Pride and Prejudice ... and Zombies?

Absolutely Not
There are no zombies in this book. In fact, if your copy has this first line:

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains." 

... you've grabbed the wrong book.


The Right Book
Our P&P, the original  P&P, has no mention of the undead (or, for that matter, brains) in its first sentence. And that first sentence? It's one of the most well-known first lines in literature. For confirmation of that fact, check these:

• The 20 Best Opening Lines from Books
• Famous First Lines of Novels
• 30 Great Opening Lines in Literature

See? I'm not making it up. Nor did I make up that spoof of P&P's first line featuring zombies (and brains). It's the first line of a book titled--you guessed it--Pride and Prejudice and Zombies which came out in 2008 and was quickly followed by Sense and Sensibility and Seamonsters, Mansfield Park and Mummies, and Emma and the Vampires. 

Who knew there was this whole genre of literature--classic/horror/sci-fi mashups--waiting to be discovered? 

Probably not Jane Austen 200 years ago when Pride and Prejudice was first published (1813). But judging by the humor she exhibits in this novel and others, it seems like Austen would probably get a kick out of these adaptations of her classic novels. 

Wait A Minute--Did You Say Humor?  

Yep. If you haven't noticed it yet you've probably just been a little thrown off by the vocabulary and sentence structure, but Pride and Prejudice is actually a pretty funny book. For an example, let's check out that first line--the real first line--again:

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

Uh, no it's not. Not now, and not then. See what Austen's doing there? She's mocking the societal expectations of her generation--particularly the expectations of busybodies like Mrs. Bennet who are wholly obsessed with marrying off their daughters. The conversation that follows between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet confirms the mockery as we see that Mrs. Bennet is so preoccupied with getting one of her daughters hitched to the new bachelor in town (without ever having met, or even seen, him) that she can't tell her husband is toying with her. 

The novel is full of this sort of satirical writing--as well as a healthy dose of romance, feminism, scandal, and melodrama--and that's part of what makes it a classic, a book that has withstood the test of time. At least, I think it has, but we'll see what you think about its relevance in today's world (and today's high school lit classes) when we meet on October 28th. 

And Now, The Questions

You knew they were coming, and here they are. Please take a moment to read them all, and then choose one (or more) to really focus in on prior to our discussion so you'll be ready to offer some deep thoughts when it comes up in the group. 

Just like last time, you can do this in writing (compose an essay, construct a paragraph, jot down some notes or bullet points), or you can do it in another format: create a collage, illustrate or sculpt your answer, keep a mental list in your steel trap of a mind--whatever works best for you. Got it? Okay, go!

1. What does "love" mean in this novel? Is it the same emotion we talk about today? Which characters think that love is a necessary part of adult life? Which don't? What does that say about them?
   
2. What does Austen’s take on marriage seem to be? Which marriages in the novel are “successful” marriages and why? Are there any “unsuccessful” marriages? What makes a marriage good or bad in the context of Pride and Prejudice? Which marriage, in your opinion, represents the best match?
   
3. Let’s talk money. Which plot elements in this novel involve some kind of monetary transaction? Which plotlines don’t involve money at all? Consider your answers to these two questions and explain why you think money is—or isn’t—an important part of the overall plot of Pride and Prejudice.
   
4. Look at the male and female characters in Pride and Prejudice. Which ones do you think Austen wants us to like and approve of, and which ones does she want us to dislike or find questionable? What does this say about Jane Austen’s ideas of gender roles? How are her views similar or different from the views expressed in Graceling? How are they similar or different to your views?
   
5. How are the lives of the poor gentry (the Bennet girls, Charlotte) different from the lives of the rich gentry (Miss Bingley, Miss Darcy, etc.)? How do their options in life compare? How might their approaches to courtship and marriage compare?
   
6. What are the various ways that women relate to each other in this novel? Does the novel give us examples of female friendship, or does it mostly set women up as competitors? What is the difference between sisterhood and friendship?
   
7. Who always says what he/she means? Who never says what he/she means? Which is more effective at getting others to do what the character wants? Explain your answer.
   
8. The novel is titled Pride and Prejudice, so which characters represent pride, and which ones represent prejudice? Explain.
   
9. What similarities and differences do you see between Elizabeth Bennet and Katsa (of Graceling)? What about between Mr. Darcy and Po? Are there any other characters that seem to have matches between books? Who do you think is the stronger female lead character--Elizabeth Bennet or Katsa? Why? And who’s the better man, Darcy or Po? Why?
   
10. Is Pride and Prejudice still relevant in today’s world? Should it be taught as part of high school English classes or are there other books, like Graceling, that tackle similar themes in a more socially relevant way?