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 April 2005 | Matrix Proudly Sponsors Reading for
Life, Cancer Research UK / Joshua M. Moore
Matrix Health Group is proud
to sponsor a newly-formed program known as Reading For Life.
Based out of Oxford, England, Reading for Life is a program
which hopes to raise money from book sales for Cancer Research
UK. Reading for Life has attracted authors and students far
and wide to contribute to the book, which asks: "What does
reading mean to you?" Contributors send in their favorite
reading from their favorite author and explain what it has meant
to them in their lives.
Matrix will donate web space and assistance
from their webmaster, Joshua M. Moore, free of charge in hopes
that the student-lead project will be a great success in leading
to the ultimate goal of a cure for cancer. The program and the
site will launch on the evening of April 1st
with a fundraising party at the O'Reilly Theatre in Keble College,
Oxford University, with readings by Michael Horovitz and performances
by Kuljit Bhamra and the Wailing Jacks, with the kind support
of the QI club in Turl Street and the Warden of Keble College.
The following is an exerpt from the book, which
is in its early stages of development. It is by Sandra Maag,
a native Clevelander and mother of two, who speaks of the lessons
she hoped to convey to her daughters while reading Jane Austen's
Pride and Prejudice.
If you would like more information on how to
contribute or donate to the project, please click
here.
Contributor: Sandra Maag, native
of Cleveland, Ohio, nurse and the mother of her two
beautiful daughters.
Author: Jane Austen
Work: Pride and Prejudice
Both Mr. Darcy and even Mr. Collins assume that, given their
station in life, Lizzie would inevitably accept their proposal—that
she was in fact obligated to do so. And in those days she was.
It took a strong character, a deep sense of conviction, to refuse
these men at a time when a woman was dependent on marriage nearly
for her survival.
When I watched this with my daughters when they
were young adolescents, at a time when they would be more heavily
influenced by peers, I hoped that they could look at the character
of a person rather than who their status or ‘popularity’.
It wasn’t easy for Lizzie to stay strong in her time,
and I equally wanted my daughters to be strong in themselves
against the whims of society. I thought, if they could be a
modern-day Lizzie, than I will have done well.
Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Austen
‘In vain I have struggled. It will not
do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to
tell you how ardently I admire and love you.’
Elizabeth’s astonishment was beyond expression. She stared,
coloured, doubted and was silent. This he considered sufficient
encouragement, and the avowal of all that he felt and had long
felt for her, immediately followed. He spoke well, but there
were feelings besides those of the heart to be detailed, and
he was not more eloquent on the subject of tenderness than of
pride. His sense of her inferiority—of its being a degradation—of
the family obstacles which judgment had always opposed to inclination,
were dwelt on with a warmth which seemed due to the consequence
he was wounding, but was very unlikely to recommend his suit.
In spite of her deeply-rooted dislike, she could not be insensible
to the compliment of such a man’s affection, and though
her intentions did not vary for an instant, she was at first
sorry for the pain he was to receive; till, roused to resentment
by his subsequent language, she lost all compassion in anger.
She tried, however, to compose herself to answer with patience,
when he should have done. He concluded with representing to
her the strength of that attachment which, in spite of all his
endeavours, he had found impossible to conquer; and with expressing
his hope that it would now be rewarded by her acceptance of
his hand. As he said this, she could easily see that he had
no doubt a favourable answer. He spoke of apprehension and anxiety,
but his countenance expressed real security. Such a circumstance
could only exasperate farther, and when he ceased, the colour
rose in her cheeks, and she said,
‘In such cases as this, it is, I believe, the established
mode to express a sense of obligation for the sentiments avowed,
however unequally they may be returned. It is natural that obligation
should be felt, and if I could feel gratitude, I would now thank
you. But I cannot—I have never desired your good opinion,
and you have certainly bestowed it most unwillingly. I am sorry
to have occasioned pain to any one. It has been most unconsciously
done, however, and I hope will be of short duration. The feelings
which, you tell me, have long prevented the acknowledgment of
your regard, can have little difficulty in overcoming it after
this explanation.’…
Elizabeth felt herself growing more angry at every moment; yet
she tried to the utmost to speak with composure when she said,
‘You are mistaken, Mr. Darcy, if you suppose that the
mode of your declaration affected me in any other way, than
as it spared me the concern which I might have felt in refusing
you, had you behaved in a more gentleman-like manner.’
She saw him start at this, but he said nothing, and she continued,
‘You could not have tempted me the offer of your hand
in any possible way that would have tempted me to accept it.’
Again his astonishment was obvious; and he looked at her with
an expression of mingled incredulity and mortification. She
went on,
‘From the very beginning, from the first moment I may
almost say, of my acquaintance with you, your manners impressing
me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit,
and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such
as to form that ground-work of disapprobation, on which succeeding
events have built so immoveable a dislike; and I had not known
you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the
world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry.’
‘You have said quite enough, madam. I perfectly comprehend
your feelings, and have now only to be ashamed of what my own
have been. Forgive me for having taken up so much of your time,
and accept my best wishes for your health and happiness.’
And with these words he hastily left the room, and Elizabeth
heard him the next moment open the front door and quit the house.
[Quoted from Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice.
Ed. James Kinsley. Intro. Fiona Stafford. Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 2004. pp. 145-146, 148.]
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