Jane Austen's body of work delivers a nuanced understanding of life—especially as a woman, family dynamics, insights into the historical context of the period, and the social norms between men and women. For the last two decades, I have been fascinated by Austen’s diverse and massive fan following, scholars, and writers, and I love discovering why her words and characters still resonate with so many these two hundred years later. Once a month in 2024, I feature one Austen fan to offer their insights.
Samuel Keele first became known to me when I joined the Jane Austen Fan Club on Facebook in 2016, maybe. It could have been earlier. I was fascinated that a guy from Utah was the administrator of the group. It's been fun to watch the group grow into the community it is today. The Jane Austen Fan Club has a wide and diverse international following. Like any online community, there have been ups and downs, and I have been fascinated to see how Janeites gather online to discuss favorite Austen topics...all under the helm of this one guy from Utah.
By Samuel Keele, the most unlikely Janeiac who ever lived.
First of all, I am a hack. I shoot from the hip. I am not erudite at all. I do not have a degree. I am not a great reader. I love science fiction. I am a rock and roll musician. I decorate wedding cakes. I am not someone who you would look at and think, “Hey! He looks like he must be a fan of Jane Austen.” Yet, here I am.
From Mansfield Park, do you remember Fannie Price’s two younger brothers in Plymouth, Charles and Tom? “Two rosy-faced boys, ragged and dirty, about eight and nine years old…just released from school…Tom and Charles chasing each other up and down stairs, and tumbling about and hallooing.” Well… That’s me!
The much-loved/hated Pride and Prejudice movie from 2005 struck me like lightning. I am a hopeless romantic. Today, now 2024, I find myself at the helm of a huge group of Jane Austen super fans. In 2006, this Facebook leadership role fell into my lap out of nowhere. Suddenly, I was immersed in all things Jane Austen. Facebook facilitated my enthusiasm for the stories. I misspoke about the books, and I misquoted many of the characters, mixing them with movie quotes (the horror!), but the gentle Janeites in my groups quietly set me straight about whatever I had said or written or done wrong. This even happened in some spelling and grammar. It is not in my nature to take offense but rather learn from my mistakes. And now, this Jane Austen universe, which I have become a part of, has become a sweet distraction in my life. Associating with Jane Austen, in general, and Janeites, in particular, has changed how I write and speak.
Discovering Jane Austen has broadened my understanding of life. I love that Jane Austen practices her Christian faith openly. Her stories are rife with examples of human goodness, with her characters striving to do what is right. She paints a stark contrast between what is proper and what is impertinent. (Don’t you just love that word? So happy to be able to use it here.) This goodness and her righteous compass are some of the things that attract me to her. Because of Jane Austen’s influence on me, I have close friends across the globe. I have never met them, and yet I consider them close friends.
In my groups, we have been able to gather over 200,000 friendly, cheerful Janeites from around the world. I have become very protective of them; not wanting the typical Facebook scams or spam to harm anyone.
I have also become jealous of anyone who tries to change the subject (Jane Eyre!) or, who goes after Jane or her stories. Authors such as Mark Twain or Charlotte Bronte really bug me with the drivel they spewed about her. Or, that knucklehead who wrote the “I hate Jane Austen” clickbait article just to get under our collective skin. Years ago, I never would have batted an eye over such things. But Jane Austen has civilized me. She has made me literate. She has changed the way I write and the words I speak.
These days, I find myself wanting to acquaint people with her. This is very difficult! Many people have never heard of her until you mention the words Pride and Prejudice or Mr. Darcy, then it is, “Oh yes, I know that.” I try to convey to people that she is so much more. But, once you bring up the subject, you have about thirty seconds before the subject is changed or the ridicule begins. But sometimes, there are people who have heard of her and who want to talk about her, and that person becomes an instant friend.
In my two Facebook groups, The Jane Austen Fan Club and The Pride and Prejudice Group, we have 215,000 people who love Jane Austen. These people are from all around the globe. Literally from every nation, speaking many languages. We have every religion and every political persuasion. We have every sexual orientation. Wealthy, poor, educated, and uneducated. Amazingly, all of this diverse humanity comes together peacefully and happily because of one extraordinary authoress who wrote only six novels. And all this serenity, while the world is in turmoil!
And my groups are small. The Orgullo y prejuicio Spanish group has 500,000 followers. The official Jane Austen Page has 1.5 million. The Pride and Prejudice 2005 movie group has over three million! Why? Why all this fuss over books with no sex, no violence, no murders, no wanton obscenities or sexual innuendo? Just interesting characters in compelling stories. I invite you to join us on Facebook and begin reading all of her novels along with us in our Jane Austen Book Club. We read all of her books every year. Join me and the hundreds of thousands of Janeites from around the world in celebrating one of the world’s greatest authors.
CONNECT WITH SAMUEL KEELE via
One of Sam’s songs on any music service
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