Could it have ended differently?

For those of you who didn’t finish Mansfield Park, I’ll summarize part of it. Henry Crawford decides that he wants to work his charms on Fanny, but ends up falling in love with her and proposing. She tries to turn him down because she’s actually in love with Edmund. Henry thinks he just needs to prove to her that he will remain constant in his love. He’s inspired by her goodness and even becomes better because of her influence.
However, he fails in his constancy. While visiting London, he and Maria begin a flirtation and end up running away together. Mary Crawford scandalizes Edmund by expressing her regret, not that Henry could do such a thing, but that he would be so reckless as to get caught. She believes that if Fanny would have accepted Henry’s offer Fanny “would have been the making of him” and this never would have happened.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot. Would Henry have remained faithful to Fanny, or was it inevitable that he would stray? If he had been constant, would he have made Fanny happy? Is it fair to ask women to "be the making of" men? This is the part that bothers me. Obviously we won't marry men who are doing drugs, unfaithful, etc. But we also believe in the Atonement and people's ability to change. So how do we judge correctly?
I guess the reality is that women can make good men better. The operative word is "good". We don't have to bind ourselves to morally corrupt men, with the hope that they will improve. But we can take good men--men who honor their priesthood--and help them become better.

And does anybody else have a hard time with Edmund and Fanny? It's just seems like such an older brother/sister relationship. He acts so superior to her through the whole thing.

March Book

I know Cami has been trying to get us to choose books a little further in advance, so after desperately calling my sister-in-law for suggestions, I've picked our March book:



I probably wouldn't have picked this on my own, but Julie recommended the Help and The Guernsey Literary.... so I trust her judgment. Though she has never had a desire before, Julie said this book was so intriguing that she now wants to visit China. Though, apparently there is one slightly awkward part (you have been warned).
Since Sunday marks the beginning of Chinese New Year, and since I miss Taiwan, I'm really excited to read this book.

To read the synopsis go here.

baaaa!

Ok, I'm on page like 130 or something and I have a few thoughts.

1. Does anyone else have a hard time getting into classic books like this when it's been a while since you read one? It took me a few pages to understand what was going on. I mean, jeez, Austen uses so many characters and then calls them all the same names. Two Mr. Bertrams and two Miss Bertrams etc. Also, sometimes she does not distinguish who is speaking and it's a little confusing. But, after a few pages I got back into the swing of things.

2. Is there ANY character you like? I'm trying desperately to cling to one, but I just don't like any of them so far. I guess Edmund is supposed to be the most likable? Maybe not. He's nice, but a typical boy, you know? He likes Mary Crawford because she's like fun? I don't know. It seems like the returned missionary dating an 18-year-old kind of thing. And I do not like Fanny at all. Now, I've never read this book, but I'm already predicting that Edmund and Fanny get together in the end. Instead of making me happy, that kind of annoys me. I think he could do better. I mean, I don't like Mary OR Fanny. Are there no other options? Oh, and don't even get me started on Maria Bertram and Henry Crawford. Yikes.

3. Do these people just sit around all day and do whatever? I can't decide whether I love their life--sitting around in the shade and reading books--or hate the boredom. It seems like in every Austen novel there are a bunch of 20-something's just hanging out flirting and eating. And apparently producing a play? It reminds me of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

I guess that's all. These may sound like negative comments, but I am actually enjoying the book. I think it's really good. And I just got it yesterday, so I'm ploughing through it. I'm just not the biggest Austen fan, so what can you do?

February's Festivities

In honor of National Love month, I thought I'd choose a sappy novel written by none other than Ms. Jane Austen. I haven't read Mansfield Park, I hope you gals haven't either. I'm predicting some love triangles, vanity, and mothers trying to marry their daughters off. Enjoy!!