Anghraine

[reposted from wordpress]

It’s a common fiction that Elizabeth Bennet is the narrator of Pride and Prejudice, or that the story is told solely from her perspective.  Those arguing for a nicer, gentler Darcy (or, alternatively, a crueller and less virtuous one), often invoke the argument – e.g., “we only see what Elizabeth sees,” or “we only see him through Elizabeth’s eyes” – ignoring the many occasions when we see his thoughts – or Bingley’s, Mrs Bennet’s, Lydia’s, Jane’s, Georgiana’s, Mrs Gardiner’s, Mr Bennet’s, Caroline’s, etc etc.

Of course, Pride and Prejudice is not told (or seen through the eyes of) any one of these people.  It has – in common with all the Austen novels – an omniscient narrator.  She relates the story – events, thoughts, perceptions – usually as the characters themselves would see/think/perceive them.  Sometimes, however, she reverts to her Voice of God authority, speaking as herself and saying This Is So.

Back when I was in high school, my entire class had to take these tests for a health class – I was an INTJ, to my utter non-surprise.  Then, when I went into college two years later, I took it again – INTP.  Since I was always a borderline J anyway, and also a bit off my head at the time, also not surprised.  The other day, I took it at work, again, and I was back to my old INTJ-ness.  Which was awesome, because I get – er – more P-ish when I’m not quite well.  Anyway, I took the link over to the ‘these are what INTJs are like, and these are some examples’.  The RL examples were pretty cool, but not half as much as the fictional ones.

Hannibal Lecter, Fitzwilliam Darcy, and Gandalf the Grey.  It just doesn’t get cooler than that.