Didn't We Almost Have It All?

As I’ve been reading books lately especially the modern interpretations of Mrs. Radcliff which instead of gothic horror focuses on horror of horrors clothing, thinness, bad jobs and a lonely boyfriend free existence, I’ve noticed one thing: Chick Lit gives a woman everything.

Obviously we’re all looking for the happily ever after or HEA. It’s what we crave and it’s what we read these books for, but as I read about another woman who is a size six instead of a size four, lives in a big city and is trying to find her dream and somehow mysteriously meets that amazing man with a bank account that can buy her all the Prada she wants I think back to some of the classics where at the end of the book the heroine didn’t have it all, but almost had it all.

Can the modern day woman really relate to these women? Why are most of their dreams jobs in television or event planning or marketing and PR? Do modern day women yearn for Prada and Gucci and Versace? Do we want to read about these things because we want them or we know about them or because we are told that we should want them? What’s wrong with a story without all the flash and dash? Something like, well let’s face it, something like I would write. Great characters who have faults and even though most get the HEA let’s remember that not everything works out in the end.

Lizzie still has a vulgar mother and her sister Lydia is married to a wastrel. Anne gets Captain Wentworth after eight years of heart ache, but her family still looks at her as plain Anne. Emma gets Mr. Knightley, but instead of moving to Donwell Abbey she must stay with her father. Perfection doesn’t happen in an Austen novel. The hero and heroine don’t always get it all. They almost get it all.

And let’s face reality. That’s the way life goes. You don’t get it all, but if your really lucky a gem like Captain Wentworth comes along and well you almost get it all.