The "It Factor"
In the It Factor project, we looked at what makes people influential. In specific, everybody in my class looked at one person each, and tried to find their "It Factor's". My person was Jane Austen, and I talked about and explored her "It Factor" in a research paper shown below. Our class also read Henry V, and using the St. Crispin's Day speech as a model, wrote a motivational speech from our people's perspective. You can see both papers below.
Jane Austen’s “It Factor”
Kirsten Zornado
Whether or not you’re a Jane Austen fan, you have to admit, her novels are popular. Ever wonder why? During the life of Jane Austen, European author, the American Revolution started (and ended), Napoleon Bonaparte rose to power, and some of the most classic novels of that time period were written. Through her life, lasting from 1775 to 1817, Jane Austen wrote numerous books. Some of those include Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and Sensibility, and Persuasion.
Jane Austen, like many people that are as well known for what they do as she is, has something called an “It Factor”. What makes up an “It Factor” depends on the person, however, it is generally agreed that it is what makes them special. “The easily perceived but hard-to-define quality possessed by abnormally interesting people.” (Roach) The purpose of this paper is to explore Jane Austen’s “It Factor,” what has, and continues to, make her books so popular, hundreds of years after they were written.
In order to understand what made Jane Austen’s “It Factor,” it is important to pursue the following questions. What made her works grow so popular, especially in the time after her death? Why is she referenced as one of the great authors of that time period? What makes her novels stand out from her peer’s? And finally, can we learn from this success?
In his article titled “Making it in A Brave New World: Marriage, Profession, And Anti-Romantic Ekstasis in Austen’s Persuasion”, scholar Charles Rzepka analyzes Jane Austen’s Persuasion, through a lens of women, marriage, and their professions. He goes on to talk about how Austen based a character in Persuasion (both her social, and professional standing) on herself. Rzepka’s purpose in writing this article is to share his analysis of the book. He adopts an academic tone in the article to cater to other literary scholars.
In scholar Robert W. Uphaus’s essay, “Jane Austen and Female Reading”, he discusses female reading (i.e., how females read) during Jane Austen’s time, and how that affected her writing. Uphaus supports his claim by comparing other female author’s (namely, Mary Wollstonecraft and Maria Edgeworth’s) views of female reading with how Jane Austen portrayed it in her books. His purpose is to convince readers that Jane Austen “both challenged and revised a view of women that disabled their moral status, and how, through her fiction, she established a new practice of female reading and writing.” (Uphaus 6-7) Uphaus uses an academic tone for the intended audience of the article, scholars.
Professor Lloyd W. Brown wrote a scholarly article entitled, “Jane Austen and the Feminist Tradition,” in which he argues that Jane Austen did follow the feminist tradition of the eighteenth century. He develops his claim by talking about feminists’ point’s of view, as well as opposing veiwpoints, and comparing them to Austen’s novels and characters. Brown’s purpose in this article is to persuade readers of his point -- that Jane Austen was a feminist. He establishes an academic tone for scholars, or other people who may read the article.
Based on these articles, it is clear that Jane Austen’s “It Factor,” was her ability to write characters that people identified with, and her ability to stray from the norm, as she did with the way she portrayed women in her stories. Using her “It Factor,” she helped to set a new precedent for the way women were viewed in the eighteenth century.
In his article, “Jane Austen and the Feminist Tradition,” Brown talks about something that exemplifies Austen’s “It Factor.” Her portrayals of the “sex-seeker -- those determined to complete their identity within a narrow concept of sexual roles...” (11), and the “truly accomplished mind,” defined by Jane Austen character, Mr. Darcy, as, “add[ing] something more substantial [to the typical definitions of an accomplished woman], in the improvement of her mind through extensive reading” (Austen, 39-40) Brown continues to compare these two roles of women’s using the novel Pride and Prejudice. “For if the marriage of Lydia and Wickham combines the ornamental talents of the mere sex-seekers, then the eventual union of Darcy and Elizabeth emphasizes the superiority of the truly accomplished mind as it is defined by Darcy.” (13)
In Austen’s books, all of her heroines were at least somewhat well read/educated, and they all, for the most part, independently solved their problems. As Robert Uphaus put it, “in Austen’s fiction, women need not be married to realize their moral character; this, in fact, is Anne Elliot’s point whan she reminds Captain Harville that she believes men are ‘capable of every thing great and good in your married lives... I mean, while the woman you love lives, and lives for you’.” (7) In fact, one of the main reasons her characters married at all was outlined in a letter to one of her nieces, “Single women have a dreadful propensity for being poor...which is one very strong argument in favour of matrimony.”
This “It Factor,” the element of a person that makes them influential, is really important to identify in today’s world. First of all, we can learn a lot about Austen’s works, knowing what made them (and their author) so special. We can look at her works in a whole new light. Also, we can use her “It Factor” when creating our own works, so that we can know what could possibly make them special and, in the end, make them last as long as Jane Austen’s works have.
Works Cited:
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. New York: Modern Library, 1995. Print.
Brown, Lloyd W. "Jane Austen And The Feminist Tradition." Nineteenth-Century Fiction 28.3 (1973): 321-338. Historical Abstracts. Web. 14
Nov. 2014.
Roach, Joseph. “It.” Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, April 12, 2007. Print.
Rzepka, Charles. "Making It In A Brave New World: Marriage, Profession, And Anti-Romantic Ekstasis In Austen's Persuasion" Studies In
The Novel 26.1/2 (1994): 99. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 Nov. 2014.
Uphaus, Robert W. "Jane Austen And Female Reading." Studies In The Novel 19.3 (1987): 334. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 Nov. 2014.
Kirsten Zornado
Whether or not you’re a Jane Austen fan, you have to admit, her novels are popular. Ever wonder why? During the life of Jane Austen, European author, the American Revolution started (and ended), Napoleon Bonaparte rose to power, and some of the most classic novels of that time period were written. Through her life, lasting from 1775 to 1817, Jane Austen wrote numerous books. Some of those include Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and Sensibility, and Persuasion.
Jane Austen, like many people that are as well known for what they do as she is, has something called an “It Factor”. What makes up an “It Factor” depends on the person, however, it is generally agreed that it is what makes them special. “The easily perceived but hard-to-define quality possessed by abnormally interesting people.” (Roach) The purpose of this paper is to explore Jane Austen’s “It Factor,” what has, and continues to, make her books so popular, hundreds of years after they were written.
In order to understand what made Jane Austen’s “It Factor,” it is important to pursue the following questions. What made her works grow so popular, especially in the time after her death? Why is she referenced as one of the great authors of that time period? What makes her novels stand out from her peer’s? And finally, can we learn from this success?
In his article titled “Making it in A Brave New World: Marriage, Profession, And Anti-Romantic Ekstasis in Austen’s Persuasion”, scholar Charles Rzepka analyzes Jane Austen’s Persuasion, through a lens of women, marriage, and their professions. He goes on to talk about how Austen based a character in Persuasion (both her social, and professional standing) on herself. Rzepka’s purpose in writing this article is to share his analysis of the book. He adopts an academic tone in the article to cater to other literary scholars.
In scholar Robert W. Uphaus’s essay, “Jane Austen and Female Reading”, he discusses female reading (i.e., how females read) during Jane Austen’s time, and how that affected her writing. Uphaus supports his claim by comparing other female author’s (namely, Mary Wollstonecraft and Maria Edgeworth’s) views of female reading with how Jane Austen portrayed it in her books. His purpose is to convince readers that Jane Austen “both challenged and revised a view of women that disabled their moral status, and how, through her fiction, she established a new practice of female reading and writing.” (Uphaus 6-7) Uphaus uses an academic tone for the intended audience of the article, scholars.
Professor Lloyd W. Brown wrote a scholarly article entitled, “Jane Austen and the Feminist Tradition,” in which he argues that Jane Austen did follow the feminist tradition of the eighteenth century. He develops his claim by talking about feminists’ point’s of view, as well as opposing veiwpoints, and comparing them to Austen’s novels and characters. Brown’s purpose in this article is to persuade readers of his point -- that Jane Austen was a feminist. He establishes an academic tone for scholars, or other people who may read the article.
Based on these articles, it is clear that Jane Austen’s “It Factor,” was her ability to write characters that people identified with, and her ability to stray from the norm, as she did with the way she portrayed women in her stories. Using her “It Factor,” she helped to set a new precedent for the way women were viewed in the eighteenth century.
In his article, “Jane Austen and the Feminist Tradition,” Brown talks about something that exemplifies Austen’s “It Factor.” Her portrayals of the “sex-seeker -- those determined to complete their identity within a narrow concept of sexual roles...” (11), and the “truly accomplished mind,” defined by Jane Austen character, Mr. Darcy, as, “add[ing] something more substantial [to the typical definitions of an accomplished woman], in the improvement of her mind through extensive reading” (Austen, 39-40) Brown continues to compare these two roles of women’s using the novel Pride and Prejudice. “For if the marriage of Lydia and Wickham combines the ornamental talents of the mere sex-seekers, then the eventual union of Darcy and Elizabeth emphasizes the superiority of the truly accomplished mind as it is defined by Darcy.” (13)
In Austen’s books, all of her heroines were at least somewhat well read/educated, and they all, for the most part, independently solved their problems. As Robert Uphaus put it, “in Austen’s fiction, women need not be married to realize their moral character; this, in fact, is Anne Elliot’s point whan she reminds Captain Harville that she believes men are ‘capable of every thing great and good in your married lives... I mean, while the woman you love lives, and lives for you’.” (7) In fact, one of the main reasons her characters married at all was outlined in a letter to one of her nieces, “Single women have a dreadful propensity for being poor...which is one very strong argument in favour of matrimony.”
This “It Factor,” the element of a person that makes them influential, is really important to identify in today’s world. First of all, we can learn a lot about Austen’s works, knowing what made them (and their author) so special. We can look at her works in a whole new light. Also, we can use her “It Factor” when creating our own works, so that we can know what could possibly make them special and, in the end, make them last as long as Jane Austen’s works have.
Works Cited:
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. New York: Modern Library, 1995. Print.
Brown, Lloyd W. "Jane Austen And The Feminist Tradition." Nineteenth-Century Fiction 28.3 (1973): 321-338. Historical Abstracts. Web. 14
Nov. 2014.
Roach, Joseph. “It.” Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, April 12, 2007. Print.
Rzepka, Charles. "Making It In A Brave New World: Marriage, Profession, And Anti-Romantic Ekstasis In Austen's Persuasion" Studies In
The Novel 26.1/2 (1994): 99. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 Nov. 2014.
Uphaus, Robert W. "Jane Austen And Female Reading." Studies In The Novel 19.3 (1987): 334. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 Nov. 2014.
Motivational Speech
Kirsten Zornado
Have you ever been faced with a tough decision, where you could only please one person out of many? Well, I have. In those types of situations, figuring out what to do can be nearly impossible. However, if you’re anything like me, the choice is simple. Do what makes you happiest. Staying true to yourself and your values can be best for your long-term happiness and success.
I've stayed true to myself and my passions when I’ve been pressed to make difficult choices, and it has made my life a lot more rewarding and valuable to me. I became an author, untethered to a domestic life or committed relationship with someone I didn’t love, because that was what was right for me. Securing yourself to your core values rather than someone else’s can lead to a much more fulfilling life than you might have had otherwise. But, why do I need to do that, you might be asking?
Assuming we were all raised in a relatively moral atmosphere, we have a good understanding of right and wrong, that we hold to dearly. If we deviate from this set of “rules” that we’ve developed, that we feel grounded by, we feel bad. In contrast, if we stay on that path, we’re happier, and have a sense of community. Staying on the path of your internal compass serves a personal, moral, and community purpose.
If you’ve ever told a series of lies to anyone, or read about one in a book, you’ll understand how fast things can spiral out of control. Similarly, not being true to yourself can feel like lying. Instead of having to patch up what people do or don’t know, you have to deal with the consequences of your actions, or inactions.
So, as you can see, it’s vital to hold onto your values in times of critical decision making.
I believe that staying true to yourself relates to having something called an internal locus of control; you feel like you’re in control of what happens in your life. That trait, combined with competence and responsibility, can help you because, with it, you can have more internal motivation, and a better work ethic. Also, having an internal locus of control means that you believe you have more control over your life (Neill, 2006), and the world around you. Having an internal locus of control can help you to effect positive changes on the world around you. It is even possible for your individual contribution to have an impact on future generations. However, this is not the only benefit of staying true to yourself.
If you chose to follow your passions in life, you will likely be more successful at what you do. If you’ve ever held a day job you hated, just kept it to pay the bills, a lack of motivation was quite possibly an issue. If you tap into your passion when searching for a job, you’ll enjoy your work more, thus performing better, and having a higher likelihood of success. As Confucius said, “If you love your job, you’ll never work a day in your life.” As you can now see, staying true to yourself and your passions can benefit you in many ways. Now that you know how staying true to yourself can help you, and potentially even those around you, imagine yourself doing it.
Consider this: you have a decision to make. The primary person that this will affect is you. You can listen to your voice inside your head, or you can listen to the voices all around you, who may or may not have your best interests at heart. Ultimately, you are the person who will have to live with the outcome. So, what do you chose? It’s up to you. Follow your gut instinct, your inner hunch, whatever you call it. Stay true to yourself.
Resources:
Neill, James. "What Is Locus of Control?" What Is Locus of Control? N.p., 06 Dec. 2006. Web. 08 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.wilderdom.com/psychology/loc/LocusOfControlWhatIs.html>.
Kirsten Zornado
Have you ever been faced with a tough decision, where you could only please one person out of many? Well, I have. In those types of situations, figuring out what to do can be nearly impossible. However, if you’re anything like me, the choice is simple. Do what makes you happiest. Staying true to yourself and your values can be best for your long-term happiness and success.
I've stayed true to myself and my passions when I’ve been pressed to make difficult choices, and it has made my life a lot more rewarding and valuable to me. I became an author, untethered to a domestic life or committed relationship with someone I didn’t love, because that was what was right for me. Securing yourself to your core values rather than someone else’s can lead to a much more fulfilling life than you might have had otherwise. But, why do I need to do that, you might be asking?
Assuming we were all raised in a relatively moral atmosphere, we have a good understanding of right and wrong, that we hold to dearly. If we deviate from this set of “rules” that we’ve developed, that we feel grounded by, we feel bad. In contrast, if we stay on that path, we’re happier, and have a sense of community. Staying on the path of your internal compass serves a personal, moral, and community purpose.
If you’ve ever told a series of lies to anyone, or read about one in a book, you’ll understand how fast things can spiral out of control. Similarly, not being true to yourself can feel like lying. Instead of having to patch up what people do or don’t know, you have to deal with the consequences of your actions, or inactions.
So, as you can see, it’s vital to hold onto your values in times of critical decision making.
I believe that staying true to yourself relates to having something called an internal locus of control; you feel like you’re in control of what happens in your life. That trait, combined with competence and responsibility, can help you because, with it, you can have more internal motivation, and a better work ethic. Also, having an internal locus of control means that you believe you have more control over your life (Neill, 2006), and the world around you. Having an internal locus of control can help you to effect positive changes on the world around you. It is even possible for your individual contribution to have an impact on future generations. However, this is not the only benefit of staying true to yourself.
If you chose to follow your passions in life, you will likely be more successful at what you do. If you’ve ever held a day job you hated, just kept it to pay the bills, a lack of motivation was quite possibly an issue. If you tap into your passion when searching for a job, you’ll enjoy your work more, thus performing better, and having a higher likelihood of success. As Confucius said, “If you love your job, you’ll never work a day in your life.” As you can now see, staying true to yourself and your passions can benefit you in many ways. Now that you know how staying true to yourself can help you, and potentially even those around you, imagine yourself doing it.
Consider this: you have a decision to make. The primary person that this will affect is you. You can listen to your voice inside your head, or you can listen to the voices all around you, who may or may not have your best interests at heart. Ultimately, you are the person who will have to live with the outcome. So, what do you chose? It’s up to you. Follow your gut instinct, your inner hunch, whatever you call it. Stay true to yourself.
Resources:
Neill, James. "What Is Locus of Control?" What Is Locus of Control? N.p., 06 Dec. 2006. Web. 08 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.wilderdom.com/psychology/loc/LocusOfControlWhatIs.html>.