Jane Austen Report

[Perfectionist]

Hi,

I admit that I am a thirteen-year-old homeschooled student, and as such have no place on a teaching forum. However, my schooling plan and the freedom my parents allow me has resulted in my being both teacher and student for myself.

Language Arts has been my strength for as long as I can remember, and I have recently begun to expand my genre limitations. In simple words, I've only read Science Fiction/Fantasy and am now trying to read some more useful books. The first book I read for that purpose was Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, and I want to do a school report on it to celebrate the first classical I have ever endured. Unfortunately I don't have the most active imagination when it comes to school related projects, and the mood of Pride and Prejudice and the mood of a typical book report do not match. In my mind at least. If anyone has a report or project they assigned in the past for books by Jane Austen, I would appreciate it if you could send me the assignment form. I can write at a high school level when required, so please do not refrain from giving me ideas meant for a higher grade level than mine.

I apologize for the formality of this, I tend to get uncomfortable when conversing with those of a higher social status than mine, and my natural defense is to become very formal.

Thanks so much,

Perfectionist Complex Victim

[Clellie]

Oh my goodness... I am also a thirteen-year-old, who just started homeschooling, and will continue into eighth grade! How odd! two homeschoolers on the same forum!

I read Pride and Prejudice in the sixth grade, with the help of watching some of the BBC adaption each time I finished a section. I've reread it since then, because I really fell in love with Jane Austen. My brother, in the fifth grade, is just starting to tentatively read Pride and Prejudice, and so I have been thinking about what kind of project I could do, as well as my brother, to represent Pride and Prejudice.

My brother is partial to film, and so I've been working on scripts to act out what we see as the most crucial parts of Pride and Prejudice. This may not be what you are good at, or are able to do easily. That is what works for my brother and I.

Personally, I love a good oral presentation. That is one of the things I will miss about being in a class with 30 other students. But you could present to whoever you learn with (i.e. Mom, Dad, siblings, etc.), and if you think it through and practice a couple of times, it could be a really good way of showing your accomplishment of reading an Austen.

One aspect I think is interesting is the connections between the characters and Jane Austen's life. She was in love with a man by the name of Tom Lefroy, flirted publicly with him, and would have run off to get married, had he and his numerous siblings been completely dependant on his uncle's goodwill. Running away with a poor woman would not have been the way to impress him.

Her father was a clergyman, and yet the only clergyman in Pride and Prejudice is the conceited, yet hilarious, Mr. Collins.

I recommend the book "101 Things You Didn't Know About Jane Austen." It goes deep into not only Austen, but also into Pride and Prejudice and her other works.

In the end, you should do what works for you, whether you hated the book or loved it. You could pick a character, dress as him/her, and deliver an address as though you were that character, and talk about the story from their point of view. Whatever works for you.


P.S. I normally get really weird and formal when I'm talking to, as you say, "those of a higher social status than mine." Don't sweat it.