📚 New contest: BOOK REVIEW!! // 📚 | Mansfield Park by Jane Austen | 5% for SL Charity

Hello Everyone!

Vladimir Nabokov is a famous Russian novelist once told that readers are not cheap and not every pen tame them. I firmly believe that quote because none becomes a reader unless they read the correct book which is able to attract his soul. I was never a good reader, but I was exposed to this book through one of my friends which turned myself into a reader. That book is none other than Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park.

What I appreciate in Mansfield Park is that the book tries to add some sense into adolescent reader’s mind who are living in a fantasy by forgetting the reality. The writer does this through the help of the protagonist of the book, Fanny Price.

Fanny Price, who was an adolescent, was sent to live in Mansfield park with her elite relations as she herself belongs to a working-class family. Since she had to live with her two cousin sisters who were brought up well since their childhood, Fanny’s character was continuously compared with them. Her two cousin sisters, Maria and Julia and her eldest cousin brother Tom spent a carefree shallow life thanks to the wealth which they inherited since their birth. Her only solace was her other cousin brother, Edmund.

The cousins and Fanny were exposed to new neighbors, Henry and Mary who play a major role in the novel. Henry, who is flamboyant youth, flirted with both Maria and Julia without giving his words to any of them. Maria who is down hearted by not receiving any direct proposal form Henry married another and went to her husband’s place with Julia. When Henry revisited Mansfield Park, he noticed the beauty of Fanny which had increased over time. Thus he wanted to have a serious affair with Fanny for the first time in his life. However Fanny who had secretly observed Henry’s behavior towards Maria and Julia did not want to start courtship with him because she knew how fickle he was.

Many encouraged her to accept Henry’s proposal and secure her future with that wealthy man. Her uncle and aunt even condemned her by telling that she is been selfish without thinking her poor family. Even I found myself wanting her to marry henry because as many of the characters , I also believed that people’s habits could be easily changed.
However henry eloped with Maria who was already a married women which dragged the characters and also myself into the reality.

It makes me think twice before fantasizing over the appearance and pursuing me to go deeper to the reality.

Edmund’s pure love for Mary was unrequited as he does not inherit the family fortune since he is not the eldest son of the family.

Julia who was heartbroken with Maria’s elopement with Henry, eloped with John Yates. Thus this incidents becomes the turning point of the novel and highlights the fact that one’s character could not be judged by the social layer which they belongs to and the future and the fortune which they inherited.

Julia, Maria, Mary and Henry who were always respected and treated as real gentlemen and ladies because of the family status, failed to live matching lives to those titles because of their own conduct.

However Fanny who was a nobody if she didn’t live at Mansfield park who was not least outgoing and extrovert as cousins, had the touch of sense critical thinking and self-respect. Thus it proves that one’s character cannot be judged by their birth.

However the novel ends with the happy note with the union of Edmund and Fanny who love themselves poorly not because of the materialistic game but because of the spiritual love . Thus the novel shows how the spirituality conquers over the materialistic pleasures. Therefore I personally believe that this book is a must read for the adolescent as it enlightens the young souls about the reality and teaches the reader that there is a new world lies beyond the appearance.

Since I enjoyed this book I also read the other books of Jane Austen and I found that is light touch of realism in many of her books. Novels show how the young ladies who were materialistic, care free and hast in judgements at first become sensible characters after a lots of events. The characters become enlightened about the difference between the actual goodness and the superficial goodness. Marianne in Sense and Sensibility, Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice and Emma in Emma all gain their maturity at the end of the novel.

I personally think that every girl should at least one book of Austen’s as most of her books targets the maturity of girls. This is what I love about books. the books leave room for us to experience new things before we experience them ourselves. We can understand many things without being exposing to them by ourselves.

A book can become a life changing experience for the reader. So what I want to tell you at last is that if you haven’t read the book which would become your cup of tea yet, go for it. It will bring you to a brand new world.

Thank you @belenguerra, @writingnreviews, @fendit for this nice contest.

Thank you for reading!