Lydia Bennet

*Lydia Bennet: she is the wild card in the story and in the Bennet family. What, exactly, is her flaw? Do you think she serves as a warning of some sort? What would that be? Is it fair to see her as such? What, really, distinguishes her from Elizabeth? How do the movies treat her? How do the values associated with her differ or parallel our societal norms today?    

         Lydia Bennet in the story films and adaptation all show her in the same light just in different forms.  She's is the "wild card" of the Bennet family she's to energetic to show similarities of her sister Jane and to naive to be as witty as Elizabeth. Throughout the films and book she does not show any maturity or growth throughout the story, she's very stoic. Her biggest flaw would be her naïveté and carelessness how whenever she and her family go to a gathering the is always drunk and running around or chasing soldiers. And I don't only blame Lydia for this Mrs. Bennet is partially to blame as well, her reasons for wanting Lydia to be "out" are understandable but she should have waited a few more years so she could have matured. In the  adaptation called the Lizzie Bennet Diaries even though in the beginning Lydia is energetic and the life of the party, towards the end of the series's she hits a point where she is maturing into the woman she should be.
          Jane Austen Portrayal of Lydia and her two older sisters do show sort of a warning. Lydia's warning to girls is to be cautious if your surroundings and the people around you. In certain social settings she was drunk or hanging off a soldiers arm, and even though the films and the book made it seem harmless it was far from it. If she was truly aware of who she was around and getting herself involved with she might have not caused her family shame by running away with  the first guy that shows interest in her. I think that Elizabeth gave her some indirect for warning by kicking Wickham to curb when she did, but Lydia did not take heed from it. It is fair to see her in this light if she showed some awareness her ending could have been better.
          Her and Elizabeth are polar opposites. When I think of how different they are I think of thenLizzie Bennet Diaries. It portrays Elizabeth as someone who is focused on her studies and trying to graduate., and Lydia as the wild child. She is constantly partying, getting drunk, and following after guys on local swim team ( the swim team is like the soldiers to the book version of Lydia). Where as Elizabeth is constantly worrying about finding a job after she graduates and what she is going to do with her life. And even though personality wise they are opposites the underlining similarity is that they both want to meet a man. Whether it be by true love or rose colored glasses.
          I think that the movies give more of a visualization of her actions. It's one thing reading about her running around town with soldiers, but actually seeing it makes what she is doing even more horrifying for her fate.
        A lot of her values are similar to that of today. She's all about having a good time and that is what it's all about today. Just living life and for the now instant gratification and that is Lydia Bennet summed up.