Reminders & My Tag Question Answers

Our Jane Austen Birthday Assembly is drawing to a close. Don't forget there's still time left to play the Jane Austen Trivia Quiz and the Jane Austen Characters Scavenger Hunt. Also don't forget the JABA Tag Questions and if you answer them leave me a comment with the link! Here are my own answers to the JABA Tag Questions. Thanks to Melody and Miss Elizabeth Bennet for suggesting some of these fantastic questions!

1. How did you meet Jane Austen? 
I was introduced to her through Sense & Sensibility (1995) and other film adaptations. You can read the whole story in my post How I Met Jane Austen.

2. In which order did you first become acquainted with and read Jane Austen's novels? 
I became acquainted with the story of Sense and Sensibility, then Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park and lastly Persuasion.
I read Northanger Abbey first followed by Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice, Emma and then Mansfield Park.

3. Rate Jane Austen's major novels from your most favorite to your least favorite and tell why.
My favorite novel is Northanger Abbey because of it's wit, sweet story and wonderful characters! Also I'm quite partial to the novels that don't get as much publicity or fans. My next favorite is Persuasion, then Mansfield Park has recently made it to my third favorite, Sense and Sensibility would be fourth, Emma would be my fifth favorite. My least favorite is Pride and Prejudice mostly because it's just so popular and I don't identify with the hero and heroine as much as with the ones in the other novels.

4. Which Jane Austen hero/heroine couple is your favorite and why?
Because my favorite novel is Northanger Abbey I should say Catherine Morland and Henry Tilney and they are incredibly sweet! But I'm going to say Captain Wentworth and Anne Elliot because Anne is actually my favorite Austen heroine and to me they are the best matched couple, and their love is tried and true.

5. Which hero/heroine couple is your least favorite and why?
Are you really ready for this? You're going to be shocked! My least favorite couple is Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. *ducks the rotten tomatoes*  Although I love all of Jane Austen's novels and characters, and would always choose them over other books, Darcy and Elizabeth's personalities are aggravating - more aggravating than the other couples. They are definitely well matched...yeah, they deserve each other! Also they are so popular and part of me always wants to rebel against liking things that are SO popular. :-/

6. Have you read any of Jane Austen's Juvenilia works? Which ones?
I've read all of Jane Austen's Juvenilia works and own them all in one paperback volume. I do need to read them again soon because I really enjoy them.

7. If you could change the name of one of Jane Austen's characters who would it be and why?
Well, besides giving Colonel Brandon a first name, I'd change Henry Crawford's first name. Being a fan of the Henry - the incomparable Mr. Tilney - I don't think Mr. Crawford deserves the name and I'd change his first name probably to Richard (an NA joke "though his name was Richard, and he'd never been handsome.")

8. Have you ever introduced someone to Jane Austen?
I've tried with a few of my friends but they showed little interest. My sister has grown up listen to me talk about Jane Austen and our family watching film adaptations and in the last couple years I've gotten her to read Northanger Abbey (which she enjoyed greatly), Emma, Sense and Sensibility and some of Pride and Prejudice. She also loves quite a few of the movies now, especially Emma (2009).

Anna Chancellor

9. If a new film about her life was made, which actress would you want to play Jane Austen?
Well, because she's related to the Austen family I've always thought it would have been neat if actress Anna Chancellor had portrayed Jane Austen. The best part is that she most definitely has the Austen nose, is taller like Jane and when she was young was quite pretty. I know we think of her as Caroline Bingley but I would have loved to see her in Miss Austen Regrets. She's 47 right now so if a film were made about Jane Austen just before her death she might be able to pull it off. :)

 

10. Pretend you're having a weekend party at your very own country house, which Austen characters (up to five) would you invite and why?
Mr. Tilney, Eleanor Tilney, Admiral and Mrs. Croft and Mrs. Jennings. Of course Mr. Tilney, I love Eleanor Tilney, the Crofts would be so much fun and Mrs. Jennings to winkle things out of us all! "She's horribly good at winkling!" :)

11. In your real life have you ever attended a Jane Austen themed event, party or ball? Or have you hosted one yourself?
YES! This summer I attended the Jane Austen Festival in Louisville, Kentucky which is now two hours from where I live. This was my very first Jane Austen excursion and I enjoyed it so so much! I can't wait to go next year and would love to take some friends with me, so if you're in the area come July I'd love to attend with you! 2013 marks Pride and Prejudice's 200th anniversary! :)

12. Suppose you were given the opportunity to ask Jane Austen two questions: one in connection with her real life and one about her stories. What would they be?
About her life I would ask her what the name of her mysterious seaside gentleman was and whether she loved him.
About her stories I'd ask her whether Captain Frederick Tilney purposely flirted with Isabella Thorpe to draw her attention away and save James Morland or if he was really just a cad after all.