What's it All About, Huh?

Brief Summary of Becoming Jane

***Spoiler Alert!!

The movie starts with an uninspired, young Jane Austen in Hampshire, England. She tries to find a light of inspiration in her family, friends, books, even the piano forte, but doesn't get anywhere until she finds the one thing she can't stop writing about, love. But what she didn't ask for was forbidden love. Meanwhile, Thomas LeFroy, a young man studying to be a lawyer with a known reputation from London is sent away to his relations in Hampshire where we find the dissatisfied Jane. Angered LeFroy shows up late to a community gathering honoring Cassandra's (Jane's sister) engagement to Robert Fowle. Jane gathered a strong distaste for this visitor. She becomes more offended by his presence when he falls asleep during her speech, overhears him talking about women writers, and challenges her about the legitimacy of novels during an unexpected walk in the woods. 

Despite his one-sided view of Jane, she likes a challenge not realizing that she is falling in love with his demeanor. Ever since the scene between Jane and LeFroy in the woods, Tom tends to pop up at the most unexpected times; first in the library, and then again at one of the community balls. However, other men were pining for Jane’s hand while Tom was teasing her for her intellectual mind. One of many men is Mr. Wisley. He is a respecting yet dull individual, polar opposite to Thomas LeFroy, with enough money and security for Jane and her family; the universally acknowledged “perfect man” to marry. After brief hesitation, Jane rejects the engagement knowing in her heart that she would only marry based on love, but also that she has put her family in financial danger. When Tom learns about Jane’s rejection to an engagement, he realizes his true feelings masked by his banter. He is in love with Jane Austen. 

At Wisley’s ball, Tom makes his feelings known for Jane. Jane shares her first kiss with him and then they talk about getting permission from his Uncle to get married. So then began Tom and Jane’s elaborate plot to trick his Uncle to be their benefactor. They bring Jane’s wealthy cousin and her older brother who is in the army along for the ride to distract his Uncle with these high status citizens. When they meet, Tom’s Uncle is impressed with his new acquaintances but is skeptical when he finds out Jane is a writer. His irritation towards Jane grows when he receives an anonymous letter revealing their plan. He rejects Tom’s proposal for money and drives Jane and her family away calling her a “husband hunter." However, this love story does not end. Wanting to break away from what society believes on marriage, Tom and Jane make plans to elope. 

As Jane packs her bags and begs Cassandra to keep her secret, the young couple blinded by love learn about their dirty little secrets. Jane never told Tom, but she expected to keep writing for the rest of her life. When they were in London, Tom took Jane to visit Anne Radcliffe, a famous women writer of their time. Anne encouraged Jane to keep writing. Her best piece of advice is to rely on imagination for inspiration. However, she also warned Jane of the reputation she would receive as a female author, and the reputation Tom would have for "having a wife with a mind." Jane wouldn't let go of her love for Tom and her love for writing, so she decided to combine both of her passions. Tom had a more serious secret. He gave his parents the majority of his small allowance he received from his Uncle at school. His parents married for love, eloped, and were cut off from their own family. They struggled financially, but Tom wanted to provide for them. However, if Tom and Jane followed in the footsteps of the LeFroys, he would lose all of his money. When reality hit Jane that she would be ruining this poor family's life, she left Tom and took the next carriage back to Hampshire.

Jane was welcomed home with open arms, and welcomed by another suitor, John Warren. John worked with Jane's father and wrote the anonymous letter to Tom's Uncle revealing their plans. She rejected his proposal in anger for his devilish deed. 

Time went on and Jane continued to write. She began writing First Impressions (Now known as  Pride and Prejudice) when she was in London for the first time with Tom, where she first began understanding her true inspiration.... love. But right when you think Jane is doing fine by herself, Thomas LeFroy comes back into the scene. He tells Jane that he is engaged, but would leave his fiancé if they ran away together. Knowing that the situation with his family had not changed, Jane rejected her last suitor. 

Years later.... Jane moves to London to continue her writing. Tom makes his last appearance in Jane's life and introduces him to his daughter. Her name is Jane. She asks Jane if she can do a reading for her and Tom, and Jane makes a special exception. Finally the movie ends with Jane finishing her book, Pride and Prejudice, and Tom applauding her and looking at her with love.