A few days ago, I was surprised to hear a writer on a podcast refer to Pride and Prejudice as a book with a predictable ending. (He didn't mean it in a bad way; it was in the context of a larger discussion on archetypal plots.)
However, I have to admit that I wasn't sure who Lizzie was going to end up with, the first time I saw Pride and Prejudice. (Well, it was probably the second time I'd watched it. Or maybe even the third. Knowing my mother and her love of Jane Austen, I probably "saw" it in utero. What I'm referring to is the first time I actually remember watching it.) Of course, I was pretty young, so maybe I just wasn't as aware of well-formed story structure as I am now.
Did you find the ending of P&P predictable when you first saw or read it?
a. I haven't seen/read it, so I can't comment. b. Even though I haven't seen/read it, I still know how it ends. It's that culturally pervasive. c. Yes, I found the ending predictable. d. No, I didn't find the ending predictable, or, I only predicted the ending after point X in the story. e. None of the above
Also, what version of P&P did you first encounter?
i. The (unabridged, uncondensed) book. ii. The 2005 film (with Kiera Knightley) iii. The 1995 A&E miniseries (with Colin Firth) iv. The 1980 BBC miniseries (with Elizabeth Garvie) v. Bride and Prejudice (the Bollywood remake) vi. Pride and Prejudice: A Latter-day Comedy (the Mormon remake) vii. none of the above