Austen Graduating Class of 2011
I have been thinking about high school and graduation quite a bit lately. Naturally this is the time of the year when one can hardly avoid the reality of graduation but for me it was heavy on my mind for two reasons. First off, my son Kyle, my baby, graduated high school. Wow! How did that happen? It seems like just yesterday I was standing by the fence surrounding the kindergarten playground watching him cry his eyes out and plead with me to not leave! Oh, yes, it was sooo dramatic! Now he is a man of 6’3” with ripped abs and hairy legs. Bizarro and a little sad, but I am very proud.
Secondly, this coming Saturday I am meeting a group of classmates from my high school, all of whom I have not seen outside of Facebook in 25 years! I am beyond excited. But that is a long stretch of time and it was necessary for me to dig out the yearbooks to place current faces with past names and memories. Along the way as I looked at our smiling, hopeful faces my mind drifted to Austen characters and how they might have fit into the modern high school classifications. So here are a few of my thoughts, with embellishments and broad definitions, and I am curious to hear what additions you all may have—
Best Dressed: Frank Churchill and Caroline Bingley
Most Studious: Captain Benwick and Jane Fairfax
Class Clown: William Collins and Miss Bates
Most Likely to Succeed: Fitzwilliam Darcy and Emma Woodhouse
Class Sweeties: Edward Ferrars and Jane Bennet
Most Athletic: Captain Frederick Wentworth and Elizabeth Bennet
Class Cuties: Charles Bingley and Louisa & Henrietta Musgrove
Most Spirited: Henry Tilney and Marianne Dashwood
Class Flirts: Henry Crawford and Lydia Bennet
Most Charming: George Wickham and Mary Crawford
Class Innocent: Edward Bertram and Catherine Morland
Most Serious: George Knightley and Elinor Dashwood
Most Vain: Sir Walter Elliot and Lady Catherine de Bourgh
What else can you come up with? Class Idiot? Most Annoying? Least Likely to Succeed? Have fun with it! And don’t forget that “Jane in June” is continuing over at The Book Rat. Today is our first Austen Authors post where a bunch of us answered the question: Which two characters from different Austen novels would you pair up and why? The answers were pretty fun, let me tell you! Be sure to check out everything that has been posted so far, including my “Dear Jane” letter, or rather, Mr. Darcy’s “Dear Jane” letter.
Sharon Lathan
Sharon Lathan is the author of The Darcy Saga sequel series to Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. Her published novels include: Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Loving Mr. Darcy, My Dearest Mr. Darcy, In the Arms of Mr. Darcy, The Trouble With Mr. Darcy, A Darcy Christmas, Miss Darcy Falls in Love, and The Passions of Dr. Darcy.
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22 Responses to Austen Graduating Class of 2011
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LOL, Sharon, brilliant post and gorgeous photo! I especially liked your Class Flirts award.
My son Will is the same age as Kyle and he was awarded Best Eyes (Male) – could the Female one have gone to a certain Lizzy Bennet?!
Meant to say, over here we have a category Most Likely to Rule the World (my daughter won the Female award) – dare I be so bold as to say that Mr Darcy has won the Male award for many years now?
Great category, Juliet. I can indeed agree that Mr. Darcy is ruling the world!
Congrats on your son graduating and winning his award. My son did not receive any titles – as far as I know – but then his class numbered over 350! If he did it would probably be “Best Dimples” or “Best Smile.”
Congratulations, Kyle! What a momentous occasion-wishing you every success for the future! Sharon, you are rightly proud-what a gorgeous son you have!
Congratulations, Sharon! Next year my oldest will be graduating and I totally get what you mean about ‘Where did the time go?’
I’d like to support Henry Tilney for class clown. He may not be as funny as Mr. Colins, but he’s actually trying to be funny. Unlike Colins.
Great post!
Thanks everyone. He is a terrific young man. I guess my hubby and I did an ok job on the parenting thing!
Heather, I used “clown” loosely because I had a hard time thinking of an Austen character who was a goofball in that fun, flirty way we think of a clown. I did consider Henry though, but then decided to use “clown” as the person who is the most ridiculous and laughable even if they don’t mean to be.
Trying to fit 1800 characters into 20th century classifications was harder than I thought it would be when I first conceived of this blog’s topic! LOL!
I would like to add
Most Likely to cause homocide: Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine. Oh, but Sir Walter Elliot could be a contender. Well, Mrs. Bennet would have to be on the list, too. Oh, never mind, I can’t decide on just two winners.
so cute!!! i love these… very creative, Sharon
Oh, these are great!
Congrats to your son!
Congratulations, Kyle.
Miss Congeniality: Harriet Smith
Congratulations to you and your husband for surviving to this point!
I do think I’ll disagree with you on the Most Likely to Succeed, Male. Darcy was born successful, whereas Frederick Wentworth did have to actually try. Darcy and the rest of the Austen heroes can vie for the Most-to-lose-if-they-mess-up-badly award.
Great point, Susan! I did not think of it that way. But then again, one can be born with all the proper tools and still not succeed. Applying them counts for something and Darcy did that. But Capt. Wentworth is indeed the one Austen character who truly made himself.
I LOVE Emma as most likely to succeed! That’s perfect!
What a fun post, Sharon!! LOL at some of these perfectly named categories
. And a big congrats to your son on graduating, too!
Great idea for a post! I can’t think of anything else to add at the moment.
Congrats, Kyle!
Congratulatons, proud mom, on Kyle’s achievements – what a handsome lad! Adorable post, too.
Sharon, congratulations to you and Kyle! My Elizabeth will be starting 2nd grade in the fall and I’m actually in a daze wondering how the time flew by so quickly. She’s such a clown, but such a little grown up at the same time. I’m not sure how I feel about that!
Most Competitive: John Thorpe and Mary Bennet
Most Artistic: Elinor Dashwood (and ?)
Most Popular: Charles Bingley and Marianne Dashwood
Most Talkative: Rushworth and Miss Bates
Most Shy: Edward Ferrars and Jane Fairfax
Best All Around: Colonel Fitzwilliam and Jane Bennet
Best Dressed: Mr. Hurst and Miss Grey
Thanks for the fun, Sharon!
Best,
Susan
The first that popped into my head was most popular and Emma Woodhouse. She is the belle of her community after all.
Congratulations to your son!!!
Congratulations on your son’s graduation. They grow up so fast. My nephew graduates high school tomorrow, which I find completely impossible to grasp since, in my mind, he’s only three years old!
I also teach British literature to high school seniors, so every June I lose a little piece of my heart.
I’m a little late, but … Congratulations, Kyle!
Sharon, you must be so very proud; and I hope you’re having a blast at your reunion.
Joanne
I was where you are last year. My first born graduating and quite absorbed in the entire process! Congratulations to Kyle and Congratulations to you, Mom!
Love the post!
Congratulations to your son … a step forward into his future.