P&P Read Along, Chapters 1-12

You can find the first week's discussion here.


1. In Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen presents an interesting view of 19th century life in England. A key part of her presentation involves humor. Describe the presence of humor in the beginning of the novel. What examples of humor do you find? (e.g. in the dialogue between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet.)  What does this humor suggest about the tone of the novel?


As for the humor: Mr. Bennet’s especially is dry, and he takes advantage of the smaller wit and intelligence of his wife. I feel that he has some affection for her, but mostly an eye-rolling kind of annoyance for her silliness. Austen doesn’t use words like laughed, giggled, grinned, etc. very often. I think a lot of times the characters are joking, but you really have to pay attention and imagine their reactions. It’s easy to think everyone is being so serious all the time, but I think they had just as much fun and teasing going on (at least between sisters and friends) as we do.


2. This novel addresses a variety of themes, including issues involving marriage, financial status, and social appearances. The novel begins with one of the most famous first sentences in all novels. What does this sentence mean? What is the view of marriage that it suggests? In what ways is the conversation between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet in chapter one a commentary on this sentence?


The theme of marriage: The idea that a “single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife” is silly to me. I don’t think it is “a truth universally acknowledged”, at least in our day and age. But the cast of characters in this book is a very small microcosm of the bigger world, so maybe to these characters, it was just expected that if you were well off, you would want to marry and produce heirs of your estate. I do have sympathy for Mrs. Bennet’s plight–that none of her daughters will inherit Longbourn, so she wants them to marry and be successful that way. For women in this novel’s world, that seems like that was really the only way to be “successful”.


3. All the major families (e.g. the Bennets, the Bingleys, the Lucas and the Darcys) are introduced with explanation of the fortune they have and the place they live in.  What does this suggest about the importance of money and social status in this novel?


Money and social status? Of utmost importance. See above comment. Everyone spends so much time worrying about respectability and saving face. It’s kind of exhausting, but humorous when it’s Mrs. Bennet flying around like a worried hen. Of course, money and social status are important today too, but in different ways, and maybe not so intensely.


4. What is Elizabeth’s first impression of Darcy?  What does she overhear him say?  What is her opinion of him after that?  Is her opinion based only on appearance or other more substantial criteria? How about Mrs. Bennet’s view of Darcy?


Darcy essentially says that he does not want to dance with a wallflower. If Elizabeth is not being courted by others, she must not be of any great consequence. Plus he insults her looks. I don’t blame her for a bad first impression. Mrs. Bennet pretty much despises him as well, calling him “high and so conceited.”


5. As Elizabeth and Jane stay at Netherfield, what more does Elizabeth learn about Bingley’s sisters?   How would you describe the relationship between Miss Bingley and Darcy? Does Elizabeth’s view of Darcy change? Does Darcy’s view of Elizabeth change? By the time that Elizabeth returns to Lonbourn, Darcy has conflicting feelings about Elizabeth. What does he feel? What does he decide to do about it?

The stay at Netherfield changes Darcy’s view of Elizabeth more than the other way around. Darcy realizes that he is very much attracted to Elizabeth, but he does not allow himself to know her better, probably because she is beneath him in social status (hence PRIDE). I believe Elizabeth begins to understand and perceive Darcy’s character a little better, but still thinks he is haughty and rude, generally misunderstands him, and hangs on to her bad first impression (hence PREJUDICE).

As a side note, one of my favorite quotes is from Mary in chapter 5. She sums up a major theme of the book: “Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us."