Stephenie asks:
"What other Austen novels did you see represented? (I thought the parental situation was much more Sense and Sensibility, and the play sequence was Mansfield Park.)"
"(Is anyone else in the world as obsessed with Jane Austen as I am?)"

I agree with both of these. I think S&S is also represented in the way Julia silently pines for Parr in much the same way Eleanor secretly yearns for Edward Ferrars--neither girl will breach a trust or tread on a friend who "got there" first.

Ashleigh reminds me of Catherine in Northanger Abbey in the way she gets completely carried away by her imagination, which sometimes poses quite a hazard.

Julia's father reminds me of Sir Walter Elliott in Persuasion--totally self-absorbed, status conscious, selfish, and with very little real interest in his daughter.

This one is actually from P&P...if you take the hero's name the way it would appear in the school files: Parr, C....it rhymes with Darcy....

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ashleigh's character reminds me of Emma a little bit too. Just in some ways.

You got me thinking about that and I've concluded you're right. But then, you generally are!

I see Emma in Ashleigh in the way they're both so convinced of their own viewpoint that they don't let any evidence to the contrary change their minds, no matter how blatant the proof staring them in the face.

Something that drove me crazy about Ashleigh was how she blithely refused to accept that Julia wasn't interested in Ned, simply because she (Ashleigh) had decided early on that Julia WAS interested in Ned. End of story. Written in stone. Finite. Finished. DONE. I wanted so badly to shake her 'til her teeth rattled and I give points to Julia for being so patient and forebearing with her.

Another similarity between Emma and Ashleigh is that they're both very loyal to their friends and families, and their hearts are in the right place despite the discomforts they cause all around. They are generous about finding the good in others and overlooking flaws.

One big difference between them is the men in their lives. Ashleigh starts out liking Parr who is in some ways very similar to Mr. Knightley--responsible, mature, has a social conscience--who would have perhaps been a restraining influence on her if they'd gotten together, but she ends up with a boy who is more co-conspirator than counterpart. In contrast, Emma has a sort of relationship with a young man (Frank) who is even more involved in romantic intrigue and tricks than Emma herself, but she ends up with Knightley, the one man with the power to rein her in somewhat. So one girl finds true love with the male version of herself while the other finds it in her opposite number. However, they each chose both kinds of men to be in their inner circle.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's a quote from Northanger Abbey that pretty much sums up Julia's attitude about her History class:

"Real solemn history, I cannot be interested in...The quarrels of popes and kings, with wars or pestilences, in every page; the men all so good for nothing, and hardly any women at all."
Northanger Abbey, Chapter 14

And other Austen quotes that fit well in the book:

"Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love." When Julia tries to console herself that a lifelong friend should matter more than a guy she has seen half a dozen times.

"Every man is surrounded by a neighborhood of voluntary spies." When everyone keeps accosting Julia with their theories of what's troubling her.

"If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more." Julia keeps mum.

"To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love." The inevitable conclusion of the Forefield Cotillion.

"What wild imaginations one forms where dear self is concerned! How sure to be mistaken!" The way Julia views herself; the way Julia misses all the signs that Parr is crazy in love with her.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now it all makes sense. The characters are an accumulation of several Austin charcters combined. I kept trying to find an Elizabeth, Jane, Charolette and so on. I couldn't see it. But if you combine several stories it makes a lot more sense.

I just had another thought about a parallel with Emma. It is that of Julie and her friend/mentor (what was her name?). Anyway, it reminds me very much of the relationship and advice that Emma has with her former nurse (whom I also cannot name right now...). Anyway, I loved that dynamic. I want to be that cool friend who figures things out, knows what to say and do, and is an awesome, shining example of what we can be!

And yet another parallel with Emma...doesn't she have a friend that decides she is "in love" with her Mr. Knightley even though there is a perfect match for her elsewhere? I realize that Julie completely approves of Ned for Ashleigh, but the rest of the parallel is there...what do you think?

Yes, I mainly thought of the parallels to Emma throughout the whole book, more than any other Austen novel.

I saw bits of Darcy in Parr but mostly Mr. Knightley, especially in regards to how it mimicked the whole love mix-up in Emma. Harriot is Ashleigh in love with Mr. Knightley who is Parr whose in love with Emma who is Julie. Emma is almost ready to give him up for good to Harriot if that is who he truly wishes to be with and then is stunned when she finds out it's her he has loved all along.

Yes, me too. I don't think that Parr is "spicy" or harsh enough to be Darcy. He is much more Mr. Knightley. At least to me.

I totally agree that there is some Mr. Knightley in Parr, and some Emma in Ashleigh. And a lot of Sense and Sensibility in the storyline - the mother getting the bad end of the deal and struggling to provide for her daughter (and I'm SO glad that she got the job at the end and was able to financially support herself and Julie), the similarities between Julie's and Elinor's situations. Emma was always quite the planner/schemer, and thought she had things all figured out, and Ashleigh did this too - partways through her grand scheme she realized that she had it wrong - that Ned was her Mr. Darcy after all.

Seth could also have some Mr. Elton-ish qualities...

I was thinkin Emma the whole time, not so much P&P. The sonnet??? Julia no knowing who is is written for and by!!! I thought that was so Emma. I love all of the other bits in there too, the play - Mansfield Park. It was such a cute story.