Dear Jane,
As one of the most famous and, dare I say, most important authors of classic literature, it probably isn't surprising that you were one of the main reasons I decided to study literature in college. Your novel Pride and Prejudice was one of the first 'grown-up' books I read, and I instantly fell in love, both with Mr. Darcy and with the "obstinate, headstrong girl" that was Elizabeth Bennet.
In an era where women were defined by their marriage prospects, you still found a way to subtly prove that women like the Bennets were more than their husbands and wouldn't fully conform to social roles. In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth wasn't Darcy's second, she was his equal, and when they fought it wasn't condescending, nor did he ever shelter the lesser sex. She was a force to be reckoned with and that is something I will always admire about her.
But one of the most important things that I learned from your novels is the importance of sisterly love and devotion. You taught me not to compete with other women, but to support and love each other, no matter what. Even in Emma, though often misguided in her attempts, the titular protagonist does try her best to support others. And Elinor in Sense and Sensibility does her best to put her own feelings aside in order to be the best sister she can be.
And to top it off, you managed to write in a unique and strong voice in a male-dominated industry. You wouldn't be silenced or allow yourself to be regarded as inferior: you understood that sharing your voice was more important than gender norms. You managed to find your niche in your society and today's because you empowered women who were helpless to do anything other than find rich husbands to support and protect them.
Your works still remain important in today's society, where sexism and gender discrimination are rampant in the work place and in domestic partnerships all over the world. Every time I flip through the pages of one of your books, I'm reminded over and over again that it's okay to dream about "the one" who will sweep me off my feet, but to always value myself above any man. And that I think is something every woman should learn.
So thank you. Thank you for putting pen to paper so many years ago, and thank you for the messages you wrote that have taught me to look for the sweetness that life has to offer but most importantly, the wit, humor, mischief that I can embody. You have been so critical in who I became as a woman, and you will forever be my oldest friend, my go-to confidant, and my first love.
