The power of a different perspective in fiction - and in life
Picture sourced from Shutterstock on 31 January 2021. Original title was The Archway by Kristina Jonas.
I've recently finished a Jane-Austen inspired book called "The Other Bennett Sister" (Mary). It's very powerful, and reminds me of why Austen is so well respected over 200 years later. This led me to look up similar books, and there are some about Charlotte Lucas.
https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/on-charlotte-lucass-choice
The novel raises an interesting concept: to look at the same broad stories through the eyes of other characters. In doing so, it often shows our heroes as less heroic - and more human. The same can be said of the villains. In Pride and Prejudice, William Collins is more a plot device than anything else; even though he is well-drawn, he needs to be insufferable in order to move the action forward, raise questions, and ultimately to make Elizabeth Bennet reflect upon her actions and to be more open to Mr Darcy’s character.
To this end, Collins is written as a pastiche of social horrors; he is portrayed as boring, presumptuous, graceless, obsequious, and more. But what we don’t really find out is why; what drives the man to act in such ways?
I’m no expert on Georgian England, but I get the impression that everyone beyond the very rich had to, at the very least, pay lip service to being part of society. In that setting, it meant being seen and attending events one would rather not have to, as not doing so would cause offence. We are, after all, social animals.
But there’s a massive difference between being merely tolerated and actively welcomed, and this is just as true today as it was back then. So, while people would put up with Collins, I have little doubt that they’d find various ways to limit their time with him. Saying something like “gracious me, is that the time? You’ll have to excuse me” or the like is not new. And more than that, is anyone really surprised by his boorishness? If no-one actually cares for Collins beyond a vague familiarity, then nobody is going to pick him up on his worst habits while he is single. Yes, he may (eventually) reflect upon the link between his own behaviour and how he is received…but many people don’t.
However, as I have learned, being in a relationship (perhaps especially in marriage) shifts this dynamic markedly. For a start, there is nowhere to hide – the person you live alongside will quickly come to know both your public persona, your private self, and the width of the gap between the two. Over time, they will learn of your best attributes, and your worst behaviour; of your wistful dreams and your darkest, most painful secrets. In return, you will know this of them as well.
In a public setting, how you act no longer simply reflects upon yourself, but on your beloved as well. If you say something dumb, or offensive, you are lowering their colours along with your own. And as such, you can expect a reaction to it. If you are lucky, this will happen in private, and if you are emotionally intelligent, you will learn from it. If you are not lucky, then it’s possible you will both learn a very public lesson.
Beyond that, too, is that being partnered shifts your self-perception. Being in a relationship requires one to think beyond oneself, and this extends to social settings. And like all social skills, it gets better with practice.
As a result, I think it’s likely that Charlotte may actually have quite an influence upon Collins, and it may happen a lot faster than we may think. According to this website (https://janeausten.fandom.com/wiki/Charlotte_Lucas_Collins) , Charlotte is nobody’s fool, and quite perceptive about the people around her. While she appears to be quiet in nature, that doesn’t mean she’s a pushover -as her argument with Lizzie shows.
I think that Charlotte is very much aware of what their social circle thinks of her choice of partner, even if most are not so direct in their views as Elisabeth was. And I don’t think she’d like the idea of being pitied and looked down upon for decades to come. She was the one who took the lead in this relationship. As an intelligent woman, Charlotte listened attentively to Collins when Lizzie refused his offer of marriage, and in doing so, soon had him proposing to her.I could see her gently talking to him about social occasions, and giving him encouragement when he got it right. I can also see her making life very uncomfortable indeed in myriad ways for Mr. Collins if he chose to ignore her lead or to disrespect her.
But I think she’d be smart enough to do much more of the former than the latter, and in the fullness of time, I think we’d see Mr. Collins transformed. Much of the bluster and arrogance would fade, and it would be in direct proportion to his self-confidence. Eventually, I think, she’d get him beyond the clutches of Lady Catherine de Burgh, and to stand upon his own two feet.
Whether this outcome actually shows up is irrelevant (and, given they are fictional characters, ultimately unknowable). What I find most interesting about this whole train of thought is the perspective of a previously minor character. In the process, our perceptions both the overall story, and who the minor character is, change dramatically.
I’m sure it’s being done already, as the immense number of Jane-ite (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janeite) adaptations show, but it’s still an interesting concept. Imagine the story of Little Red Riding Hood from the wolf’s perspective!
Do you know of any examples of stories that have been modified in this way? Let me know what you think in the comments below.
