Letters to Alice - Letter 5 Analysis

Letter Five - interconnectedness between the writer and the reader
Social class: Weldon’s comment on social class in Canberra; “in pretty idiosyncratic suburbs where house prices define the status of the occupants and when you change houses you change your friends”, parallels to that in Austen’s time and novels.
Power and purpose of the writer
Since Austen, Weldon comments in a didactic tone; “any seminar on Women and Writing or Women Writers of the New Female Culture or whatever is instantly booked up – by men as well as by women – and readings by writers and in particular women writers – are so popular”
“But times, you see, have changed, and writers have had to change”
Human nature
“Men – I use the term generically to include the female…. Are like children; they tend to misconstrue lack of reproof as a lack of interest, as indifference”
Jane Austen vs today
Writers such as Jane Austen were more original with their writing and drew from personal experiences and by “reading aloud, listening to the sightings and coughings of her audience” Where as today many writers are influenced by TV and “will deny a sense of audience”
Motiff of the City of Invention
Once again she refers to the City of Invention saying you can visit and depart the city at your own will whilst being in the safety of your own room. “When you close the book …. Discover that you are changed yet unchanged!” Weldon believes this is all education is about.
Links to the city of Invention “In this City, virtue is rewarded and the bad are punished”
Comments on Austen and Pride and Prejudice
Aunt Fay comments that in Austen’s day, novels were meant to be read aloud so they are aurally effective – “so wonderfully read aloud.” She argues that Austen’s sense of audience and the effect of her text is what makes her novels so valuable.
She also makes the point that Austen’s works offer moral instruction, presenting Lizzy as “listening to the beat of feeling rather than the pulsing urge for survival” personification and imagery highlights how characters can be role-models for readers. Weldon also alludes to how Austen’s protagonist is more refined that the more primitive society around her. She surpassed society’s conventions. Readers are encouraged to question established practice and test it against moral integrity. “paying attention to the subtle demands of human dignity rather than the cruder ones of established convention”. Austen shows readers their faults and shows how their virtues can overcome them. There is hope and instruction. Hence Weldon credits Austen with social change: “prodding it quicker and faster along the slow, difficult road that had led us out of barbarity into civilisation”
Austen rewarding goodness – “If you are good, Jane Austen promised, you will be happy” Lizzy overcomes her prejudices so she can love and be loved by Darcy
“Jane Austen defines our faults for us, analyses our virtues, and tells us that if we will only control the one with the other, all will yet be well”

Letter 3
A contemporary view on Austen’s context
Microcosm - all her novels are parochial didactic tone asides in brackets > relate back to Alice. At times sarcastic: jolts readers and alice into the reality of Austen’s life. page 38 page 39- religious paradigms of the time, biblical allusions, sarcasm (rich people helping the poor)
41: Role of fathers and mother
42 2nd para: Alice and who she is role of unmarried women 44
48 Mr Bennet
49 writing is hard, sympathises with Austen, personifies language marriage 51 P&P Collins and Charlotte > parallels to Rich landowners in Aus

Letter 4
- Child birth