Thursday, November 17, 2005

Gttn' Outa Hnd...Rly, Ts.

Or, Getting Out of Hand...Really, It Is

What is getting out of hand, you ask? The dumbing down of children the world over.

This is what Pride and Prejudice is reduced to:

5Sistrs WntngHsbnds. NwMeninTwn-Bingly&Darcy. Fit&Loadd.BigSis Jane Fals 4B,2ndSisLiz H8s D Coz Hes Proud. Slimy Soljr Wikam Sys DHs Shady Past.Trns Out Hes Actuly ARlyNysGuy &RlyFancysLiz. She Decyds She Lyks Him.Evry1 Gts Maryd.


Come on!! There is so much more to Pride and Prejudice than that! If I were teaching English (and I'm qualified for it, in case you didn't know that), I'd be asking questions like, "What prevents Mr. Darcy from showing his true feelings for Elizabeth earlier in the story?"

Or, "What happens to make Elizabeth see Mr. Darcy in a new light? What actions does he take that make her see him as a nice man?" Bonus points if the kid knows that this started to come about before Lydia elopes with Wickham.

Points deducted for using chat-speak in the answers.

2 comments:

Heather said...

Perhaps it's b/c they didn't see Mr. Darcy in the wet shirt?

Meg said...

You know, that's a very good point.