I've read the novel (and it seems like it's two thousand pages long) twice, and all I can ever remember afterward is Becky Sharpe's name.
And she is surely the sharpest character in the book.
Please follow me below the orange beignet:
Now, with Dickens, I can remember even the ones I didn't like enough to reread, like David Copperfield. I mean, forget about A Tale of Two Cities: I once did a thirty-second goof on its plot, including Carton's "It's a far, far better thing I do than I have ever done, it's a far, far better place I go than I have ever gone" which has to take up at least five of those seconds. And I'd read A Tale of Two Cities again in a heartbeat (Note to self: get another pb copy: you haven't read it in ten years at least and it's time).
But Vanity Fair? Eminently forgettable. And I like that kind of stuff.
So tonight, I watched the movie w/Reese Witherspoon on Netflix.
It was really, really good.
Was it faithful to the book?
Well, her name was Becky Sharpe -- the only part of the book I remember, except for the win some riches, lose some riches aspect -- so: maybe, maybe not.
A terrific movie no matter what. Great costumes, cinematography, acting: what's not to love?
Highly rec'd.
But the POINT of all this is, have you read it? Seen the movie to which I refer? Is it just my lousy memory, or is Thackeray one of the least memorable authors in the English language, except, of course, for his skill with titles (and maybe that came from his editor).
I would call Thackeray boring, except...he really isn't. He's good. I just can't remember a damn thing about his most important work except Becky Sharpe's name.
For boring you go to The Mayor of Casterbridge. Got stuck with that one in high school and it turned me off of Thomas Hardy for life. (But I still remember the plot.)
And there's Emma by Jane Austen -- totally a classic, and arguably the first modern novel in the English language. I mean, let's face it, Pamela by what's-his-name is barely readable, while Austen continues to amuse and fascinate.
So that's what I'm thinking tonight.
Worked a ten-hour shift and will be away from this site for a while: apologies.
Hope the early morning people will be around to comment & sorry for posting a drive-by diary. Will be back in about six hours.