We don’t judge the value of literature based on how easy it is to read—but that’s beside the point because when you don’t have someone in your ear telling you about its social commentary you’ll find Austen is hilarious
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I am in a reading challenge and I am stunned at how many people are giving various classics written by women 1 and 2 star ratings. I'm not certain why I see so many of these posts. I wonder if it's bot activity.
I read it finally after avoiding it in High School because of friends complaining and like, the first chapter of Pride and Prejudice is just Elizabeth and her Dad doing bits, it's so good, hooked instantly.
what imo most people don't understand: reading comprehension is important because most people are NOT writers. Even "hard" writers are easy mode compared to daily life. (How many people badly misunderstand 50-word posts written on this very app?) If you can't fuck with Austen you will struggle IRL
there is a stereotype that writers are deliberately trying to be difficult or obtuse, when the reality is that your actual friends and family and coworkers will be difficult or obtuse ALL THE TIME, whereas Jane Austen is a craftsperson trying to make you laugh
Austen, Shakespeare, and Dickens are possibly the best examples of how you can missunderstand the work by being too reverent. Some of the sassiest & horniest people to ever fill a page.
I'm reading it now, and while I'm loving it as I read, I realize I cannot keep most of the characters straight. Every other chapter or so I'm like "Who is this Mr. or Ms., again? Ah, right, that one."
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