Oblivion. It can be the worst curse there is. I don’t know
about you, but I hate it when I finally realize something that’s been right in
front of my nose for quite some time! That’s how Fanny and Edmund are in
Mansfield Park. Well, that is, more Edmund is oblivious than Fanny. I am
ashamed to say I have not read this book yet, so my judgments are based
entirely off the movies. So bear with me. In the movies, Fanny and Edmund grow
up in the same house. Fanny’s family was unable to keep her so she went to go
live with her rick aunt, basically as a servant. She was mistreated, ignored,
and oftentimes misunderstood. Except Edmund always understood her. Things
drastically change when the siblings, Mary and Henry Crawford, arrive. Mary
sets her eyes on Edmund, and Henry (after several diversions for his eyes) sets
his mark on Fanny. Edmund loves Mary back, or so he thinks, but Fanny never
stops loving Edmund. Oh, what a mess this is! Never to fear, it all works out
when Henry shows his true colors and Mary displays just how greedy her fingers
are to reach rich society. Edmund finally realizes he loves Fanny as more than
a friend, they kiss, they wed, they’re happy. As Edmund says, “Let’s make it
our business to always be this happy”.
What could I have possibly learned?
I have a friend who hates this story. Well, maybe she
doesn’t hate it, but she thoroughly dislikes it. She thinks that Edmund is a
fool and she is irritated by the fact he doesn’t realize he’s a fool until the
very end. I would love to agree with her, but somehow I find it excessively
romantic that he doesn’t have a clue what his true feelings are. Maybe because
it’s that moment when he does realize his feelings for Fanny is so incredibly
powerful, that I don’t mind dealing with his idiocy. But before we talk about
him, let’s discuss Fanny.
She’s so sweet. Everything about Fanny is kind, gentle, and
sweet, though she is secretly quite witty. She never stands up for herself. She
never talks back. She never even works up the courage to tell Edmund how she
really feels about him, even when she’s about to lose him. I think this is a
crime. (J)
Had it not been for Edmund’s realization, their entire lives would have been a
misconnection. How sad would it have been if Fanny would have been an old maid
and Edmund had married someone who appreciated him as a clergyman? Though I do
believe you can catch more bees with honey, I also think that there is a time
and place to be, well, direct. I think this would be the time and place. If
Fanny would have stood up earlier in the story, proclaiming her love Edmund, he
may have come to his realization earlier. Then we would have been able to skip
the whole drama and just gotten to the good, romantic stuff at the end! I,
therefore, have learned to be the opposite of Fanny in situations. To speak my
mind and let myself be heard is no crime. (I secretly think that’s why I have a
blog, to let myself be heard with the safety of it being via your internet
connection) See? There is a time to be sweet, but also a time to damn the consequences
and just say the words you need to say!
Now, for that blasted Edmund. I love him. I really do.
However, he may be, in all actuality, a dense man. I mean, really. He grew up
with this incredible girl, who supported and advised him, whom he confided in,
whom he actually declared to love (but it was in a “I heart you like a
cousin”-type-love), and yet there he goes chasing butterflies, which are really
moths with pretty colors. In the end, he was misguided and came to his senses,
but he wasted a lot of time. Fanny was right where he needed her to be and he
hadn’t a clue. Hence (I like words like these-thus, hence, therefore), I have
learned to look under my nose more often. Sounds gross, huh? But you’re never
sure what you might find. I want to look at what I’ve got before looking at
what I want to get. If Edmund had done so, he might have been very happy, very
early on.
Are you looking under your nose? Maybe you don’t find what
you want, but at least you’ll know what you have. And for heaven’s sake, if
you’re feeling something strong enough, say it! Wouldn’t you rather be thought
of as the person who said too much, rather
than not saying enough and just wasting time? I know I would.
I really do love this story, though I hope it doesn’t happen
to me. I would hate to waste so much time…
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