

For example, we are studying the classic 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen. Although I enjoyed the book the first time I read it, it took me a while to really get into it. It proboably didn't help that I was rushing it as I was on holiday. However I am currently reading through it again at what I would call a leisurely pace! Already I find myself understanding it more and the language used seems less alien than before!

There are many examples of different aspects of narrative in even the first chapter of 'Pride and Prejudice'. One that we looked at today was the way the destination of the story is presented. From the very first famous paragraph of "It is a truth universally achknowledged, that a single man in possession of  a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." we already have been presented with an idea or theory which foreshadows the way in which the book will progress, and the destination in which the book is heading. It's the idea of marriage and fortune and about how they link together more than most would expect. Not only are these famous words the first in the book, they are in a paragraph of their own, perhaps to signify their importance and tell you as the reader that they present an idea crucial throughout the novel.

Also the way in which Austen barely uses description during the first chapter keeps you focused on the conversation the Bennets are having rather than thinking about them as people. This shows the conversation to be of high significance as Austen wants you to concentrate purely on what is being said by the characters, rather than the characters themselves. The conversation they are having foreshadows the novel's destination as it mirrors the ideas put forward in the first paragraph.
 Although Austen dedicates a small paragraph at the end of the chapter to desciptions, the last line of the chapter again refers to this idea of marriage and wealth. "The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news." So this leaves the reader with this idea fresh in their mind: that marriage is key theme throughout the book and that the novel will surely revolve around the events and difficulties faced by Mrs Bennet as she attempts to assure her daughters are married well to someone of a comfortable salary, and that one of them will surely be married to Mr Bingley since he is the centre of Mrs Bennet's attentions in the first chapter.

Hope this is somewhat right Mr F!! I'm not sure if I brought my ideas across that well, but I know what I'm getting at even if no one else does!
Really enjoying English Lit so far though! Thanks for the good start!