Men And Women in the World of Jane Austen

I wasn't planning to get wrapped up in Pride and Prejudice again. I read it once, didn't understand it, read it again, saw the movie, got sick of it, unconsciously clicked on a YouTube clip, and now I'm right back in the web of Jane Austen.
One of the things I love most about the book are the various relationships men and woman share throughout the story, and how they change and are influenced by love.
1. Has to be the primary relationship, Elizabeth and Darcy. It isn't as easy to pick out while reading the book, but I can almost feel the sexual tension increasing as Pride and Prejudice progresses. I love how much Darcy is altered by his ardent love for Elizabeth, and how she is almost completely oblivious to his admiration until chapter 34, his clumsy proposal (which I find oddly romantic.) I didn't like how he was portrayed in the (I think 2005?) movie with Keira Knightley. He should be very cold, introverted, dark, and someone that is not easily liked. The movie gave him a more sensitive personality. Perhaps it is more so that way towards the end, but for me, he is generally thought of as a strong, hot-tempered character who isn't ideal to marry, or even be acquainted with. I can feel my own heart stirring when Elizabeth and Darcy fight in the book, because they are both such strong characters that when they are brought together, the chemistry is iminent, and very dangerous.
2. Probably the legendary Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. They can love each other and drive each other crazy at the same time, a hilarious (and sometimes lethal) combination that most people can probably empathize with their own marriages. They are just so tired with each other that they are often driven to madness. I also feel that even though Austen states they have been married for twenty-three years, they still don't really understand the other person and how they act. But above all, they are one of the most caring and determined parent duos, because all they care about are their children and how to make them happy, even if they can be spectacularly ignorant about some matters.
3. Miss Bingley and Mr. Darcy. Their relationship is a special one because she worships him (even if she isn't very good at showing it properly) and he barely notices she exists. In Darcy's eyes, Elizabeth is the only creature who could bewitch him, perhaps against his will, but Miss Bingley persists. I think that her coldness towards Elizabeth is what eventually leads Darcy to become in touch with his feelings. He has a constant need to defend her, and if it wasn't for Miss Bingley's haughty cruelty, he might have still only thought of Elizabeth as a pretty girl with dark eyes and a pleasing figure (which is, again, a thought he shares with Miss Bingley herself). Sure, they don't exactly have a relationship, one might argue, but their connection plays a key part in the story, and without it, Pride and Prejudice might turn in a completely new direction.
4. Jane and Charles Bingley. They are the perfect couple, caring and loving. From the moment they meet, they are destined to fall in love. Bingley refers to her as an "angel," which is so heart-melting that any reader has to pause to swoon. In the book, they add a refreshing sense of happiness to an otherwise confusing and difficult variety of relationships. They are the epitome of destiny, the embodiment of true love, and they give Pride and Prejudice that signature Jane Austen swipe, the budding romance you can only find in romance novels.
5. Mr. Collins and Charlotte. An unlikely occurence, but majestic indeed. I've always felt a lot of sympathy for Mr. Collins. He is such a strange man that finding someone to love must be rare for him. Even though some would disagree and say that he is unworthy of Charlotte, I would argue that they are both happy and content in their lives, with each other and their estate, and that's all a marriage really needs, especially with two people whose only wish is to settle down and finally be satisfied in their own circumstances.
So there they are, the storybook couples. I love how Jane Austen can spin so many ideas into one relationship: the struggle, the passion, the hilarity, and the unexpected love. Her books are surely classics that can never be matched or compared to. Her stories are her own, and it is such a privilege and delight we have to be able to share these wonderful tales with us for generations and generations.

Switch

I just changed my name from sarcasticshyrockgod to Switch. It's a token of my endurance and passion towards this project. Well, I suppose I just got bored of the old one. It was an amateur name. I'm older now. I'm smarter.
Okay, I may not be smarter, but I feel really good that I've kept this blog up from February 2012 to September 2012. I don't think anything in my life has ever lasted this long. Except, of course, that terrible bout of allergies I had a few years back, but that didn't benefit me at all.
To celebrate this (not very special) occasion, I decided to mention the names of some other blogs I've found during my time spend in Blogspot.
This one is amazing:
iamsherlocked.blogspot.com

And I just discovered my mother's, so I thought I'd give her some recognition:

glasstunnel.blogspot.com

She really likes comments, so if you're fortunate enough to read it, be sure to leave one.

Look at me, advertising my own mother. She's not even paying me...

But to head back to the title of this installment: Switch. Maybe I should recap on where this name comes from while I have it. It is from the brilliant movie series "The Matrix." The first movie is so incredible that I've seen it at least 20 times (including every year on my birthday since it came out.) However, unfortunately, the next two movies weren't so good. I am really disappointed about how it ended. I won't give it away, but if you're in for a let down, rent it. I guarantee you'll be throwing your popcorn at the screen in a matter of five minutes.

Anyway, Switch has always been a very strong, beautiful female character (even if she may be a little butch), which is, of course, not at all like me. Switch isn't by any means my favorite character in the movie, or the most likeable person in the world, but perhaps that's what I need: something different, something that's changed but not too much. Or maybe when I chose it, I was trying to be ironic. I've been trying out a lot of things lately.

Like the new show "The Nanny." Let me tell you, that show is genius. I started a week ago and I'm already almost done with season 3. The jokes are hilarious and I love Fran and Mr. Sheffield together. Most of all, I just love Miss Fine, the way she speaks, acts, and walks, the way her hands move. She is just so confident, and she always has something funny to say. I will sit and watch that show for hours and not get bored. It has that effect on people.

To sum up this post (and this blog), I am very satisfied with where this is going and I can't wait to continue. My new name was giving me a fresh start. I thought that with the new year and all, it was time for me to make some changes, and hopefully this blog can help me with that. 

But for now, I am still that awkward, quiet, easily distracted, odd, blonde girl in the corner, so you can stop holding your breath. 

                 A beautiful picture from a beautiful place I went this summer: Yellowstone...

Comebacks

I should not have complained about camp, because just as quickly as it had begun, summer soon ended and I was only left with tattered ballet shoes and horrible regrets.
To make things worse, my sister has now made a new best friend who she devotes most of her free time to. I must say that under the obvious facts that A: I will have no one to play video games with or B: I won't have anyone that understand all of of my inside jokes, which are mostly inside with myself (even she doesn't understand them all), I really do miss her a lot. But, I am happy that she's finally found a great friend. It was bound to happen to one of us.
Sigh. I don't have any friends.
I've just got one...
No I don't.
I can't blame people. It's probably due to the fact that I am SO shy around new people. I can sometimes pull it out of my ass for people of the same gender, but with the opposite sex, I am like a living and breathing awkward turtle. And people seem to take advantage of the fact that my face turns red A LOT. I do have a few comebacks for when someone tells me my face is red, such as:
"Don't come too close, you might catch it."
"Yeah, and yours is blue: it's a party!"
or the highly sophisticated:
"Come on! Have pity on someone with Erythrophobia!"
But these don't always work and most of the time I can't even think of them soon enough.
Like someone will come up to me, maybe, and say, "You don't talk."
I'm freaking dumbfounded, and I'll probably just shake my head and smile.
Then five minutes later during gym I'll think of something good, like, "Neither does your mum, but I don't complain."
And by then it's far too late.
Even I do go up to the person and say something like, "Hey, do you mind saying that thing you said five minutes ago again? I have a really good comeback for it," they just look at me funny and walk away.
Comedic timing: another thing I lack.
Last night my family (except for my dad) had a movie marathon, where we watched four movies in one night. They were:
Never Let Me Go (My sister's choice)--
A desperately beautiful and sad movie with a really cruel idea. I guess I won't give it away if you want to see it but be warned: it may cause you to sob uncontrollably (I did).
Then, we needed a comedy, so we chose Amelie (My mum's choice)--
A really funny and weird movie that has a lot of, um, nudity in it but is also a fun idea. I liked it a lot, and it was the perfect medicine for the rollercoaster of a last movie.
To spice things up, I chose Woman In Black--
It was very annoying because my mum and my sister kept giggling the first half of the movie and how cheesy and cliched it was, ruining any effect I might have gotten. And of course, the endless Harry Potter jokes. "Where's Dumbledore? Maybe he can help." "She must be using the cloak of invisibility." "He can't die, he's the master of death!" "Look, Harry, it's the chamber of secrets", etc.
I did flinch at a few moments, but all in all, it was not as scary as I had [hoped?]. Everything about the weird faces, the spooky house, and the dolls was to be expected. The creepiest part was all of the children killing themselves.. THAT was creepy. And it had a bad ending. Whatever. You can't have everything.
But hey, if you want a little preview:
whatdidtheysee.com (I think that's the right link)
To finish it off, we all chose Salmon Fishing In The Yemen, which we had all already seen, but it is a funny and cute movie and I am totally OBSESSED with Ewan's accent. You should see it, it's really nice.
So, that was yesterday.
Do you want to hear my favorite songs at the moment?
I know you don't. =)
See you on the flip side.