I remember the first time watching Pride and Prejudice. I was with my mom on a lazy Saturday afternoon in 2013 and we decided to give this movie a chance. And that is when we fell in love with Jane Austen. After that day, I decided to read the book (and buy the movie). It was hard reading it the first time. However, every time I read Austen’s works, the more I fell in love. Austen’s characters were real, with flaws and faults. Their problems seemed to resonate with me, 200 years later. Eleanor is reserved and struggles to express her true feelings. Elizabeth is headstrong. Fanny can’t look past her flaws. Emma is spoiled and can be self-centered. Catherine has an overactive imagination. Anne regards others opinion’s more than she should. However, we love them for their faults. It makes them human. And of course, there are the men (queue women swooning). We imagine these tall men, with their jackets and the riding boots (ugh, the riding boots!).

We fall in love with the way they fall in love. They go through problems and love doesn’t come easily to them. Many times, somebody royally screws up and has to fix it. But they all end up with the people they belong to; they end up with their equal. So why do we flock to these stories and tales of romance and courtship? I believe it is a combination of a few factors. There is the romantic side of the story. The tales of love and falling back in and out of love. Austen knows how to tell a good love story. My personal favorite is Persuasion. I believe it to be one of Austen’s most under-appreciated books. Anne Elliot faces so many challenges in her life, including watching the man she loves fall in love with somebody else. Through all of that, she still remains ever so kind and gentle, even to those who have mistreated her. She is a protagonist that one roots for and celebrates the well-deserved ending she receives. Then there is the educational side. These tales show us how good men act. They tell us of behaviors we should have and maybe some we should not. It teaches us of community and belonging. It also shows us what life was like in the Regency era and makes us thankful that we don’t have to worry about dowry anymore.

Lastly, it is great entertainment. There is so much wit and humor embedded in each story. There are romantic scenes and adventures to different towns. There are friendships and betrayals. And of course, there is romance. It is the kind of romance that inspires us to hope and dream. It brings us back every time, reeling us in time after time. Jane Austen has caused my life to change for the better. She has taught me how to love, how to be kind and patient, and how to be my own kind of woman. Because of her books, I even changed my major. So here’s to you, Miss Austen.