Walking Where Austen Walked

Pride and Prejudice was the first British Literature book I became familiar with that really led to my love for literature. I was eleven when my sister-in-law introduced me to Pride and Prejudice then several Jane Austen books after that. As I watched the movie and read the book the following year, Austen’s characters came alive to me as I dove into their thoughts and laughed at their 18th-century wit. I grew up dreaming about the hills of England countryside described in Austen’s books and what it would be like to walk across the spacious landscapes just as Elizabeth fancied. I even dreamed of meeting a man such as Mr. Darcy someday, who would overcome the bands of social expectations for love. Though I still have yet to fulfill my dreams in finding my “Mr. Darcy,” I am already one step closer to my other dream: to walk the Jane Austen countryside of England.

My trip to visit England in the fall is already a dream come true for me. For years I’ve watched and read about scenery in England through Austen, the Bronte’s, and many other beloved British authors, but finally it will be me creating my own story as I live in and breathe British air. Watching Pride and Prejudice will enhance my experience in England because I know I will feel an even greater connection with the characters I have come to know in these stories, as well as the authors who have written them. This connection I will create will aide me in my studies, career, and even life as I grow and develop my passion of writing and teaching English and Literature. I apply English Literature very much in my life, so being able to visit and experience these historical English sites is extremely exciting for me. I will use this experience I will have for the three weeks this fall for the rest of my life. Walking where Austen walked will connect me to the past where not only my family line originated from, but where some of the greatest story-tellers of time lived and told tales of love and life. It truly is an experience I will forever cherish and will hold dearly to my heart as my dreams become a reality in visiting Jane Austen’s world.