My foster granddaughter and I talked about the English class system today. I was taking her to see "Love and Friendship" from Jane Austen's unpublished (until recently) teenage novel about the ruthless Lady Susan. I had to explain that in that era women had few choices, and no vote, no power and no independent money or work. They married young and were desperate to marry, if they had no money. This was like describing Mars to my eleven year old, but she seemed interested. Then we had a bit of luck. We went to a matinee, and it was a tiny theater and there was no one else there, so I could continue telling her who was who and what was going on, and remind her of information I'd explained over lunch. I normally hate people talking in a movie theater, but we had the showing to ourselves, and this was challenging fare to one so young.
Taking her home I suggested she see "Emma" with Gyneth Paltrow, and the old Pride and Prejudice with Greer Garson and Lawrence Olivier. They are both funny and pretty easy to understand. She has seen "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" at a friend's house, so she might as well try the real thing. And if all else fails, the costumes and hair and dancing should lure her in.
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