A small but game group of Austen fans gathered July 20 for Austen-style fun. The always entertaining Sara Tavela, our regional coordinator, led the session, assisted by her faithful dog, Wentworth. The diversions included challenging trivia questions and a rousing round of “Would you rather?”
The latter asked attendees to choose between two undesirable alternatives, such as attending a ball where everyone is either Mr. Collins or Mr. Woodhouse. While some said they’d stay home with a good book (one of Austen’s, of course), many chose Mr. Collins clones. At least he would dance, and, forewarned, they could take care to protect their toes. The appeal of the many rehearsed compliments the loquacious clergyman would undoubtedly have at hand also appealed.
Participants decided that the choice between being caught alone with either Wickham or Willoughby was really the equivalent of choosing between jars of slime.
The first trivia game involved ten tricky quote identifications. Gentle readers are invited now to play along by identifying the speaker of the quotations that follow.
- “I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading!”
- “But I hate to hear you talking so, like a fine gentleman, and as if women were all fine ladies, instead of rational creatures.”
- “A lady’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony, in a moment.”
The second trivia set asked participants to decide whether the fifteen proposed Austen couples were real of fake. Again, gentle readers may try their hand below.
- Maria Bertram and Henry Crawford—a real or fake couple?
- Mrs. Smith and Mr. Elliot?
- Jane Fairfax and Mr. Dixon?
- Charlotte Jennings and Mr. Palmer?
- Henrietta Musgrove and Charles Hayter?
One Janeite swept the contests with 25 correct answers, earning her a choice of either a Pride and Prejudice jigsaw sticker book or a Jane Austen trivia game card deck. Runners-up earned a coveted Jane Austen bookmark.
The next meeting will be August 24, when our Virtual Book Club meets to discuss Persuasion. “How quick come the reasons for approving what we like.”