Hi I’m Emma and I’m addicted to Pride and Prejudice

Hi I’m Emma Hox, and I’m addicted to Pride and Prejudice. How long do you ask, well at this point in life it has been longer than it has not been. It’s a rather interesting tale really, one that I would like to share with you.

A common pastime of the average 13-year-old are slumber parties, and I was no exception to the enjoyment of them. One warm summer day my friend and I were having one such event. My friend had an older sister, a beautiful girl of 17. Of course being the 13-year-olds that we were we wanted to be like her in everything. We wanted to wear what she wore, eat what she ate and most of all read what she read. We saw her packing around the rather dubious book, occasionally hiding it from everyone’s view, which of course intrigued us more. Until finally, we asked about it.

She told us the book’s name, Pride and Prejudice, and then informed us that we wouldn’t like it and wouldn’t understand it. She then began to expound upon it, saying it was an age-old story, one of love and romance, where one rich man cannot decide if he prefers to please his family or have the love of his life. Being the average 13-year-olds that we were, we were determined to read it. As soon as she left, we went directly to her room to obtain the coveted book. We were drawn to it like a woman to chocolate, not knowing how that first taste would overtake the rest of our lives; and overtake our lives it did.

Since that first read, I have been utterly and hopelessly addicted to that age old tale of love and romance. In some aspects, I believe, I have even let it consume me. As I was growing up I knew that I would never marry without the deepest love and affection. It would be preferable if he looked like Mr. Darcy, and even better, if he could talk like him.  Or at least just quote Mr. Darcy’s second marriage proposal. I of course overlooked the fact that for the first half of the book Mr. Darcy was a conceited and prideful man, and think of him as most women do as the kind and loving brother and master.

Emma Hox

This obsession for Pride and Prejudice has now consumed almost 20 years of my life. Of course beginning with just the rereading of the book over and over, however it has expanded to the preference of empire waisted gowns, trimming my own bonnets and elbow length gloves. And yes, I found my own Mr. Darcy, and although he couldn’t when we met, he can now quote Mr. Darcy’s second marriage proposal.