By Linda Darden
In October members of the North Carolina region of JASNA met to compare notes and share
experiences from the Annual General Meeting (AGM), recently conducted in Baltimore, Maryland. The region had a particularly large in-person attendance this year with 18 members registered, with several others participating through the virtual attendee option.
Sue Scott opened the discussion by sharing her experience as an in-person attendee. Having attended a number of AGMs in the past, Sue has learned that she enjoys arriving early in the week and staying after the close of the meeting to enjoy tours and area sights. This year, one of the pre-conference options was a group viewing of the 1940 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. This was shown in a beautiful theater near the AGM hotel, and the movie was introduced by a pair of scholars who provided context and background information regarding the production. This is a movie that some Austen fans have not embraced due to the deviations from the source material, however the discussion helped to explain why some of these were made. For example, the ending varies significantly from the novel in regard to Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s actions, with the character aligned more closely with roles typically portrayed by that actress – and this was her last movie role. The costumes are not period-appropriate, however they help to achieve the director’s goal of lush escapism. Therefore when viewed as a romantic comedy rather than a faithful adaptation the movie is much more enjoyable.
Sue commented on the record-breaking attendance of 950 JASNA members and the fact that the hotel was well able to accommodate the group size. The plenary speakers were an excellent group of knowledgable scholars and presenters, with Paula Byrne’s presentation being of particular interest. Following the close of the meeting, Sue enjoyed the Persuasion play and the regency-style dinner at a local restaurant.
A first-time attendee, Anvita Budhraja next shared her positive ‘first impressions’ of an AGM,
highlighting the celebration atmosphere, her enjoyment of English country dancing, and the
sense of community among attendees. One highlight was a photo opportunity and point of
connection with attendees of color and Anvita expressed appreciation for the efforts to support
diverse representation. While she was initially concerned that she might feel a bit overwhelmed
with the size of this anniversary event, she noted how easy it was to make connections with
other attendees. Being in a place with shared enthusiasm for Austen, and particularly
considering the celebratory atmosphere, meant that each attendees perspective was respected.
Particularly good sessions included Caroline Knight (a descendent of the Austen family), and
Juliette Wells. An interesting presentation addressed the tendency to ‘argue’ with Austen, which
is useless since the plot and characters are her creation. And in fact it was pointed out that
some of the points often debated are the result of adaptations rather than the source material,
such as Lady Bertram’s suggested addiction. John Mullan’s closing presentation on detailed
analysis of language used by Austen was enjoyed by many of the region’s attendees.
Anvita also shared her experience as a first-time banquet attendee, dining with other first timer’s
at a designated table. After enjoying a dance workshop earlier in the week, she expected to sit
out and watch some of the ball after dinner, however enjoyed a full night of dancing.
Karin Wiberg participated as a virtual attendee, and shared her impressions of several engaging
sessions. She highlighted Vanessa Riley’s plenary talk on her research-focused approach to
writing historical fiction and her work as a historical consultant on a Hallmark adaptation of
Sense and Sensibility. Karin also discussed a breakout talk by Rick Wei – a new presenter for
JASNA – on the ethics of shyness in Jane Austen’s work. This presentation served as an example of the layers that can be examined in Austen’s work, and addressed the moral element of shyness that is sometimes as a weakness. The panel on adaptations highlighted several, and noted that having a parallel plot/character structure is not enough for a successful adaptation. As one presenter pointed out it’s important to maintain the essence of the characters from the source material, or there is a risk of alienating the target fan base. At the same time there can be challenges in adapting a historical work that comes from a colonizer perspective when cultural and political tensions how the work is interpreted. Some attendees noted that the session on Eliza de Feuillide did not provide new information in comparison to the excellently presented previous NC regional discussion.
Regarding the virtual experience, there were some concerns with the production value of the virtual event, particularly in comparison to prior years. However all agreed that it is a benefit to have access to session recordings, and many attendees commented on the value of having virtual attendee questions read out by a moderator following each speaker presentation.
As another first-time in person attendee, Rose Carter shared her experiences at the AGM, highlighting the interpersonal connections she made and the opportunity to connect with so many authors. In addition, Rose shared her experiences attending various sessions, including discussions on fragrance in 18th-century England, philosophy, and the History of England. The session on fragrances pointed out that under a class system, scent could sometimes be used to identify what class a person belonged to. For example, whether their home burned candles made of bacon fat or tallow. The panel discussion on the philosophy of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park explored moral themes and character development.
Rose also described a session on the History of England by Jane Austen, which revealed her admiration for Mary, Queen of Scots. Additionally, she attended a fashion session with Hilary Davidson and a session on reading Hannah More’s works, where she shared her personal approach to reading challenging texts. Rose concluded by noting how much she enjoyed the moments of connection with other NC members that she was able to see in person.