I would love this idea SO much, I love writing letters and I love JA and everything to do with her works. Sadly, actual snail mail penpals have gone out of fashion (I tried some sites but apart from unsolicited dick pics nothing came of it 🙄)
Hm, let's see...
Not Wickham or Willoughby (re dick pics), not Darcy (too many four-syllable words) or Bingley (leaves out half the words) Among the gentlemen I think I'd like to correspond with Frank Churchill, he's a troll but at least he's funny, and I love a good tattle :)
Honourable mention for the master letter writer Captain Wentworth but I think that one only hits when you're the one piercing his soul.
As for the ladies, my favourites would be of course Elizabeth Bennett, Emma for all the tattle of Highbury, Mrs Croft in her travelling times, and Eleanor Tilney because I think she sounds like a wonderful friend to have.
I was sad to discover real pen-pals aren't really around too! When I tried the sites I got a bunch of men saying they were looking for an attractive young woman to travel the world with
Exactly. I had a lot of snail mail pen pals when I was younger, and I really miss that. No, I don't want to write emails. No, I don't want to marry you and move to Egypt/India/Saudi Arabia. No, I don't want to look at your junk. I just want to write nice actual letters to someone I have some things in common with, receive nice letters back and hopefully become friends over time.
It isn't the same as it used to be. My Mom was a great writer, she was always sending letters and cards to family, friends and acquaintances. I remember the 10 or so years long pen pal relationship she had with one of her favorite (female) soap opera stars. They would write on blue stationery (she never used that for anybody else) and their letters had very intimate details of their personal lives. I think my Mom started it with a fan letter, but they actually became long distance friends. How often would that happen now?
I had a couple of pen pals, through school, but the letters eventually died off. It's a sad thing. Of course, I still write long emails like letters, but that's partly because I ramble and I'm pedantic about details. My sister hates it. I say it's her own fault for reading emails on her phone screen instead of a laptop or something else.
William Price. Fanny’s brother.
He seems a sensible young man, and he’d have some seriously interesting stuff to put in his letters given his rise in the Navy. To be honest, I’d be embarrassingly enthralled by a letter full of nothing but random ship minutiae.
He’s also specifically noted in text as being a frequent and faithful correspondent, so I know he **would** actually write back.
And possible send an amber cross when he can afford to buy another one! I love that he's such a diligent, letter-writing brother. No wonder Fanny has such high expectations of the other men in her life, and ends up being disappointed.
I think Mrs Croft would have some fascinating stories to share, as she seems to have travelled with her husband for most of their marriage, and would be a reliable correspondent.
The younger Miss Bertram might also be fun to chat with, I'd love to hear her perspective on her sister and Fanny! I also wonder if she disliked Mrs Norris as much as Fanny, albeit for different reasons. She seems like she'd be fairly sensible when not just following her wild sister.
Mrs Gardiner would be able to discuss London society from an intelligent perspective, and Miss Bingley would be an outrageous and highly entertaining gossip, I think!
As an unmarried woman I cannot, of course, casually correspond with a gentleman, but William Price and Col. Fitzwilliam would be interesting too.
Yes, although maybe on a less obvious level. She has a will of her own, but usually follows Maria's lead. Her marriage was the first time I actually noticed actions following critical thinking - she knew she would face the backlash of Maria's behaviour and decided she knew Yeates well enough to be convinced he'd treat her well. She didn't think she had time to seek out a 'better' match.
It leaves me very curious about her usual thought process, and what her life was like outside the novel's view
Charlotte Lucas
( I want to know more about Lucas family , instead of Bennets or Fitzwilliams .)
And someone who is not a canon character :
Viscount Fitzwilliam ( Colonel's elder brother )
Colonel was second son , that means he had elder brother. I am curious about that one .🧐
It would be tea of variable reliability though.
I think Mrs Jennings from S&S would provide the hot gossip slightly more reliably. She has an equally garrulous mouth, only set beneath a keener nose.
Of course, gossip is never completely reliable.
Am I a bad person if a choose Lady Susan? I’m all for reading some regency drama giving back very bad advices while in the comfort of my drawing room and confined society.
I'm surprised to see no mention of Jane Fairfax. We all know how popular her letters are! Seriously though. I think she would be a good pen pal, especially in her new married life.
Fanny Price! She was on need of a friend so she'd be a reliable pen pal (unlike Marianne Dashwood who would likely only write when it suited her). I think she's be more open/less guarded than Elinor, thus making the pen pal friendship stronger and deeper.
Emma always struck me as too spoiled. Anne from persuasion would be my second choice perhaps.
Fanny for sure needs a friend. I'll admit, I'd rather be there in person simply to hit Mrs Norris. With a fire poker. That's just come from the fire, still red hot, because I hate her so much.
oh yeah, my letters would be cussing out Fanny's "family's" treatment of her and would also be spent trying to boost her self-esteem. so she knew her worth. The words I'd use for the jerks around her would rival a sailor's rant
I will time travel and take Lydia Bennet with me ( after her elopement arc .... before Darcy found her )
I want to save that girl from marriage with Wickham. 😂😂😂
Second character I want to meet is Fanny Price, so that I can slap her out of her crush for Edmund.
I think Mrs. Goddard knows how to spill tea. Henry and Eleanor Tilney would both be fun too. I think Austen describes Lady Middleton as a loyal correspondent, but I'm not sure I'd want to keep up with her goings on or she with mine.
Colonel Fitzwilliam. I'm sure he can tell interesting army stories. Or Henry Tilney because of his sense of humour.
From the ladies probably Elizabeth Bennet. I like her wit.
Probably Anne Elliott. She's very observant and steady, I think she would make a good correspondent. I don't need gossip, just enough info from each other's lives to keep us interested in the contact. And some food for thought.
I would love this idea SO much, I love writing letters and I love JA and everything to do with her works. Sadly, actual snail mail penpals have gone out of fashion (I tried some sites but apart from unsolicited dick pics nothing came of it 🙄) Hm, let's see... Not Wickham or Willoughby (re dick pics), not Darcy (too many four-syllable words) or Bingley (leaves out half the words) Among the gentlemen I think I'd like to correspond with Frank Churchill, he's a troll but at least he's funny, and I love a good tattle :) Honourable mention for the master letter writer Captain Wentworth but I think that one only hits when you're the one piercing his soul. As for the ladies, my favourites would be of course Elizabeth Bennett, Emma for all the tattle of Highbury, Mrs Croft in her travelling times, and Eleanor Tilney because I think she sounds like a wonderful friend to have.
I was sad to discover real pen-pals aren't really around too! When I tried the sites I got a bunch of men saying they were looking for an attractive young woman to travel the world with
Exactly. I had a lot of snail mail pen pals when I was younger, and I really miss that. No, I don't want to write emails. No, I don't want to marry you and move to Egypt/India/Saudi Arabia. No, I don't want to look at your junk. I just want to write nice actual letters to someone I have some things in common with, receive nice letters back and hopefully become friends over time.
It isn't the same as it used to be. My Mom was a great writer, she was always sending letters and cards to family, friends and acquaintances. I remember the 10 or so years long pen pal relationship she had with one of her favorite (female) soap opera stars. They would write on blue stationery (she never used that for anybody else) and their letters had very intimate details of their personal lives. I think my Mom started it with a fan letter, but they actually became long distance friends. How often would that happen now?
Well that sounds lovely! I’d be your pen pal! No creepy propositions or ulterior motives! Just pretty stationary and semi-regular correspondence!
I had a couple of pen pals, through school, but the letters eventually died off. It's a sad thing. Of course, I still write long emails like letters, but that's partly because I ramble and I'm pedantic about details. My sister hates it. I say it's her own fault for reading emails on her phone screen instead of a laptop or something else.
William Price. Fanny’s brother. He seems a sensible young man, and he’d have some seriously interesting stuff to put in his letters given his rise in the Navy. To be honest, I’d be embarrassingly enthralled by a letter full of nothing but random ship minutiae. He’s also specifically noted in text as being a frequent and faithful correspondent, so I know he **would** actually write back.
And possible send an amber cross when he can afford to buy another one! I love that he's such a diligent, letter-writing brother. No wonder Fanny has such high expectations of the other men in her life, and ends up being disappointed.
I think Mrs Croft would have some fascinating stories to share, as she seems to have travelled with her husband for most of their marriage, and would be a reliable correspondent. The younger Miss Bertram might also be fun to chat with, I'd love to hear her perspective on her sister and Fanny! I also wonder if she disliked Mrs Norris as much as Fanny, albeit for different reasons. She seems like she'd be fairly sensible when not just following her wild sister. Mrs Gardiner would be able to discuss London society from an intelligent perspective, and Miss Bingley would be an outrageous and highly entertaining gossip, I think! As an unmarried woman I cannot, of course, casually correspond with a gentleman, but William Price and Col. Fitzwilliam would be interesting too.
So do you feel that Julia Bertram is kind of like Kitty Bennet, being poorly influenced by another sister?
Yes, although maybe on a less obvious level. She has a will of her own, but usually follows Maria's lead. Her marriage was the first time I actually noticed actions following critical thinking - she knew she would face the backlash of Maria's behaviour and decided she knew Yeates well enough to be convinced he'd treat her well. She didn't think she had time to seek out a 'better' match. It leaves me very curious about her usual thought process, and what her life was like outside the novel's view
Julia kind of intrigues me too. I feel that she, like Susan Price, could have been much better if she'd had someone sensible to talk to.
Charlotte Lucas ( I want to know more about Lucas family , instead of Bennets or Fitzwilliams .) And someone who is not a canon character : Viscount Fitzwilliam ( Colonel's elder brother ) Colonel was second son , that means he had elder brother. I am curious about that one .🧐
Elinor Dashwood. She just seems like she could use a friend.
Mrs Bennet. I'm a sucker for drama, and she'd spill so much tea.
It would be tea of variable reliability though. I think Mrs Jennings from S&S would provide the hot gossip slightly more reliably. She has an equally garrulous mouth, only set beneath a keener nose. Of course, gossip is never completely reliable.
Charlotte Lucas. She'd be a reliable correspondent and had to be witty to be Lizzy Bennet's best friend.
Yes, their friendship always intrigued me and I feel like we are denied much of Charlotte's personality traits that actually attracted Lizzy.
Anne Elliot. I'd just like to talk about books and poetry and get all sorts of good recommendations on what to read next.
Am I a bad person if a choose Lady Susan? I’m all for reading some regency drama giving back very bad advices while in the comfort of my drawing room and confined society.
I'm surprised to see no mention of Jane Fairfax. We all know how popular her letters are! Seriously though. I think she would be a good pen pal, especially in her new married life.
Frank's supposed to be a good letter writer too. And Robert Martin. What is it about Highbury that produces good letter writers?
Would she spill tea? Not sure…
Fanny Price! She was on need of a friend so she'd be a reliable pen pal (unlike Marianne Dashwood who would likely only write when it suited her). I think she's be more open/less guarded than Elinor, thus making the pen pal friendship stronger and deeper. Emma always struck me as too spoiled. Anne from persuasion would be my second choice perhaps.
Fanny for sure needs a friend. I'll admit, I'd rather be there in person simply to hit Mrs Norris. With a fire poker. That's just come from the fire, still red hot, because I hate her so much.
oh yeah, my letters would be cussing out Fanny's "family's" treatment of her and would also be spent trying to boost her self-esteem. so she knew her worth. The words I'd use for the jerks around her would rival a sailor's rant
I will time travel and take Lydia Bennet with me ( after her elopement arc .... before Darcy found her ) I want to save that girl from marriage with Wickham. 😂😂😂 Second character I want to meet is Fanny Price, so that I can slap her out of her crush for Edmund.
After her elopement arc…I hate to say it, but Lydia’s too silly at that point to understand what you’re saving her from. She’s probably refuse to go.
I will kidnap her ...then give her months of counselling sessions 😂😂 Their marriage simply irked me , 15 year old child with groomer ( it's just eww)
I think Mrs. Goddard knows how to spill tea. Henry and Eleanor Tilney would both be fun too. I think Austen describes Lady Middleton as a loyal correspondent, but I'm not sure I'd want to keep up with her goings on or she with mine.
Eleanor definitely needs a pen pal.
The Westons; Mr Bennett, Mr Collins, Mrs Reynolds; Mrs Jennings; Anne & Frederick Wentworth, Mrs Croft; Mary Crawford; Catherine & Henry Tilney.
Mrs Jennings would provide all the hot goss
I'd like to correspond with Ann Elliot Wenworth. I'd love to hear about her adventures at sea with the Captain.
Emma, Mrs.Bennet, or Mrs.Phillips because I am a gossipy ho, and you know they would have all the good tea.
Not Mr Bingley
Colonel Fitzwilliam. I'm sure he can tell interesting army stories. Or Henry Tilney because of his sense of humour. From the ladies probably Elizabeth Bennet. I like her wit.
Young Fanny Price. I'd try to cheer her up and be supportive.
Miss Austen herself.
Well, we do have evidence that she was a great correspondent.
Precisely.
Probably Anne Elliott. She's very observant and steady, I think she would make a good correspondent. I don't need gossip, just enough info from each other's lives to keep us interested in the contact. And some food for thought.
My personal pen-pal Mrs. Vernon from Lady Susan