Pride_and_Prejudice_Verses_Bridget_Jones's_Diary

(was designed to be a presented speech) Members of the QSA Panel, Pride and Prejudice was one of the most well written novels of the generation of 1813. A generation is approximately the time between a mother and her daughter’s first offspring, about 30 years. This means this book was the most well written book of 6 generations ago, or 180 years ago. Generation ‘Y’ of 13-28 years ago cannot possibly begin to understand or relate to the language used, attitudes, or the issues raised in those times. Bridget Jones’ Diary (a modernised version of P+P) is a much more suitable piece to teach to the distracted minds of gen y, as it raises issues that most of gen y are used to in today’s society. Things like email, drinking/smoking, and sex before marriage. A book written in 1813 is difficult to understand as it uses a number of words that are never used in this generation’s vocabulary. Words like ‘candour’ (chapter 4 page 16) and ‘tithes’ (chapter 18 page 94) have little relevance and meaning for the youth of today. The book uses ‘old’ English opposed to the modern or ‘texting’ language of gen y. In every speaking line, the characters of P+P described what they were feeling as they were talking. They expressed what they were saying in the form of words, such as when Mrs. Bennet cries out when she is informed that Mr. Gardiner will return home, after not successfully tracking down Mr. Wickham and Lydia. “What, is he coming home, and without poor Lydia! Surely, he will not leave London before he has found them. Who is to fight Wickham, and make him marry her, if he comes away' I am horrified, oh, my poor nerves...” On the other hand, BJD uses aggressive and vulgar language, repetitive use of the ‘f’ word and sexual, up front in your ‘face’, language. The speech in BJD also tends to be short and to the point. Where the Mr. Darcy (from P+P) says to Lizzie “I must tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” Which is has identical meaning to the line during the dinner toast on Bridget’s birthday where the Mr. Darcy from BJD says that he admires her, “just as you are”. Furthermore, in P+P, men were always referred to as Mr. And not by their first name. For example, Mr. Darcy’s first name is Fitzwilliam but it is only mentioned twice in the book and not from another character using it. This was how they referred to other people back then whereas in BJD they never called anyone Mr or Mrs and only sometimes did they call each other by their real name as they often used nicknames. Attitudes and social norms in BJD are a good representation of how gen y behaves on a day-to-day basis. Things like smoking and drinking are all too common in the youth of today. Where as excessive drinking was looked down upon harshly in the times of P+P. The characters in P+P were ‘upper’ class and clean. In BJD, there was an extreme amount of swearing, slut-like behaviour, drinking, and smoking and was an unhealthy life. Very much, like the behaviour of generation Y today. When trying to learn something new, the most important thing is that it is something that you enjoy and can relate to. If you cannot then it is very difficult to understand. You don’t know why is it a big deal Lydia is in London with Mr. Wickham having sex, or you can see why Bridget hates Daniel after what he did to her at the Tarts and Vicars party. Because gen y are more like the characters in Bridget Jones’ Diary, and live in a similar society, the youths will be more willing and can gain a better understanding of the story and the deeper thinking of the issues present in the movie. Therefore, I would recommend to you that instead of using the canonised text, Pride and Prejudice, we teach a contemporary text like Bridget Jones’ Diary. Thank you for your time.