Parent's favourite read

Keenan: What is your favourite book?

Mum: I don't have one favourite book. I love all the books that I read. As you know, nowadays I am more into contemporary thrillers. But classics have always been my favourite. My favourite classics' writers are Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and Elizabeth Gaskell.

Keenan: Please tell me more.

Mum: Pride and Prejudice is the first Jane Austen book I read. It was the literature text used in my brother's secondary school. I came across the book while rummaging through his stuff during the school holidays. I read the book and fell in love with it.

Keenan: What is the story about?

Mum: As the name suggested, it is about pride and prejudices. The main characters are Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. The latter, a proud gentleman due to his wealth and position in life is attracted to Elizabeth, a lively and spirited woman with no fortune. She is however prejudiced against him arising from a series of unfortunate events and rejected his offer of marriage. From her rejection, Darcy learnt humility. He went on to help her family avoid the devastating scandals of her sister's elopment and through it, Elizabeth reached a new understanding of Darcy. The story ended happily with the marriage of the hero and heroine.

Keenan: Why do you like the book?

Mum: Well, other than the "happily-ever-after" ending, the story brings to mind the reality of many of human relations which are beset with prejudices and pride. Don't we all look at things or people with tinted glasses and allow our judgement to be tainted with our prejudices? We are so intrisically bound in all these webs that conscious effort must be asserted to rise above them. And unlike novels, there may not be happy endings in real life.

Keenan: What is it about the writing of Jane Austen that appeals to you?

Mum: Beautifully crafted sentences - Jane Austen has a great way with words. Her writing is noted for its wit, irony and shrewd observations. Although her novels are confined to the closed society she is familiar with, there is much warmth and truth in them that appeals to the soul.