Let's Explore Jane Austen: Why Do People Still Love Her Books So Much?

I'm sure I have mentioned before on this blog that Jane Austen is my favorite author. She was a master of dialogue, subtle wit, mystery in love and creating characters who stay with us forever. Even though her books were written in the 1800's they are still versatile and applicable enough to be relevant today. I'm not just talking about the movies such as Pride and Prejudice starring Kiera Knightley; Jane Austen's books have been translated into different forms. The movie "Clueless" retells the story of Emma in modern times by tweaking a few little things. Last year on YouTube, a fantastic webseries telling the modern version of Pride and Prejudice gained thousands of followers and even won an Emmy! I don't know about you, but I think it's pretty amazing that people not only still read Austen's books, but that there was enough interperation in those stories for it to be told in different ways. And chances are, if you're a writer, you want your stories to be remembered long after you are gone. Even though many of us may never achieve her state of lasting fame, we can at least examine some of the timeless elements she incorporated.

#1 Morals That Transcend Time: This is something you have probably observed in some of your favorite books, or even those classic Disney movies that charm audiences of all ages. Jane Austen's stories, however clever or lovely, always contained a lesson or concept that was and is releveant. Pay especial attention to the "was and is" part. You might write a thrilling story about the zombie apocolypse, but let's face it, nobody is going to be interested in that theory 100 years from now, despite its current fame, unless you communicate something that is relevant to mankind as a whole. This is why sticking to whatever is popular is not necessarily wise. Remember, all trends must come to end (hey, do you like my little rhyme) and so will your story unless you imbed a relevant lesson. In Pride and Prejudice we learn not to judge books by their cover or say "never" when it comes to love. And of course, who can forget the valuable lesson gleaned from Lydia Bennet that constant, foolish flirting will ruin you in the end. 

#2 Letting the Reader Put the Peices Together: Something I'm guilty of us is constantly assuring my reader of what my protoagnoist is thinking, or offering too much foreshadowing. But I'm convinced that too much clarity is worse than not enough. At least if it's a little vague, the reader can still think for themselves. However, when you lay out everything word for word, your audience will feel ostracized and most likely become frustrated with the simplicity. Jane Austen found the perfect balance of letting the reader realize what was happening without writing it in red letters. Do you know she only mentioned a couple of times that Mr. Darcy was handsome? In the first half of Pride and Prejudice, Austen mostly concentrated on Lizzy's dislike for Darcy, and it wasn't until she wanted the reader to begin to like him, that his true and kinder character began to be revealed. In other words, she didn't really propose that Mr. Darcy was a potential suitor until it was relevant to the plot. Had she stated from the start, "Lizzy was intruiged by Mr. Darcy, and even though he was little bit of jerk, he was awfully good looking", we would spend the next 300 pages knowing the outcome. One rule is, don't explain things (or introduce characters) until it is relevant, or you want to change the reader's mind.

#3: Show, Don't Tell: I'm sure you have heard this advice before. Such phrases as, 'show me with dialogue and body language how your character feels, don't tell me', are very popular in the writing world. And for good reason. As stated in point 2, readers don't like being pandered to. Let them notice instead of being told everything. Once again, Jane Austen was proficient in this art. She mainly dedicated descriptive passages of illustrating a place, or a literal occurence such as somebody going to a party. The internal
thoughts and a character's opinion of another character, were all communicated through dialogue. This method also provides more opportunities for humor.

The next post will be stritcly non Jane Austen related, I can assure you. :) I hope these tips were helpful nonetheless.

What have YOU learned from Jane Austen? Did I leave anything out? Let me know in the comments!