一提简·奥斯汀,便会想到热闹的舞会、优美的乡村、和一群热衷讨论男女婚嫁的人们。在简不多的作品中,《傲慢与偏见》最为读者喜爱。
乡下的人们生活单调,缺少舞会和购物商场的娱乐,也没有什么重要的事情需要处理,最大的不过生老病死,男婚女嫁。所以小说一开头就说,饶有家资的单身男子必定想要娶妻室,这是举世公认的真理。
我们先来看一下小说中反映的十八世纪末页社会风俗:女子超过二十三岁就会被认为是老姑娘;家里有多个女儿的,按礼节,大的没有出嫁,小的不能出来参加社交活动;女儿没有权利继承地产、房产,只能拥有嫁妆或者凭借父母遗嘱分得一份遗嘱;长子继承制;教会拥有很大权力;商人社会地位低贱,拥有世袭爵位的人享有绝对的贵族地位。
伊丽莎白与达西的爱情故事,众位读者早已知晓,机智聪慧率真漂亮的伊丽莎白嫁给了成熟深刻富有高雅的达西,像童话故事里的王子公主一样从此过上了幸福的生活。
在作者简·奥斯丁看来怎样的恋爱是完美的?每一个结局美好爱情故事都承载了作者的爱情梦想。
电影《成为简·奥斯丁》中,才情满满的文艺女青年简,与年轻俊秀的律师相爱。在俗世的眼光看来,简需要嫁一个颇有家财的男子方能过上优裕生活,保持时常阅读的闲情;而贫穷的律师也需要娶一位家底丰富的女子才能改善生活品质。因此,简一生未嫁,而律师遵从家人建议娶妻,并给自己女儿起名为奥斯丁。
在两人相爱的过程中,简正在从事《第一印象》也就是后来的《傲慢与偏见》的创作,那么这部作品无疑是简·奥斯丁对自己爱情完满结局的梦想。一个女子拥有才华、气质、美貌却贫穷,必得有一个阅历丰富、品味高雅,物质充裕的男子相配。
对比简和伊丽莎白,可以发现她们有不少共同点:富有才华但又固执,率真美貌又不肯轻易认输,没有请过家庭教师依然获得了良好的修养,绝不接受没有爱情的婚姻。
在简·奥斯丁自己的爱情中,是因为两人物质不充裕而无法圆满,因此她深知爱情不能无所依。因此她借魏肯和夏洛蒂让伊丽莎白明白有一个令人气恼的信念:容貌英俊的年轻人同相貌平凡的年轻人一样,也得有所依靠才能生活。
伊丽莎白坚信只有遇到意气相投的人,婚后才能得到幸福,但并非每个人都会由此幸运。好朋友夏洛蒂嫁给了趣味无聊、阿谀奉承的柯林斯,她在心里是有点看低她的。但夏洛蒂告诉她,对于受过良好教育但财产不多的女子来说,嫁人是唯一的一条体面出路,尽管对能否得到幸福毫无把握,嫁人也一定是免于贫困的避难所。对于夏洛蒂这般从不曾美丽,也不拥有聪明智慧的女子来说婚姻只是人生中的一个过程。
The feeling of 《Pride And Prejudice》
Then man treat great event in one’s life with punishing, Demonstrate different attitudes to the love question of the marriage of young girl of the family origin of middle class of villages and towns, Thus reflected authors oneself’s marriage view: It is wrong to get married for the property, money and position; Get married and does not consider that above-mentioned factors are unwise too . So, she objects to getting married for money , objecting to regarding the marriage as a trifling matter . She emphasizes the importance of the ideal marriage , and regard men and women’s emotion as the foundation stone which concludes the ideal marriage .
The woman protagonist in the book Elizabeth comes from the little landlord’s family, reaches the west to have deep love for for the rich and powerful people sons and younger brothers. Reach the disparity of ignoring family status and wealth of the west, propose to her, but is refused. Elizabeth’s misunderstanding and prejudice to him are a reason, but a main one is the arrogance that she dislikes him. Reach the thes of the west in fact status’ the reflections of difference, exist this kind arrogant, Not having common thoughts and feelings between he and Elizabeth, the marriage that can not have lofty ideals . Elizabeth watches conducting oneself in society and a series of behavior of reaching the west personally afterwards, See he change the proud conceited expressions of passing by, dispel misunderstanding and prejudice to him, Thus concluded the happy marriage with him.
高中生的读书心得:读傲慢与偏见有感
“凡是有财产的单身汉,必定需要娶位太太,这已经成了一条举世公认的真理。”以这样一句话作为本书的开头,让人不由想到这会是一部清喜剧,来讲一个皆大欢喜的爱情故事。可是如若只为了消遣而读,那么这部《傲慢与偏见》就不会有如此长久的生命力。往往,伟大出自于平凡,奥斯丁就是将她的哲理通过爱情这一人人司空见惯的事物来表达的。乍一看,她讲的是伊丽莎白。班纳特与达西的爱情,但寻遍全书,确丝毫不见热情澎湃的只言词组。难怪《简•爱》的作者夏绿蒂。勃朗特说奥斯丁不知激情为何物,的确,奥斯丁的作品给人的感觉最多的是理智二字。她以理智诠释爱情,虽然没有《呼啸山庄》的生离死别,没有《巴黎圣母院》的生死相随,没有《红与黑》的浪漫热烈,但其所反应的社会现实确是如此一针见血,她讲的是婚姻,却与爱情无关。
在奥斯丁生活的十八世纪末期大英帝国正处于颠峰时期,而奥斯丁却把视线关注在英国乡间。当时英国乡间的生活在作者看来是惬意悠闲的,纯朴中包含平凡自然,但是整个英国社会的影响力始终波及着乡村,如势利、炫耀、虚荣和对婚姻的看法。当时的婚姻缔结的充要条件是男方有可观的家产,女方有丰厚的嫁妆。于是他们的结合便是幸福,便会为世人所承认接收。诚然,这样的婚姻类似于一种资产合并,以钱作为婚姻的基础,这明智吗?在当时的达官贵人看来这无可非议。于是一切的婚姻要门当户对,此处的门当户对确切地说应是资产相当。于是,一个已婚绅士有一两个情妇,或是贵妇人们有几个消遣的情人也被当时社会所默认。可婚姻仍被冠以“神圣”这一词来修饰。注重实际的人们始终以金钱作为信条,金钱至上方为他们的圣经,为之不惜赌上一生的幸福。这样的做法才算理智、清醒。可悲的是钱成了地位的标志、有钱=有教养=有地位=有高尚品格=具备做丈夫的一切条件。当贵妇人或是待嫁的小姐标榜自己的地位、修养、才华、娴静、优雅等等的诸多美德时,她们决不会想到这一切的美德得以形成的资本是钱,她们谈及金钱时,显现出蔑视和鄙夷,却不知自己的婚姻得以缔结不是因为美德,美德只是一件附属品,作为她们丰厚嫁妆的最让人信服的掩饰物。人们以敷衍、奉承、阿谀来祝贺新人,祝他们有钱人终成眷属。
在本书中有两个人物是此种婚姻的忠实奴隶。一个是夏绿蒂,一个是韦翰。
夏绿蒂从小受到的家庭教育是注重门第、讲究地位。她的父亲威廉。卢卡斯爵士自称与詹姆士宫有莫大联系,这样的吹嘘在乡间邻居间引起的轰动与崇敬已使他的虚荣心十分满足。在这样的熏陶下她与班纳特家的财产继承人柯林斯结了婚。柯林斯不仅为人做作、举止粗俗,唯一可取的便是溜须拍马之功。但他可以继承班纳特家的财产,且自己有一份田地和一份牧师的俸禄。仅仅为了这些,当柯林斯向伊丽莎白求婚失败后的三天中,夏绿蒂一直借看望好友伊丽莎白为由,与柯林斯朝夕相对,终于在第三天使柯林斯向她求婚。她成了柯太太,却不惜失掉伊丽莎白多年的友情。其实她也有不得已的地方,没有丰厚的嫁妆意味着没有幸福的婚姻,年龄颇大的夏绿蒂只有把握住这次对她而言难得的机会。起码,她将来的生活有了着落,可以成为班家大宅未来的女主人。于是,她与认识不到三天的柯林斯结了婚。婚后,她不断忍受着丈夫令人生厌的怪异行为,她唯一的安慰是使她的新家有条不紊,并在世人面前构建一个美满的家庭。生活是残酷的,拥有金钱的代价是失去跟多更为宝贵的东西,比如青春、爱情、幸福、快乐……
韦翰是个十足的流氓,他自恃外表轶丽,一心想通过婚姻来发家致富,可是,他忘了婚姻是相互的,金钱的交易也是相互的。他是个一穷二白的人,自是富家小姐不会光顾。但最终他还是通过不与丽迪亚结婚为要挟,向达西敲诈到了一笔可观的收益。于是又一个婚姻,又一个为了金钱的婚姻铸就了,这次不单出卖了幸福,还有灵魂,韦翰的灵魂被他自己彻底出卖了!婚姻既已变成手段,那幸福也是奢望了。
在本书中伊丽莎白一直是以一个正面人物来写的,她理智、活泼、爱打趣,善于对人冷眼旁观并直看穿其心思。书中常有她发表的见解和看法,作者通过她来表达自己的意图和观点,但表面上看来她是爱情的忠实追随者,直到最终获得真爱。但仔细想想也不难发现伊丽莎白或许说作者本身都难以逃出金钱性婚姻的怪圈。首先,作者在安排角色上让达西拥有俊朗的外表、高尚的品格,最重要的是,无论他与伊丽莎白的情节发展多么跌宕起伏,有一点是事实,他是一位年薪一万英镑的绅士,与皇家有密切联系,有自己的庄园、家产、田地,总而言之,达西非常非常富有。所以,伊丽莎白当初拒绝柯林斯求婚的原因很简单——有更好更富有的在后面。同时,伊丽莎白之所以对达西改变态度的转折点是在她看见了达西硕大的庄园之后,彭伯里女主人的称号无可避免的是一种诱惑。正如伊丽莎白所说,她是绅士的女儿,达西是绅士,他们是处在同一阶层的。地位相差并非非常悬殊,更何况,她出自乡绅之家,也算是半个富家小姐,小型的资产合并在所难免。她和达西的婚姻不被达西亲友所接受,只因为达西原可以找一个比她富有得多的妻子罢了。
这样的婚姻是一种悲剧,婚后所要面对的残酷现实是免不了的。夏绿蒂在尽力扮演好一位主妇的同时却一直怀念着深爱的昔日情人,她后悔当初因为那人的贫穷而未与之步入教堂,正如她所说:“没有爱情的婚姻,不管因为受到尊重或者拥有殷实的家产而显得多么荣耀,都比不幸强不了多少。”韦翰与丽迪亚的夫妻关系名存实亡,伊丽莎白与达西相处和睦,但不断来自邻居、亲友和珈苔琳。德。包尔夫人的冷言冷语,让她心烦意乱。
如此的婚姻悲剧在那一时代是很普遍的。究其根本原因,很简单——妇女地位低下。妇女没有工作、没有得以维持生计的能力,只有依靠婚姻这条路来为将来的生活来源做打算。这是解决将来生计的最普遍,也是最行之有效的方法。
在本书中,女性的社会角色是很明显的,即便是有钱的太太、小姐们,充当的角色也只是家庭主妇而已。社会中男尊女卑的现象十分严重。如班纳特家中有6个小姐,可是没有男嗣,因而,班纳特家的财产不得不由班纳特先生的侄子继承。这样致使6位班家小姐的嫁妆只有从其母亲当年的嫁妆中分得,嫁妆的卑微常常使的年轻的小姐们不得不选择一条像夏绿蒂那样的路,通过婚姻来为自己将来的温饱作打算,自然会将婚姻视为金钱至上的买卖。如书中所描写的,每一位太太在后半生最大的愿望便是嫁女儿,让她们未来在丈夫的资产庇护下得以生存。因而难怪郡里一旦来了一位有钱的绅士,母亲们便认定他为自己的准女婿。所以当班纳特太太得知伊丽莎白拒绝柯林斯的求婚后十分气愤,责怪女儿不明智。以柯林斯在金钱方面的条件而言,可以保证伊丽莎白将来有安定、温饱的生活,在其母亲看来,放弃这样一棵“摇钱树”是一种无理取闹。在她年轻的时候,也是通过婚姻来衣食无忧,现在她更有义务要求女儿们以此获得“幸福”,没有原因,这只是一种规律,是英国社会当时的婚姻法则。
没有经济能力的女性在当时的金钱社会中得以舒适生存的唯一办法是,出生前就挑个名门旺族,但这仅凭机缘,更多不幸出生于普通家庭的,便只能向生活屈服。可悲的是,她们从不发现这是社会的弊端,而一直认为是自己出身贫寒。他们没有选择的权利,就像是花瓶,等着有一天被一位出手阔绰的人买走,仅凭运气,与爱情无关。
这便是那一时代的资本主义社会,婚姻怪圈只是她金钱至上的一个体现。社会的不平等性在成了那一时代的婚姻典型,享受爱情是一种奢侈,“现实、生存、理智……”这些词汇在每个人的头脑中如电影般不断地重复放映,每时每刻提醒你:钱、钱、钱……
《傲慢与偏见》通篇是伊丽莎白幽默的俏皮话,可是这种强颜欢笑下,隐藏的却是那一时代人们无尽的苦恼、不满、遗恨。或许不幸太多了,变成了麻木。可是令人羡慕、认可的“幸福”背后,堆砌着的又是什么呢?是金钱、麻木、泪水、悔恨、遗憾,或许更多更多,但唯一没有的便是真爱,弥足的真爱……
读了奥斯汀的《傲慢与偏见》让我知道了原来在遥远的欧洲不仅有罗密欧与朱丽叶那样悲壮的爱情,像莎翁那样的古典哥特式的美,原来也有市井家,回归生活的美。简单,精致,如同“两寸牙雕”,却窥视出了整个社会。
弗兰克奥康纳说:“我认为简。奥斯汀是英国文学史上最伟大的技巧局将一样,她在文学方面炉火纯青,就像莫扎特在音乐方面的完美无缺一样。”《傲慢与偏见》的语言如同掠过竹林的风,带给我竹林般的清凉,泉水般的清澈,让人可以随时随地的沉浸其中。那细腻的语言,缜密的思维,为我拉开了英国田园风光的帷幕,不经意间勾勒出了一个浪漫纯美的童话,却又那么的贴近生活。
这是一部描写爱情与婚姻的小说。小说围绕班奈特太太如何把五个女儿嫁出去的主题展开。书中一共写了四队青年男女的结合,作者一一加以比较,批判,爱憎分明的阐述了自己的爱情与婚姻观。富有傲慢的达西和睿智具有反叛精神的伊丽莎白,温柔体贴的简和有权有势的宾利,以及莉迪亚和威克姆,夏洛蒂与柯林斯。
贝内特夫妇五个女儿待字闺中,没有子嗣,依照当时的法律,他们死后家产须由远房内侄柯林斯继承,因此把五个女儿嫁到有钱人家,成了贝内特太太最大的心愿。于是在这样的背景下展开了整个故事的架构。虽然作者在作品中没有重大的社会矛盾,但她以女性特有的细致入微的观察力,真实的描绘了她周围世界的小天地,尤其是绅士淑女间的婚姻和爱情风波。其实小说中的班奈特太太是当时社会大多数人的缩影,爱情对她们来说是不可靠的奢侈品,她们只看重物质,看重权势。所以当富有单身的宾利来到内瑟菲尔德庄园,便成了众人注目的焦点和谈论的话题,以及小说中对军官们到来,小镇人民细微的表情和言语的描写,将当时社会风气展现的淋漓尽致。
然而作者奥斯汀是一个具有批判精神的女性,于是她塑造了一个追求纯粹的爱情,多少有些藐视权贵的伊丽莎白。虽然小说写于19世纪初叶,但是她所阐述的爱情观与婚姻观放在当下中国却也依旧是那么热点的问题。看到社会中充斥着的拜金主义,炫富事件,小三,包养等心中竟升起一种荒凉,但这也并非真爱的缺失,而是社会问题。我个人认为这种狂热的拜金主义是因为社会制度的不够完善,本来在一个市场经济国家,对金的崇拜,对物质的追求是很正常的事,然而在中国却显得有些病态了,因为在中国没钱你便无法在这个社会生存下去,在“生存”这把悬于头顶的大刀压迫下,拜金现象自然变得严重,人间的真善美也在死亡的威胁下大大贬值。而在国外,特别是欧洲,因为社会保障制度的完善,哪怕你没钱,你还可以生存,所以在国外对艺术,对学术的追求热情远高于中国,同样在那样一个安逸的社会里,爱情观也让现代中国青年向往。
在我看来婚姻的奠基本来就应该是爱情,如同伊丽莎白所追求的一样。面包与玫瑰的选择,若二者不可得兼,取玫瑰而舍面包也。这种选择或许是因为我还没有面临生活的压力,但是追求爱,追求美的确是发自内心的呼吁。
但这只是个人的做出的选择罢了,在经济学中的一个重要基本假设那便是人的欲望是无限的,而资源是有限的,所以人们总是在不停的面临选择,而我只是出于个人偏好更侧重精神,愿意承受更大的机会成本而已。同样,有些人更侧重于物质,这只是一个选择,没有对错可言。然人毕竟是社会性动物,当大部分人做出了同样的选择,那这个选择便成了一种风气,久而久之,便成了一种习俗。之所以将题目设为“两寸牙雕”,不仅是因为《傲慢与偏见》的精巧细致,更是因为通过这个“牙雕”窥见了当时的风气,抛开爱情不谈,还有其他的一些感慨。
首先让我感慨的是当时人们对法律的敬畏和遵守因为整个故事的构架便是在依据当时法律贝内特夫妇死后财产由远房内侄继承这个源动力的作用下进行的,可见当时法治发展的水平。
其次是平等,“傲慢与偏见”这个书名便是在平等的观念下产生的,达西因为在交际舞会上不肯与他人跳舞,让伊丽莎白认为他十分傲慢,以至于产生了偏见。要认识和结交朋友都必须与他人一同跳舞,随时更改舞伴,尽兴而为,虽然这个平等具有局限性,但这些应该便是现在欧洲国家自由,平等,法治等观念的雏形。这些从两寸牙雕中观察出的细末,让我回眼中国的当下,期待能发现更多的进步雏形。
高一读后感:傲慢与偏见读后感
这是部浪漫又现实的爱情。爱情没有浪漫就失去其美好的色彩了。但是小说中种种关于门当户对,以及财富对婚姻的考量却充斥其中。 伊丽莎白为自己家人的行为给自己带来的影响万分懊恼,达西也因此劝宾利先生离开 简,后来自己也是在理智与情感较量之后万分矛盾地向伊丽莎白吐露心事。所以说什么是爱情?那种纯粹的感情,爱的不顾一切,单纯的洁白如雪的爱情是不是真如镜中花水中月,是不是只不过是人们心中的美好幻想和追求罢了,而现实生活中人们总是寻找二者之间的最佳平衡点。 伊丽莎白在知道威克姆的真实面目前对其充满好感,她的姨妈却说这样的青年托付终身不会幸福,因为他没有财产没有稳定收入,伊丽莎白接受这样的看法,并且主动克制了自己的感情,呵呵这样并没有给伊丽莎白抹黑,只会让我们看到一个真实理智的伊丽莎白,聪明理智的姑娘。 达西继承祖业,生活无忧无虑,在上流社会里也是受人尊敬,在那样的地位,一切的美德都不为过,慷慨大方,助人为善,这些东西无助与对他形象的丰富,对他倒是没什么评价。 有一个细节的描述很有意思,伊丽莎白和她的舅妈舅舅mr./mrs.gardiner 到彭伯利-达西的庄园去游玩时,不小心遇见达西之后,mr.gardiner 和达西先生的交流让伊丽莎白非常满意,她觉得达西应该知道自己的亲戚不都是那种举止让人厌烦的人。这样的心理描述的确很有意思,伊丽莎白已经非常在乎达西的感受了,如果不是的话,她的亲戚如何的糟糕又关达西何事?再者,伊丽莎白是不是也有那么一点的虚荣心呢,这无损她的可爱,反而使她更加可爱!谁不有一点点呢? 在追求爱情的路上,一定要坚定自己的信念,不要因为金钱、名利或其他原因而草草决定,要坚持寻找真爱。如果对方的某些缺点是自己所不能容忍的、而且也是自己所无法改变的话,就应该果断选择放弃;当然也应该要珍视彼此,不要由于别人的一些话就改变自己的决定,幸福要自己去经营。
this term i read a novel called pride and prejudice which is famous all over the world for many years. this type of novels not only at that time attracted broad readers, today, it still gives the readers unique art enjoyment.
the author, jane austen, was a british novelist who was born in a small country town. her father was a local vicar. austin didn't go to regular schools, but she read many literary works at her parents' guidance. she started writing about the age of 20, and published six novels. jane was unmarried all her life. for living in a small country town, contacting the medium and small landlords, pastor as well as their quiet and comfortable living environment, there were no significant social contradictions in her works. she described a truthful picture of her world, especially the marriage and love between gentleman and ladies by her meticulous feminine observation. the style of her works is humorous and rich in comic conflicts, so many readers love them. from the late eighteenth to the nineteenth century, vulgar and boring sentimental novels and gothic novels were full in british literary. but jane’s novel iconoclastic showed mid-class of daily life and pastoral scenery in british countryside at that time which had not been capitalist industrial revolution impacted,. although the breadth and depth of the reflection was limited, it played good effect to change the vulgar atmosphere in novels.
why is it called pride and prejudice? elizabeth and darcy’s story can explain. darcy loved elizabeth at first sight at the ball. but the arrogant character caused by the growing environment stopped his initiatively close to elizabeth. elizabeth as anyone else believed he is haughty and stubborn. the more darcy loved elizabeth, the more he would not shown on the surface insteading of making apathy. he thought if elizabeth would be proud after knowing he loved her, so his character of pride stopped this happening. elizabeth prejudiced against darcy deeper and deeper. in her eyes, he even became a sinister, hypocritical people. as darcy more loved elizabeth, he finally was unable to restrain to show his love to elizabeth. he certainly thought elizabeth would accept, but he didn't know how about his image in elizabeth’s eyes. so he was surprised when elizabeth refused him. his arrogance had suffered a blow. but from then on, they began to candid exchange, then misunderstandings gradually eliminated. later, inadvertently knowing that darcy properly handled her sister lydia and wickham’s elopement, elizabeth’s attitude changed. darcy was not arrogant as others thought. after elizabeth’s rejection, he began to reflect on the self-examination and treated people with more populist. finally, regardless of his aunt’s strong objection and concept of family, darcy proposed to elizabeth again. elizabeth willingly consented. she began to appear her lively side to darcy.
the characters have their own personalities. mrs. bennet was a woman who was eager to marry off her daughters. mr. bingley was a friendly young man, but his friend, mr. darcy, was a very proud man who seemed to always feel superior. even the five daughters in bennet family were very different. jane was simple, innocent and never spoke evil of others. elizabeth was a clever girl who always had her own opinion. mary liked reading classic books. actually she was a pedant. kitty didn’t have her own opinion but liked to follow her sister,
lydia. lydia was a girl who followed exotic things, handsome man, and was somehow a little profligate. i personally like elizabeth best, not only because she was clever and beautiful, but she was a person who knew clearly of her thoughts. she was not afraid to express what she felt, and had no fear of being embarrassed, for nothing honest should be shameful to her. be told at that time, this was very valuable for a lady from a large boudoir. just because of this quality, she had her own mind in love, and she and darcy composed a wonderful family after passed various troubles.
the first sentence in this book is impressive. it says: “it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife”. the undertone is very clear: the foundation of the marriage at that time is not emotion but possession.
as far as i considered, people can’t divide people by rich and poor. everyone is equal on every aspect such as character and knowledge. no one can be arrogant because of wealthiness or high status, and also can't be self-abased with economic poverty. this truth relating to our daily life is like that we should not be proud or produce arrogance mood when we make a few achievements,. learning is endless. we should know that there must be many people clever than ourselves. we must think out a way to study better than others. the vanity is caused by prejudice in the text. one cannot distinguish good and bad just because the beautiful and ugly appearance. elizabeth hated darcy because of darcy's arrogance generating by wealth and wacker's rumors. without complete understanding, she prejudice against him. as the saying goes, "men cannot be judged by their looks." whether study, life or anything else, one cannot see its essence only from the appearance. pride and prejudice are our common weakness and shortcomings. every person actually is easy to be driven by his own subjective impression. so it can comment easily to other people under incorrectness, then it will cause misunderstandings between each other. a person’s first impression can affect many things. not he must change, but you should more deeply know about him, then you will have more objective opinion, just like the heroine's opinion of darcy in the novel changed because of knowing. or if the people in the world no longer have pride and prejudice these two bad behavior customs, this world will more harmonious and friendly.