ON FIRST READING FAY WELDON’S LETTERS TO ALICE cefore I start let me first say that this article is not P otecine art eortt pao ore offering a closed discussion, Rather, hope that I can extend the possbilies for teaching by considering some of the implications of the Module A combination of Pride and Prejudice and Letters to Alice Pride and Prejcdice and Letters to Alice occupy a very different space to each other and yet the latte is explicitly referring to the former. What | mean by a different space is about purpose, and this 1 would conjecture is the most important point when considering any connection between ‘avo different forms such as these. The fist, Pride and Prejudice, was written as a novel, when Austen was 20 yeas old fustly forthe private entertainment of the Austen family in 1796-7 and submitted for publication ~ that is, placed in the public sphere for open consumption of the public ~ many yeats later in 1813. Weldon’s text, on the other hand, written by a popular writer with an established following, was always aware of its public audience and was explicitly written for public consumption. Each text's purpose was, therefore, very different, Austen swrote this in her youth ~ this is one of her frst complete texts, though it was ceworked from its original title First Jnpressions until its publication as Pride and Prejudice Weldon, in contrast, has always been conscious of her role asa writer and her text, published atthe height of her career in 1984, isa very self-conscious piece of writing, aware of its purpose, aware ofits impact, and also very aware of the public audience itis addressing, There is an ironic tone that is common to bath and they both offer a study into human nature through the characters of the Bennet family and the niece Alice, respectively. But if we focus on Letters to Alice only as an itonie character-based study then we lose the full dimensions of the text. The NSW syllabus prescriptions list doclaces this text to be a non-fiction text and the definition of it 2s fiction or non-fiction needs to be considered carefully as this can affect how the text is studied and what connections are mace. Discussing Alice and her Aunt Fay as characters immediately places this as a fictional text but Aunt Fay states in Letter Nine that “a letter counts as non-fiction’ though she also reminds Alice in Letter Four that “Fiction is much safer than non-fiction” because ircannot be accused of "being wrong’ This is, therefore, a Lext that crosses the generic boundaries and presents itself at different times as either a non-fiction or fiction text, In this regard, it could be considered as offering a postmodern textual game, And this is because ofits very ‘complicit involvement in theory: for this text Is more than anything else a treatise on theoretical perspectives 46 Me! Dixon of reading, Ultimately, it asks questions about authors as commodities and as instruments of study, as well as, the nature of reading and its role in out society. The relationship between Alice and her Aunt Fay serves to reinforce Weldon’ thesis and to offer a convenient framework from which Weldon can make powerful statement about the way we read texts and about the \way authors become appropriatecl and open to scrutiny by different theoretical perspectives. Jane Austen acts as.a very convenient illustration of the points Weldon is making, because of the plethora of readings about Austen and hecause of her role as a canonical female writer whose work has endured the centuries. Understanding the context of Weldon’s work, and her relationship with Pride and Prejudice gives greater insight into this position Weldon started writing daring a period of feminist revolution. The dominance of male models in leadership, work practices and social interactions had been questioned after the second world war and since then female discourses have became more effective in the public sphere, History was reconsidered to include the stories of women and the role of women in a cultutal lanseape. Since then, women’s stories have become an empowering form of discourse. To say this, however, assumes that women have never been able to create @ space for themselves outside the domestic and this is lealy not the case when we consider the rise of women writers in the late 18% and early 19° centuries. In fact, together with the twentieth century reexamination ‘of women's roles in other spheres, there was a accompanying reassessment of the role of female writers in English literary history of the eighteenth century and publication of out of print women's writing by the Feminist press, Virago! ‘The 18" century saw the rise of the novel. Traditionally literary bistory acknowledges Samuel Richardson as the father ofthe novel with such texts-25 Clarissa written for the edification of young ladies. His epistolary novel Pamela was another didactic piece which served to instruct young ladies in the finer graces through the ‘examples offered therein, More recent scholarship has, however, offered a reevaluation of this belief and has tuncavered the work ofthe female author Aphra Behn and others such as Eliza Heywood? preceding Richardson in ie development of the epistolary novel, but receiving lite attention in literary histories until relatively recently. “ener Sith eter ots” Weldon, Leterste Ali on Fist Reading fne Assen, Cambridge University Press Camioalge (558, 1 *ibldem p. 373 English Teal wae" Association of NSWON FIRST READING FAY WI Gothic novels followed Richardson with Horace Walpole’ frst Gothic novel, The Castle of Otvanto in 1764. The ‘weaker’ sex had a taste for the Gothic romance novels and by the end of the century many female writers followed Walpole’s example. Despite the self-proclaimed superiority of the Romantic male poets, who relegated the popular writers such as Ann Radcliffe to a secondary status, if was female writers who earned a living from their lurid graphic Gothic romances. They were able to tap into the needs oftheir readers ina financially positive way. Following on the footsteps of these popular female writers, Austen found that being a woman did not preclude her from publishing possibilities. Auster’s writing, with the exception of Northanger Abbey, does not, however, borrow so much from these popular writers, While she deals with relationships as favoured by her contemporary female writers, she offers a more realistic portrayal of her heroines and their plight; avoiding ruins, dark forests and menacing villains. Her ‘wsiting heralded a neve stage in the portrayat of women, combining 2s it did the moral messages of the epistolary novel and implying the independence of the Gothic heroines but placing women in a setting that could be readily identified by her contemporary readers, Alter ewo centuries ofthe development of the novel form, ‘Weldon returns to the epistolary form pioneered by Behn and Heywood, and we need to ask why she does this. Her letters of advice to her niece are clearly didactic, offering instruction on how to read books at university, how to ‘cope with family and love, and even how to write, (Its no coincidence that writing was a topic that Austen shared in her letters to her own niece.?) Weldon makes many implicit and explicit comparisons between her own life asa writer and Austen’ life In this way, the book is non fiction, tracing the work of the two writers, with Alice Doing a fictitious motivation for the ideas which Weldon shares. For me, he important point of Weldon’s context is that she was writing a atime when the author - any author - was dead and commodified ~ the murder was committed by the post structuralists — ancl all texts were declared to be creative acts of fiction where boundaries ‘mere broken down by post structuralism. Just over a decade prior to Weldan’s book, in 1969, john Fowles demonstrated a merging of non- fietion with fietion in his exploration ofa Victorian woman in The French Liewtenait’s Woman. Mose contemporary to Weldon's Letters to Alice was the novel The Name of the Rose, 1980, by Umberto Eco, who operated firstly as an academic with an understanding of literary theory and secondly as a novelist. There was an explosion of new forms of 3 Deardee Le Faye (e), ane Anse Letters, Onford University Pees, 1995, quote in Jone Sn, elo, Rescarce Notes" in Wel Lestrs to Alice on Fis Reading Jane Aston, Cambridge University Pres Cambridge, 1988p mETAphor * fssue 3, 2000 literary criticism at the university that Weldon was to become « teacher of cveative writing and the text Letters to Alice takes on a new dimension, ‘What Welon is doing is exploring theoretical positions about reading with Jane Austen, rather than Alice, as her central character, ultimately dismissing each perspective and advocating 2 reading where the text is central and not the author or the world view. Alice is metely 8 Iiterary device to frame her discussion, Alice represents the youth who have become alienated from reading and cultural traditions represented by Austen. This alienation has taken place not only because ofthe television “with the easy tasty substances of the sereen * but because of the university courses which break literature “into its component parts” resulting in students who “know more, but understand less” The choice of Austen is scarcely coincidental, Auster’s canonical status marks her as worthy of examining but she is also.a woman and a woman who has mode a significant impact on the world of readers. She has tenteved the realm of modern popular fiction through, the various transformations of her novels and the countless intertextual references to her work, Weklon herself was the screenwriter of the 1980 BBC television seties of Pride and Prejudice, creating a direct and close connection between the two authors. Austen impact on the academic world is even greater with a proliferation of academic writing about her that dissects every part of her life in every possible way, as if this will ead £0 some revelation about what Austen means when she writes The sixteen letters and alternative reading list that make up Letters to Alice begin with a clear statement of the purpose of the text ("Namely Jane Austen and her books") and how to read Jane Austen and from there follows a discussion of the different ways of reading while tracing Austen’ life and times in chronological order. An aspect of Austen’ life is detailed, which in turn ilustrates a theoretical position; for example, the discussion of Jane's mother isin a letter wheve jung and Freud are also named, implying that this letier will consider how a psychoanalytic reading of Austen might proceed. When Manx is named we see a consideration of the economic conditions under which Austen worked. In the equation that Weldon offers in Letter Five we can sce a subtle Criticism of the formulaic nature of stractualism, ‘The reference to Aboriginals, however is ess obvious. ‘Weldon sets her early letters in @ hot steamy northern Australia, Cairns isa place which “lives by its wits and its physique’ (Letter Five), Australia is “the countey of the foture”* a human brain , excited activity around its perimeter, the slow blank powerful unconscious within" (Letter Bight) the tribal Aboriginals live “outside in the 4 Late One, Weldon, Fay, Leters to Allee, Sceptre: Great Beta, 184 aON FIRST READING FAY WELDON’S LETTERS TO ALICE desert” (Letter Three}. 1 would suggest that two things are happening with the inclusion of Australia asa setting for some of the novels. There is a growing awareness of ‘he impact of globalisation on the author asa celebrity and international commodity bat there is also a veiled reference to postcolonialism in some of the references ‘This letter, I would conjecture, is Weldon attacking the work of those critics wito ask: where is the reference to British Imperialism in Austen, Who aze the silent ones in het novels? Ultimately all of the theoretical positions are dismissed with the entreaty that one engages in literary discussion “not to show off your knowledge but simply because you take pleasure in books” So what ate we left with? There is strong reinforcement ‘ofcanon and the universality ofthe canon when she writes "Human nature does not change over the centuries” (Letter Five) and when she calls the canonical authors “master builders" (Letter One). There is also a strong advocacy of the power of the imagination in her sustained metaphor of the City of Invention, While Aunt Fay starts with a clear attempt to advise her niece Alice about writing and reading she fails in this because the imagination is not a controllable force and Alice writes a book very different to what she has been advised to do. ‘What Aunt Fay does support is the notion that the reader is important for the writer and for understanding. From her own position as reader, Aunt Fay takes a “more tender view" of Mrs Bennet “than her creator does! (Letter Two), seeing Mrs Bennet 28 a woman whose life circumstances made her what she was. its in this ‘example that we have access to one of the important ‘messages ofthe book. Weldon is looking at a society “Irom the outside in not the inside out The reader's ‘context becomes the important determiner of meaning ina text, and this idea is reinforced through the letters when Weldon tells ts "you the reader are involved in this literacy truth, as much as the writer” Her “community of the literate” reminds us of reader response theorists such as Wolfgang ser and Stanley Fishe® and their work on the relationship between the text and the reader. But it also alerts us to the idea that there isan invited reading, an 5 Wolfgang ier writes: Te tera work has two pokes, which we ‘night ell the atte ad the seth the artiste poe the author's text andthe asetc isthe realisation acomplishad by the reader, Aste tender passes through various perspectives fered bythe texan reas the diferent views and paterns tone athe he sets the work in maton Interaction Between Text and Reader in The Nortor Anthology of Theory and Criteiom, p.1624 Stanley Fish sis: Interpretive commons ae no mae tbl than tests becase lotrprtive strategies ave not naval or univers but leaned, «The ability to inerpetsnt acguled fs consttive of beg human, ‘What is accuired ae the way of erpreting and those same waye «an also be frgoten and supplanted, or compatedor droped fom favour Co one reads tat anymore”). When any of hse tings tappens, theres corresponding change in texts nt becaase they ae being read diferent, but because they ae ing writen diferent. Stanley Fish interpreting the Valour in The Norton Anthology of Theory aed Crice, :2088 48 alternate reading and a resistant reading, Weldon supports the invited reading, suggests an alternate reading but tejects the resistant reading offered by such theoretical positions as postcolonialism, ‘To focus on theories, however is distracting to students especially when eventually what Weldon advocates is that ‘whatever the reading position or context, it isthe text that matters. What we can argue, then, is that Weldon takes us through the theories only to debunk them and to invite us to look at the text as its own being. She ends by saying “itis the marvel at creation that car’t be destroyed. though all else fails, the City of Invention will sand” (p 148), She is, with these words, sanctioning a close personal reading of the text as it stands, without worrying about all the extra ideas of the commodification or celebrity status of the writer which she touches on in the book ‘Theory is rejected for the imagination ~ “fiction frst, life aftec" (Letter Eight) as Alice is encouraged to “write your ‘own book to counteract the danger of too much analysis” (Letter Eleven} and told that “itis better to read than not to read” (Letter Sixteen) Module A is a difficult module for students because they have to keep in balance two texts at all times and draw connections, while considering how one text affects and reshapes the other in the construction of meaning, The different combinations of prescribed texts lend themselves to very different ways of synthesising ideas. The danger of this particular combination (Weldon/Austen) is the risk of ‘moving the student away from the texts to an exploration of Jane Austen life and times. Weldon, however, makes it clear that it isnt the author's life that is important but her times: Weldon rejects the notion thst you can glean more about a text by knowing the author. The other danger in this combination is that we may follow the pathway ‘of theory but tis clear from Weldon that this is not the desired way of reading Pride and Prejudice. Weldon reaffirms the importance of the text in locating meaning, against those readings which move away from the text. If wwe use Abrams’ categorisation of reading positions, itis the text and the reader which are important in creating. ‘meaning, not the author or worldview. Weldon’ challenge to.us as readers, annd as teachers to student readers, is to accept the texts and enjoy the experience. So what can we do to guide our students toa constructive study of these texts, in keeping with the module aims? ‘Some of the areas for discussion that students could develop are 1. Both texts follow the pattern ofa bildungsroman showing the growth ofa character. In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth grows up as she realises the depth ‘of her prejudice In Letters to Alice, Alice grows from. 4 girl with green hair toa serious writer in a stable relationship, ciation of NEVE Engl Teachers’ AssON FIRST READING FAY WELDON’S LETTERS TO ALIC. Both texts can be seen to act as moral conduct novels, a form popular in the eighteenth century. Aunt Fay offers dicect instruction through the use of imperatives and declarative statements to Alice ‘on how to read, what to read and how to write, She uses Austen as an example of fine writer. In Pride aad Prejudice the ditection is not as explicitly offered and emerges through the actions ofthe characters, theie consequences and theie dialogue. Comments ‘on impropriety and accomplishments set up the values of the novel. There is also a direct reference to conduct books when Mr Collin is asked to read to the family Both authors focus on the world of women and how they negotiete their lives in different contexts Love and courtship is the main aim of characters in Pride and Prejudice and this is discussed by Weldon who reveals the background context for Pride and Prejudice. She gives us background to understand this, theme. There is also the possibility of comparing the love life of Alice which is mentioned by her Aunt Fay inthe letters. Changing attitudes to martiage emerge in the oblique references to Alice's novel as well as the descriptions of Alice's parents’ relationship. Reading is a major concern of Weldon who advises Alice on what to read and how to do this, criticising he university approach to reading by breaking a text into its component parts. She creates alist of books ‘one should read distinguishing between those that ‘make a matk and those that are short term. Weldon acknowledges the importance of the readers’ context in creating meaning and values the reader's response to the text, a8 @ writer: Austen also uses reading as a matker of personality. Mr Bennet uses teading to escape and hide from the world around him, huis daughter Mary thinks it shows her intelligence, Mr Collins decries the ile form of novel reading he sees, and Darcy comments on reading as an accomplishinent when he sees Elizabeth reading. ‘Writing is yet another major focus of Weldon who ditects Alice in her writing When she talks to Alice about plots, she uses Pride and Prejudice 4s an example, commenting that even the plot of that great novel would sound poor when explained “ina nutshell: She discusses the construction of characters, who she feels are an “amalgamation rather than being based on individuals in the author's life. These comments by Weldon lead us to look nore closely at the constituent parts of Pride and Prejudice. We can also consider the comments on Darcy's skill at writing letters and what this reveals. about him. 7. Both texts employ letters, Letters to Alice acting as, an epistolary text while Pride and Prejudice uses these asa technique in parts to motivate the plot, offer alternate views and reveal character, Mr Collins’ letter to the Bennet family before his arrival both heralds the next pact of the plot but also introduces his character. The letter leads to a discussion about his ‘character and how it emeeges in the letters. Austen's close reading of the letter directs the audience not only to aspects of Mr Collins’ character but to ways of reading 8, Austen's ironic tone is well documented, and Weldon captures some of this in hee own writing, Weldon plays between formality and informality in her letters, 9. The different natare of suecess for women in the two different contexts is another ares for examination ‘but while Wekdon Is interested in Austen's success asa writer, this would lead students away from a discussion of the novel Pride and Prejudice. Ivis therefore more useful to look at success for Elizabeth Bennet and her contemporaries in the novel 10, The economic realities for Auster’s women are spelt cout by Weldon who also discusses the financial implications of being a writer. Weldon ditectly refers to the characters and events of Pride and Prejudice to illustrate her views but in so doing she demonstrates ways of reading the text, This may lead to reshaping our understanding of Austen These are only some of the areas that can be considered inva study of the two texts, Alice isthe impetus for this exploration of writer’ life. Austen isthe vehicle for exploring the different ways writers have been analysed Fay Weldon, herself, acts as the modern equivalent proving that “nothing changes for the writer” (Letter Eight), And each one of us as “the teacher” Weldon ‘writes, “prises open the door so that everyone can rush in” (Letter Eleven), . NEW PUBLICATIONS T www.englishteacher.com.au fear teat A unit on Module A Pride and Prejudice and Letters to Alice is now available from ETA Publications 49