Guest Post!

I asked Kathy Jo Gutgsell (aka "Mom") for her reflections on Pride and Prejudice, and she was generous enough to share her response. I hadn't really noticed the focal point Elizabeth played in her parents' marriage until Mom pointed it out. Here is what KJ had to say about her first time reading P&P:

 "The first few chapters seemed like a soap opera and I wondered why I should care if these daughters found a husband? Whatever does Michael see in this? But then, before I knew it, I did care. I got caught up in the personalities of the sisters and the parents and the neighbors. I laughed out loud. I couldn't wait to know how it all turned out. I got hooked. Along the way, though, I couldn't help but notice the relationship between Elizabeth's mother and father. I've been married for decades, as you know, and I have some ideas about what makes a successful marriage. And their marriage came up short. What struck me was the pivotal point Elizabeth played. She was her dad's favorite and her mom's least favorite child. Elizabeth seemed to represent the gulf that existed in their marriage. We didn't get to see them talk out their differences. We saw their impatience with each other and then Mr. Bennet retreated to his study. But then, what went on behind closed doors we will never know." 

That sense of being "caught up" in the characters is something I hear again and again about Austen. I'm glad my Mom got to see what I love about this talented author. 

Thanks, Mom!