Communications

Today we live in a world that can communicate instantly. I was thinking of this when I watched the P&P 2005? movie. Somehow Joe Wright did not understand the difference between todays line of communication and regency. He had Lady Catherine showing up at Longbourn the same day as when Jane and Bingley finally come to an understanding. How is this possible? I guess one is to assume Sir William sent an expensive express messenger to his daughter who in turn told her husband who in turn told Lady Catherine who in turn went to London to speak to Darcy and then took the trip to Longbourn. Not possible!

The other glaring error, even though there were quite a few, was the opening when Mrs. B was telling Mr. B about Netherfield Park being let. Well, Joe Wright had no clue about Mr. B by changing his response to his wife. Mr. B is a gossip. He liked to hear gossip. So when Mr. B said that he had no doubt she would tell him whether he wanted to hear it or not (I am doing this from memory) instead of You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it. That proved he did not know Mr. B' character and to me he ruined him in the movie.

But that takes me back to communication. What a horrible life in a way without the means to pickup the phone and talk to a loved one. Look at the Seattle Slag-fest - pictures immediately.

I am in high spirits to be living in today's world. Every Saturday morning my mom and I have a wonderful conversation on the phone. We rarely miss a week. I love to talk to her and it gives her a chance to get things off her chest.

But to writing regency, means of communication has to be understood so we do not make the Joe Wright blunder. In moderns it would be easier to solve some problems, but for Regencies well sometimes the hero must wait for news, especially from across an ocean. lol

Ah, communication. I shall try to remember how slow life moved back then. and sometimes I wonder if we were not better off. Would passions cool before someone did something they would later regret? Would the lack of instant connection give one a chance to mull over his feelings until he understood what they really were? Who knows. We only know the world as it is today. Fast. And that has its virtues too. Like the phone I am watching as it sits on my dining room table desk preparing itself for the long conversation between mother and daughter to come.

Any minute now.

till tomorrow.

gayle