The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen (pg. 92-186) Chapters 8-16

Summary:
So, we left off with the Austen Women accepting the offer of moving to Chawton Cottage. One afternoon, while Jane and Cassandra was window-shopping, they encounter one of their mother's friends Mrs. Jenkins. Mrs. Jenkins invited Jane and Cassandra to dinner Thursday night and wanted them to meet her niece, nephew, his wife and their friend. On Thursday night, at the dinner party, Jane meets the Churchills and Mr. Ashford again. Apparently, Mrs. Jenkins is Mr. Churchill's aunt and Ashford is the friend. The niece could not come because she was sick and couldn't make it. At the dinner party, Jane played multiple pieces on the piano and Ashford was amused of how well she can play. After that, Ashford promised Jane that he will take her on that picnic at Netley Abbey the next day. Cassandra and the Churchills will also be attending the picnic. So the next day, during their picnic, they got on a boat ride with a guide named Mr. Grady. Then at the end of the day, when everyone was tired, Jane and Ashford both decided to take a walk around the area. While they were walking, they form a conversation and the reader knows about Ashford's childhood of how it was lonely and he felt like running away. Then, when Jane confesses to Ashford that she wanted to be a novelist, he laughed a little and Jane took it offensively and ran away from him. Then when Ashford realizes what he had done, he sincerely apologized and he was happy that she wants to be a novelist. After that, Jane started revising her novels like Sense and Sensibility and First Impressions and Ashford also made suggestions on what to write. Then, they talked about which character in the book resembles Jane and went into a conversation with each other and then they had gotten closer to each other, physically. Jane expected something to happen like Ashford declaring his love to her or kissing her but that didn't happen. They just gotten so emotional with the plot of a book and what it means to them. The next day, Ashford was to leave Southhampton and wanted to tell her one last thing, but it was cut short by the Churchills, wanting him to come with them. Then Cassandra and Jane got invited to a small musical party by their neighbors, the Smiths. There, they meet Mrs. Jenkins again and meet her niece Isabella. Jane and Cassandra soon learned shocking news; Isabella is engaged to Mr. Ashford! Jane turned pale and was surprised at the same time. Jane thought why Ashford didn't tell her earlier and maybe that was the news he was going to tell her before he left Southampton. Then, Jane thought of Ashford as a dishonest and she does not want to think about him again. Then a few days after, Jane and Cassandra went to James's house where Mrs. Austen is now staying at. James's wife Mary is not so fond of her husband's sisters coming. One Sunday, the whole family was going to church and there, Jane encountered the Bigg-Wither family again. One of the sisters Alethea, wants Jane to come with her and her father to Derbyshire to meet Alethea's future husband, Mr. Morton, a clergyman. Jane said because she doesn't want to think of Pembroke Hall at Derbyshire or its heir(Ashford). Alethea begged and Jane couldn't say no. Mr. Morton's house was big. For the next 3 days at Derbyshire, Morton was going to show them a tour of every church, field, etc. The final destination was Pembroke Hall. Jane did not want to go on the tour anymore, however Morton wanted to come anyway. So Jane has no choice.

Quote:

"To my mortification, a laugh escaped his lips. I felt my cheeks grow hot" (James 124).

Reaction:
This quote was taken from when Ashford laughed at Jane's dream in being a novelist. From this quote, I could tell that being a novelist is a "man's occupation" during the 19th century. Women cannot have the privilege to be a novelist, but Jane's dream is to be one. Jane tries to avoid the laughs that Ashford has committed. However, I don't think she should care what people think about her. If that is her dream, go for it. No one should stop or discourage her. If I was in Jane's place, I would also feel upset and embarrassed, but that will not stop my writing. As a matter of fact, that will encourage me to continue writing and hope that one day it will be published.

The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen (pg. 7-91) Chapters 1-7

Summary:
Our narrator Jane, was born and raised in Steventon, Great Britain. Jane dreams of being a novelist, for only men can have that occupation as a living during that time period. She has 1 sister, Cassandra and 6 other brothers. Jane is going to tell the reader two experiences that altered her life. The first experience was set in December 1800. Jane's parents are moving from Steventon to another city called Bath. Jane was surprised and didn't want to believe it. Jane is not fond of Bath because it is too loud and full of pollution. In 1805, Jane's father George was very ill and his last words before he passed away is that she has to get one of her novels published. The income will go down and soon the Austens cannot afford to pay their home. Edward, Jane's brother, had multiple houses that he owed and his mother was hoping that she and her daughters can live in one. Edward said no, but he still give them 100 pounds per month. The mother thinks that his wife, Elizabeth doesn't approve them living in one of the cottages. So, Jane's other brother Frank and his wife Mary wanted Mrs. Austen, Jane, Cassandra and the family's friend Martha to live with them at Southampton. While living there, Mrs. Austen thought that live could be different if one of the daughters get married. One day, Jane's brother Henry wanted him and her to visit another city called Lyme. There, the siblings went to the Cobb, a stone jetty that has a good view of the sea and the cliffs. While going up the stairs, she lost her footing, waving backwards which will result in tragic fall. Fortunately, someone caught her. The person who saved her is named Frederick Ashford. The trio exchanged greetings. From that incident, Henry met his colleague, Charles Churchill, who is friends with Ashford. Then on, there is a romance between Ashlford and Jane. The reader can realize that by Ashford declaring that he would risk his life for Jane. They both like the same authors and novels and started a discussion on them. After that, Ashford wanted to have a picnic with Jane and the Churchills. However, that event did not happen because there was an emergency at his hometown Derbyshire. The second experience that Jane had started in 1802, when her father was still alive. Jane had friends, the Bigg-Wither family, at Mandydown Park and she was going to visit them. In the family, there is a shy brother named Harris and during dinner, he tries to impress Jane by ordering special food for her. Later that night, Harris told her that he is the heir of Mandytown Park and that he needs a wife. So, he proposed to her. Jane, during that time Jane is 26 years old and Harris is 21 years old. Jane said yes to the proposal but when she thinks about it again, she realizes she doesn't really love him and accepted for property and money reasons and she can't live like this. So in the end, Jane rejected the proposal. After that flashback, we come in the present in 1808 and we learn that Edward's wife Elizabeth has past away and after that, Edward made an offer to the Austen women of a house at Chawton. Cassandra went to Edward's place to console the children.

Quote:

"Take him and trust to love after marriage," insisted my mother (James 82).

Reaction:
This quote was said by Mrs. Austen with Jane in discussing whether Jane should marry Nathan. From this quote, I was questioning if back then in England, if there were still arranged marriages. Also, I wonder if couples marries each other because of wealth and money and property. I think Mrs. Austen thinks that to live a good, one needs to have great wealth so one won't worry about being poor or broke.  Jane believes in true love and she doesn't want to waste a marriage in which she can't be happy or be satisfied with her decision. I wonder if she will find true love after all.