Becoming Jane - discussion guide

 
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Summary

Becoming Jane presents itself as an insight into the early life of Jane Austen (Anne Hathaway), one of England’s greatest novelists. The central premise is that, before she was a literary legend, Jane Austen was a lively young woman, and her experiences at that time had a strong influence on her writing. The narrative of the film is, in many ways, reminiscent of Austen’s stories. Jane has a quiet life with her family in the country, exercising her sharp wit, and fending off unwanted suitors. However, when a worldly law student, Tom Lefroy (James McAvoy), arrives on the scene, things become more complicated. Initially, Jane reacts against the young man’s arrogance and air of superiority, but their hostility soon turns to mutual attraction. Their relationship, however, faces many obstacles. Both Tom and Jane find themselves with a delicate financial status and duties to their relatives that threaten to come between them. Social convention and powerful potential enemies also appear to limit their prospects of happiness. The lovers face a choice. Will they risk everything for the chance of a life together?

Background

Receiving four-star reviews from Empire and The Times, Becoming Jane was described as, ‘a charming, intriguing biopic, given extra depth and sparkle by attractive performances from its superior cast’ (www.empireonline.com).

The ideas in the film are taken from a biography of Jane Austen (Becoming Jane Austen by Jon Spence), but the historical facts on which her love affair has been constructed are fairly thin. Nevertheless, the story we are presented with is a compelling one. The film offers us a chance to connect with Jane Austen as a real person. It also allows us to engage with her formative experiences and relate them to our own lives. It is interesting that the film title misses out the Austen surname which is part of the biography title. By simply entitling their story, Becoming Jane, the filmmakers make their narrative much more inclusive, allowing their audience to engage more fully with the themes of personal growth and experiencing life.

The idea of experience is a central concept in the film. Jane’s horizons are ‘widened’ by her relationship with Tom, and this is presented as crucial to the novels she writes. Their love is considered worth the trouble it causes; in fact Jane’s suffering is also an important part of the person she becomes and the stories she creates. In the end, the choice which Jane is forced to make, between her emotions and reason, reflects her definition of irony: ‘Irony is the bringing together of contradictory truths to make, out of the contradiction, a new truth, with a laugh or a smile.’ The bringing together of the young Jane’s sense and her sensibilities creates in her a woman capable of literary greatness, and produces for the audience a thought-provoking film that will also prompt a number of laughs and smiles.

Questions for Discussion

1. Did you enjoy the film? Why?

2. How did you feel about the character of Jane? Did she match any previous ideas you may have had about Jane Austen?

3. Early in the film, Jane states that, ‘a novel must show how the world truly is’. However, by the end she has decided to give her heroines everything they desire. How important do you think it is for novels and films to be realistic? To what extent does Becoming Jane offer a true representation of the world?

4. The conclusion of the film is not a traditional Hollywood ending. How did you feel about the way things were resolved? Did you agree with the choices Jane makes? Why or why not?

5. Empire identifies the central question of the film as: ‘Is it better to follow your heart or your head?’ Do you think this is a valid summary of Jane’s dilemma? Which do you tend to follow? What are the positives and negatives of each approach?

6. The female novelist, Mrs Radcliffe (Helen McCrory), tells Jane that her independence has come ‘at a cost’. Do you think independence is always costly? How important is it to be independent?

7. In the course of Jane and Tom’s relationship, the ‘boundaries of propriety’ are more than ‘vigorously assaulted’. How necessary do you think propriety is within our society? To what extent is the change in standards between Austen’s time and our own a positive one?

8. Tom claims that ‘experience is vital’. To what extent do you think that your past experiences have shaped who you have become?

9. Tom asks, ‘What value will there be in life if we are not together?’ Later in the film it is suggested that the experience of love is valuable even if the relationship cannot last. What do you think gives life value? Do you prioritise these things in your life?

10. Mrs Austen’s (Julie Walters) view of life is that, ‘affection is desirable, money is absolutely indispensable.’ How common is this view in our society today? To what extent is it a good basis for living?

11. ‘The good do not always come to good ends . . . It is a truth universally acknowledged.’ How true do you think this assessment is? Do you think that good people will always be rewarded in the end?

12. Jane’s father is a clergyman, and the family are shown attending church at the very beginning of the film. How far are Jane’s attitudes and actions during the film influenced by Christian beliefs? Do you think it is helpful for Christianity to have the influential position in society that it held in Austen’s time?

13. ‘If affection could have saved him, he would have been saved.’ Here Jane implies that love, alone, is not enough to make everything alright. Do you agree? How does God’s love differ from human affection?

The Bible says that God’s love can save us. Does this idea seem to have much of an impact on Jane’s life? How do you respond to it?

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