Greetings, friends! Happy 2022!
I’m sorry I disappeared from Austen Variations (and from the Internet more generally) these past few months. In late July, I was asked, unexpectedly, to teach high school English. What an adventure! Though I often feel as if I don’t know what I’m doing, I’ve had a great experience so far.
There has been one downside to teaching: I’ve done very little writing. (Boo!) However, I have made time to hang out with my funny, curious, and mischievous eleven-year-old daughter! She loves humor in almost all forms, so when she found me laughing over my worn copy of Pride and Prejudice, she asked if I would read it aloud to her each night before bed. She loved it! Now we’re about halfway through Emma, which she finds even more hilarious.
When I learned of this month’s Austen Variations theme (“Joking with Jane”), I asked my daughter if I could share some of her thoughts on the glories of Austen’s humor. She kindly agreed to an interview, which I have transcribed below.
(Note: the word “ughy” appears frequently. I’m not sure I can give a good definition of this word; it’s my daughter’s catch-all for amusing/annoying/unbelievable. )
Christina Morland: Now that we’ve read all of Pride and Prejudice and half of Emma, tell me what you love most about Austen’s novels so far.
Daughter: Uh….uh… (giggles) (When she sees I’ve written “giggling” on my notepad, she claims to be laughing, not giggling.) The books are funny because they’re about people who are ughy, and that’s funny because that’s how people really are! Emma is such a stuck-up brat—and it’s so funny when she’s being that way.
CM: Who in P&P makes you laugh the most and why?
D: Mr. Collins, definitely, because he’s so horrible and that’s funny. Not horrible, bad. Just horrible, funny. He’s even ughier than normal people. He’s just so—oh my god, why is he so ughy and crazy?
CM: How about in Emma? Who makes you laugh the most?
D: Emma!
CM: Really! Not Mr. Woodhouse? You seem to laugh every time he shows up.
D: Well, Mr. Woodhouse too. The percentage of time we spend with him is funnier than the percentage of time we spend with Emma, but we see more of Emma. All the Woodhouses, really, even Isabella. They’re all so dramatic and ughy!
(Brief interruption for a proud mama moment: Can you tell my daughter loves math, as well as humor and Austen? And now back to our regularly-scheduled interview…)
CM: If you were able to create a stand-up comedy duo, like Abbott and Costello, using one character from P&P and one from Emma, which characters would you choose?
D: Mr. Knightley (the older one) and Mr. Collins! They’d be so funny because Mr. Collins would say random ughy stuff to grovel in submission to Mr. Knightley, who would be like, “What?” I don’t know if they’d realize they were doing stand-up, but they’d be funny!
CM: Any other characters?
D: Lady Catherine and Emma!
CM: If the cast of P&P showed up at Hartfield for dinner, which character would Mr. Woodhouse be the most anxious for?
D: (Thinks for a bit.) He’d be worried most about Lydia and Wickham—
CM: Aren’t we all!
D: —because they do whatever they want. Hey, do you think Mr. Woodhouse and Lady Catherine would get along?
(I don’t answer, as I’m busy trying to write all of this down.)
D: You’re not answering! I want to know what you think. You have to answer my questions, too!
CM: Okay, okay! No, I don’t think they’d get along. Lady Catherine would never let Mr. Woodhouse get a word in edgewise. He wouldn’t like being silenced, but he also wouldn’t be mean to Lady Catherine about it. Emma, on the other hand—
D: Emma would kick her out! She’d be like, “Lady Catherine, I’m afraid your carriage has come early. I wonder who called it?”
CM: Any other characters that Mr. Woodhouse would worry about?
D: Jane and Bingley because they’re happily married. He worries about anyone who’s happily married!
CM: Who’s worse: Mr. Collins or Mr. Elton?
D: Momma, that’s hard. You’re so mean! (Pauses to think.) Mr. Elton because Mr, Collins is at least funny when you’re talking to him, but Mr. Elton is just annoying.
CM: Who would you rather be friends with — Harriet or Kitty?
D: I don’t even know anything about Kitty! She’s mentioned five times! And Harriet is kind of pitiful.
CM: Then what about choosing between Harriet or Charlotte, since they’re both the close friends of the protagonists?
D: Harriet, Harriet, Harriet. Charlotte is just like, “I need to get married, and I’ll take what I can get and run with it.” I don’t like that. For Harriet…I don’t mean to be an Emma, but if I had known Harriet as long as Emma knows her, we probably wouldn’t stay friends because Harriet’s too silly. So I’d try to get her to be less silly. She’s not that bad. I just couldn’t spend a long time with her.
CM: Who do you think is the better heroine (however you define better): Emma or Elizabeth?
D: Better in a book sense? Emma. Better person? Elizabeth, definitely. Better as in funnier…Emma!
Well, I hope you have enjoyed our conversation! It’s been so much fun reading Austen’s books aloud to my daughter. I will note that we watched the 1995 P&P before we read the book together, and she saw both the 1996 and 2020 Emma before we started that novel. My younger self would be scandalized that I let my daughter watch the films before reading the books! Honestly, though, I’m so glad I did. She’s been able to appreciate the beauty and humor of Austen’s language because she’s not struggling to understand the plot. Well, she still doesn’t “get” most of the romance (as in, why do people even want to kiss and get married? That’s gross!) — but she loves the family dynamics, for sure.
Tell me: which moments or characters do you find most humorous in Austen’s novels?
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Delightful!!!
Adm Croft(looking at the horrid painting/unable to tell the Musgrove daughters apart/mirrors!!!) and John Knightley(I’d rather be George Knightley but I’m too much like John Knightley)!
I love this interview! And it’s inspired me to follow through with reading P&P with my son who has expressed interest since I’m constantly reading variations. 🙂
First, Persuasion: the most amusing characters are Admiral Wentworth, Walter Elliott, and Mary Elliott. Yet, two of my favorite scenes occur when Anne first arrives to visit Mary at Uppercross and the reactions of Sir Walter and Miss Elliott at the card party when they learn of Mr. Elliott’s departure and Captain Wentworth’s arrival to “request” (announce?) permission to marry Anne.
Second, P&P: I find Anne de Bourgogne, Maria Lucas, and Mr. Hurst quite amusing. Whenever I read it again, I always laugh at the statement that when Elizabeth departs Rosings, Anne exerts herself to hold out her hand and curtsy. That is an entire description in a single sentence.
A precious precocious princess !! (What ? I like alliteration too🤓)
Great discussion you have – you might start a tradition there! Every January – to see how her opinions grow and change … Or not?
As for me: generally I absolutely adore how in few sentences Jane leaves no doubt about which person she herself finds ridiculous enough… Like Mr Collins, but also miss Bingley, not to mention Lady Cat, Sir Walter, Mr Elton and so on….
A personal favourite: Mr Bennet!
Thank you💜
Your daughter is a marble and a lot of fun. It was lovely to read the Interview.
Mr. Collins is definitly the most hilarious character. But sometimes I think, if Mr. DARCY did open his mouth …. I have the feeling he does have a biting and ironic humor that has everyone laughing with tears in the eyes, but he does not. I have to use my own imagination….
Harriet is silly like Lydia and blind to the feel ings of others.
What is with Miss Bingley?
This is delightful! My favorite comic character has to be Miss Bates. Her long monologues are a treasure.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful interlude with you and your daughter. Her insights are quite funny and I love the word “ughy!” It would be interesting to see how she feels about the books in another 5 years when she’s in the middle of teenagerhood. Thanks again
Two tips from a former high school English teacher, proofer, writer, professional editor, quilting teacher: Suggest the Clueless and get yourself a copy of English Simplified–used, older copies from eBay are fine. It’s a concise, quick collection of grammar, punctuation, word choice, writing skills, research tips. I just ordered two more copies for under $5 each, only because I too often misplace it within my reading-sewing-tv-computer room, also known as my “sanity room.” I have been relying on the booklet for literally sixty-plus years and it as served me well through multiple degrees and writing projects.
(I have no clue how to italicize movie and book titles in email. Notice computer skills are not in my list of experience.)
A great interview! It’s very interesting that even a teenager can identify with Austen’s characters. It seems that people haven’t changed too much in all those years.
I think Lady Catherine is a very funny character. Her statements are so ridiculous (“If I had ever learnt, I should have been a great proficient.”)
And Mrs Bennet (“It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them.”)
Miss Bates ist too annoying for me – I just can’t find her funny. Especially in an audio book, when you can’t even skip her constant rambling.
But I imagine I would enjoy a comedy show with Lady C. and Emma very much 😁. Or with Mr and Mrs Bennet. I like his dry humor, especially in contrast to her hysterics.
Thiw was wonderful! Thank you for sharing it with us, and thank you for introducing Austen to the next generation.
Thank you for an uplifting interview with your daughter. She had me giggling. I think you were wise to have her watch the films first as the books would come more alive for her. Loved the thought of Lady Catherine against Mr. Woodhouse. She would have a captive audience who would listen to her advice.
Happy New Year!
Love your interview and your daughter’s insightful comments! You certainly have a lot to be proud of! Glad teaching is going well but sorry there is not time for writing.
I would have to say Mr. & Mrs. Bennet always make me laugh when they are not making me go crazy!
Take care and stay safe and healthy!
How wonderful the interview is!! Such insights from an eleven-year-old is stunning.
Thank you for sharing with us.
This was such a fun post. Your daughter is hilarious. I fell out laughing when I read her comment about Emma and Lady Catherine. When she said: “Lady Catherine, I’m afraid your carriage has come early. I wonder who called it?” was an absolute scream. How clever.
A comment from Anne-Marie mentioned Miss Bates and her long monologues… I suddenly had a picture of her and Mr. Collins in the same room. OMG! I’d run for the hill for sure. I have a feeling they’d talk over each other completely oblivious to what the other was saying. When they parted, they’d be satisfied with such a conversation companion. LOL! Thanks for the giggle today.