Jane Austen is a name that we instantly associate with literature. The name goes hand in hand with Regency excellence and the English countryside. It is also the go-to author for lovers of chick-lit as it fits a certain stereotype for female readers. Despite the literacy box that it has been shoved in, there is a certain magic behind the prose. And every time I read (or re-read) one of her books, my life turns upside down.
After finishing reading Pride and Prejudice recently, I felt a sense of peace. It was as if my brain had been massaged, relaxing to a point that it became usable. It reminded me of your back cracking, or your bunged-up nose becoming unblocked. My perception had been adjusted and the serotonin was following like my bath tap on a Sunday night. But then came the niggle at the back of my mind, slowly remembering the aftermath of my first dalliance with the works of Ms Austen.
I will admit, it has been a long time since I read any Jane Austen novel with focus. Over the years, I have opened the books, read a few pages, but ultimately abandoned reading the book due to other commitments. The first time I read (and I mean really read) a Jane Austen novel, I was 16 years old. Within the following year, my life turned completely upside down and burnt to the ground. If you need a visual clue of what happened; just think of every meme you have ever seen about life with things on fire, stick them all together, and it still wouldn’t come close to the summer of 2002.
It might surprise you to know that there have been studies conducted to see how reading affects our brains. I’m not talking about the vague comments people make. “Reading is good for you! It makes you smarter!” Yeah, we know. Any form of input has the potential to rewire our brain and make us smarter. The study I’m referring to is a Stanford study in which people are asked to read ‘Mansfield Park’ while they are in an MRI machine. The results of the study showed that our brain reacts in a beautiful way to the input, especially if we focus on what is being said and why it is being said.
Saying that Jane Austen has changed my life (again) might appear to be redundant, however, I’m not the only person who feels this way. Ruth Wilson, author of The Jane Austen Remedy, stands by the belief that reading and rereading the six novels has helped to shape her world view for the better. Even at the age of 90, exploring the adventures of the Bennet sisters brings her joy, each reread develops a deeper understanding of herself.
I will admit, I was curious to see if I was the only person this has happened to. How far did the Jane Austen effect go? Were there others that have had their lives explode with beautiful chaos as they flicked through the pages? As I researched this post, I stumbled upon the movie ‘Jane Austen Wrecked My Life’. As it turns out, I’m not the only person to have Jane Austen bring her drama to quiet lives. I’m also not the only person who believes this. This French movie, with the cast speaking in both French and English, highlights how many women feel after reading these classic books.
You might think that I am trying to put you off reading those six classic novels. Let me be clear – I’m not. In fact, go and read them. Go and read them today. Head to your local library and check them out. You can get copies of them on Amazon for a few quid. Second-hand book shops probably have a few battered copies knocking about their shelves. Whatever way you choose to read them, do it. Do it today. Invite the chaos in. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll have your own version of Mr Darcy emerging from the lake instead of someone complimenting your boiled potatoes.
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