Pride & Prejudice read-along ~ Update 3

Hello!
Miss Late to the Party, here! I am back again for Amber's Pride & Prejudice read-along because...
"I must have my say in the conversation!"

For Amber's thoughts on Volume I: Chapters 21-23 and Volume II: Chapters 1-11, click HERE!

There will be a few spoilers.

Pride & Prejudice Volume I: Chapters 21-23 and 
Volume II: Chapters 1-11

Discussion Format: One favorite quote, some general impressions, and three questions for each wee

Favorite Quote:

I'm not going to say it because of spoiler reasons, but I will tell you that it is one of the most famous quotes from the book (They didn't do it right in the 2005 movie!), and I read it over four times once I got there. "In vain..."

"What think you of this sentence my dear Lizzy?"said Jane as she finished it. "Is it not clear enough?"

General Impressions:

Mr. Collins is one of the silliest people ever.
'Mr. Collins to be sure was neither sensible nor agreeable; his society was irksome, and his attachment to her must be imaginary.'

Lady Catherine is very self-centered.

Jane is the most perfect person possible. I wonder about her name...is Miss Austen saying what she is? Or is she saying what she would like to be? Or is it another person entirely?
"'My dear Jane!'  exclaimed Elizabeth, 'you are too good. Your sweetness and disinterestedness are really angelic; I do not know what to say to you. I feel as if I had never done you justice, or loved you a you deserve.'"

Mr. Darcy might be a little bit self-centered as well.

Miss Bingley is not nice at all.

Are we not all rooting for Bingley and Jane?
"Indeed Jane you ought to believe me. - No one who has ever seen you together can doubt his affection."

'Without thinking highly either of men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want.'

Discussion Questions: (Spoilers Ahead!!!)

1. In chapter 1 of volume II Jane tells Elizabeth, "Let me take it in the best light"—referring to the situation with the Bingleys. Do you admire Jane for her way of approaching life, or do you think she's too naive? Is it better to always think positively, or are there times when it's more harmful than good?

You know, my book that I'm writing is actually all about that. I think it is wonderful to think positively! Just be a tiny bit cautious too.

"Nay," said Elizabeth, "this is not fair. You wish to think all the world respectable, and are hurt if I speak ill of anybody. I only want to think you perfect, and you set yourself against it."

2. Pick a character from this section of reading and imagine yourself having a conversation with him or her. How would it go? What would you talk about, and how would you respond to this person's attitude and manners?

'Mrs. Bennet was in fact too much overpowered to say a great deal while Sir William remained; but no sooner had he left them than her feelings found a rapid vent.'

Mary. We would talk nonsense and books. It would be a great time!

'she thought that if encouraged to read and improve himself by such an example as hers, he might become a very agreeable companion.'

3. How would you respond to Mr. Darcy's proposal in this section?

"I leave it to yourself to determine."
I would probably just be too shocked to answer. Then, at that point in time, yell at him.

Thank you for hosting this, Amber! Sorry for how late it is, and how short.

MovieCritic

Pride & Prejudice read-along ~ Update 2

Hello!
I'm back again a little late for Amber's Pride & Prejudice read-along!

"About a month ago I received this letter, and about a fortnight ago I answered it, for I thought it a case of some delicacy. and requiring early attention."
This shows how I am exactly like Mr. Bennet, I am always a little late. Sorry about that!
For Amber's opinions on chapters 7-20 click HERE.

Also, watch out, there might be a few SPOILERS.

Pride & Prejudice Volume I: Chapters 7-20

Discussion Format: One favorite quote, some general impressions, and three questions for each week's reading.

Favorite Quote:

*groans* How in the world am I going to pick one!? I am cheating again and picking five.

1. Mr. Bennet raised his eyes from his book as she entered, and fixed them on her face with a calm unconcern which was not in the least altered by her communication.

2. "It shows an affection for her sister that is very pleasing."

                                                                                         ~Mr. Bingley

3. "I did not know before," continued Bingley immediately. "that you were a studier of character. It must be an amusing study."

4. "...for what painter could do justice to those beautiful eyes?" (Another sarcasm one!)

                                                                                          ~Miss Bingley

5. "Very true. indeed;---and now, my dear Jane, what have you got to say in the behalf of the interested people who have probably been concerned in the business?---Do clear them too, or we shall be obliged to think ill of somebody."

                                                                                          ~Elizabeth Bennet

General Impressions:

Elizabeth could not but smile at such a conclusion of such a beginning...

"It is difficult indeed--it is distressing.--One does not know what to think."

"I beg you pardon---one knows exactly what to think."

...That this book is amazing!!! 

The characters really depend on society and place. They sometimes ignore other things, more important things when they are focused on class and wealth.

Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy have stated an important element in this book, pride vs. prejudice:

"And your defect is a propensity to hate everybody."

"And yours, " he replied with a smile, "is willfully to misunderstand them." 

As I said, Jane Austen is mocking society for what people care most about. Especially this quote, everyone always uses tit, but it is said in sarcasm!

"I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than of a book!"

Elizabeth: ...there was a mixture of sweetness and archness in her manner which made it difficult for her to affront anybody... 
This fits her pretty well!

Sorry, it's pretty late and it's been a long day so this is all I can think of.

Discussion Questions:

1. Which quote or scene made you laugh/smile the most?

Haha! This one:
...and her mother attended her to the door with many cheerful prognostics of a bad day.

And this one:

"Can he be a sensible man, sir?"

"No, my dear; I think not. I have great hopes of finding him quite the reverse."

2. Mr. Darcy is often silent: in social settings, in his feelings toward Elizabeth, and in defense of his side of Wickham's story. Do you think his silence is "golden" (a wise choice), or do you think he should have been more vocal in these chapters?

"Upon my word I cannot exactly explain the matter, Darcy must speak for himself."

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

I think I silence is his best choice here. If it was me I would blurt something and sound crazy. Mr. Darcy is very thoughtful and I think that is a wise choice.

3. How would you respond to Mr. Collins if he proposed to you?

If, I was Elizabeth I would say, "Mr. Collins, I do not love you, but one of my sisters really does, talk to her about the matter."

If I was Mary I would say, "I admire the activity of your benevolence," observed Mary, "but every impulse of feeling should be guided by reason; and, in my opinion, exertion should always be in proportion to what is requires." then, "I have considered and I will accept."

If I was me, I would laugh in his face and say, "You must be joking!"

Then he would say to Lizzy and I, "From all that I can collect by your manner of talking, you must be two of the silliest girls in the country. I have suspected it some time, but I am now convinced."

Thanks for reading!! Sorry this is so late!

MovieCritic

Book vs. Movie Review: The Jungle Book

Hello Everybody!
Today 50 years ago the Disney movie The Jungle Book came out! (Not the 2016 version, the 1967 cartoon!) Because of that I will do a review of both the book and the movie!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless it says so. 

The Jungle Book - by Rudyard Kipling

"We be of one blood, ye and I."
A man cub is found in the jungle, and the animals decide to take care of him instead of eating it. Mowgli and his friends come upon many, many adventures in the jungle of India.
"What is has been. What will be is no more than a forgotten year striking backwards."
Genre: Adventure.
Characters: 8, there are quite a few good ones!
My favorite: Bagerra, Kaa.
"The English, they had been told, were a perfectly mad people, who would not let honest farmers kill witches in peace."
Words: 8, Very good! But, there are a few places were there is name calling.
"Last year's nuts are this year's black earth."
Storyline: 5, there is death, gruesome things, people mentioned as being nude, smoking, and blood.
"My heart is heavy with the things that I do not understand."
Good For: Animal lovers, People who feel they are different.
Overall Score: 7!
"He turned on his heel and walked away with the Lone Wolf, and as he looked up at the stars he felt happy."

VS.

The Jungle Book (1967):

Based on the book by Rudyard Kipling:
"Many strange legends are told about the jungles of India..."
Being abandoned in the forest, Mowgli grows up with the animals, learning the animal ways. All is well until Shere Khan comes, and wants Mowgli to be no more.

Length: 78 minutes.
Genre: Adventure
Costumes: 6, nothing great, and Mowgli doesn't wear much. But, I do like this:

Script: 8,
"Don't spend your time lookin' around for something that can't be found."

Crew:
Directed by: Wolfgang Reitherman
Produced by: Walt Disney
Screenplay by:
Larry Clemmons
Ralph Wright
Ken Anderson
Vance Gerry
Floyd Norman
Bill Peet
Starring:
Bruce Reitherman as Mowgli.
Phil Harris as Baloo.

Sterling Holloway as Kaa.
George Sanders as Shere Khan.

Sebastian Cabot as Bagheera/Narrator.

Louis Prima as King Louie.
J. Pat O'Malley as Colonel Hathi/Buzzie the Vulture.
Verna Felton as Winifred.
Clint Howard as Junior.
Chad Stuart as Flaps the Vulture.
Lord Tim Hudson as Dizzie the Vulture.
John Abbott as Akela the Indian wolf.
Ben Wright as Rama the Father Wolf.
This really is a 5-star cast!
But, wow, the characters are quite mixed up. The thing with Walt Disney films, is that they are so great you love them, all the characters are classics. Even though Baloo should be like Bagheera, and Bagheera should be like Baloo, and Kaa is a good guy.

Music: 10! Who doesn't love "The Bare Necessities"!? And, "I want to be like you"?!

Music by:
George Bruns
Terry Gilkyson
Richard M. Sherman
Robert B. Sherman
Quotes: 9, So, my favorite quote is so long that I am just going to put a video of it:

Notes: This has some recycled scenes from Winnie the Pooh!

Storyline: 5, the storyline has nothing bad in it, it just is really not a lot like the book. But as I said, you can't say anything bad about it because it is a classic!

Good For: Anybody who feels different, Anybody who has to do a hard thing.

Overall Score: 7!

It's a tie!

I read The Jungle Book, for Heidi's Adventure of Reading Challenge! Go check it out! One done so far on my list! I have read others, but I haven't gotten to review them yet!

Thanks for reading!

MovieCritic

Pride & Prejudice read-along ~ Update 1

It is a truth universally acknowledged that when there is a read-along of a favorite book, one has to join.

"Do you want to know who has taken it?"

"You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it."

"You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion for my poor nerves."

"You mistake me, my dear. I have high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration for the last twenty years."

Okay, okay, I'll stop it with the quotes.

The lovely Amber, is hosting a Pride & Prejudice read-along! Pride & Prejudice - by Jane Austen is one of my favorite books so I thought it would be great to join in!!
For Amber's opinion about chapters 1-6, click HERE.

Pride & Prejudice Volume I: Chapters 1-6

Discussion Format: One favorite quote, some general impressions, and three questions for each week's reading.

Favorite Quote:

Only one!? *looks at pages of quotes written down* Can I list five?

1. "You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me."
                                                                                                   ~Mr. Darcy

2. "Compliments always take you by surprise, and me never."
                                                                                                   ~Elizabeth Bennet

3. "That is very true," replied Elizabeth, "and I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine."
                                                                                                    ~Elizabeth Bennet

4. "...began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes."

5. "A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment."
                                                                                                    ~Mr. Darcy

(You can tell who my favorite people are.)

General Impressions:

We think Pride & Prejudice and we think a classic. That is all true, but it does seem that Ms. Austen had more to say. To me, Pride & Prejudice is absolutely a wonderful classic. I love it. But, it also seems to be Ms. Austen was mocking society. All the rich people having so much pride, and all that. You know?

Now I will get on to the characters.

Elizabeth: Very witty, and easy-going, but has a lot of pride.

Mr. Darcy: Doesn't like strangers, but can be loyal (or so Bingley says.)

Jane: Very shy and reserved, but with a heart of gold. "But these are not Jane's feelings; she is not acting by design."

Mr. Bennet: Here is what it says about him, and I agree completely. Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humor, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character.

Mr. Bingley: A sweet heart everyone loves.

These are just my favorites so far. Sorry this is kind of quick and brief, it is super late.

Discussion Questions:

1. Which character do you most relate to at this point in the story? Whose worldview/personality most resembles yours?

Well, I once answered that I am like Mary. But I also am like Mr. Bennet as I can sometimes be a bit sarcastic, and I love giving people surprises. 

2. Ponder Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth's first impressions of each other. Might the story have been very different if they had each responded differently at (and after) that first ball?

"That is a question which Mr. Darcy only can answer."
Just joking! I think it would have been a very different story, not the one we all love. It shows that everyone is beautiful in their own way, and not to be so judgy (judging).
"But, if he does it anymore I shall certainly let him know that I see what he is about."

3. What do you think of the portrayals of marriage/courtship so far? Charlotte claims, "It is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life." Do you agree or disagree?

"To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love."
They are going pretty well so far, it is always interesting to see the start then all the way to the finish.
I definitely disagree with Charlotte, it definitely is best to know as much as possible.

Thank you so much for hosting this Amber! I love re-reading it!

MovieCritic

Flower Book Tag

Hello Everyone!
Sorry it's been awhile since you've seen me, I have been pretty busy.
Anyway, the lovely Amber at The Hearts Spring has this tag going, it is The Heart's Spring Book Tag, and I have decided that it looks pretty fun, so I am going to fill it out!

Note: The prompts are based on book titles/flower names and themes in The Heart's Spring series.

The Flowers:

Bellflower: Name a book with beautiful writing or a profound plot that made you immediately fall in love.

This is hard, I am going to have to say Pride & Prejudice, by Jane Austen. I had seen the 1995 series, but the book was just so excellent it was unbelievable!

Also, Amber is hosting a Pride & Prejudice read-along on her blog Seasons of Humility.

Forget Me Not: Name a book you adored in your childhood and can't forget even now.

There are so many! But, I'll have to say The Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum. I love the whole series so much, but the first one will always be the most remembered.

Bleeding Heart: Name a book that made you cry with deep compassion for a character.

Wow, this will have to be Hattie Big Sky, by Kirby Larson.

Fairy Slippers: Name a fantasy book or fairy tale that utterly charmed you.

There are too many to count! I'll say Five Glass Slippers, by Elisabeth Brown, Emma Clifton, Rachel Heffington, Stephanie Ricker, and Clara Diane Thompson, because, I get five different stories and it has the word slippers in the title.

Morning Glory: Name a book that has not yet released but you just know you'll love.

Well, when Five Poisoned Apples comes out I'm pretty sure I'm going to like it, and I'm also looking forward to Cahira & the Ghosts, by Abby Lennah.

Thank you so much, Amber for the fun tag!!!

MovieCritic