The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

Pride and Prejudice
Week 1: Volume I, Chapters 1-14
Discussion Questions

1) The novel opens with the famous line, "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." What does this line tell us about the society and the expectations placed on women? What does it tell us about Austen's narrative style? What tone does she establish from the beginning? How does humor play a role in shaping our first impressions?

2) How does Jane Austen introduce the social world of the novel in the first chapter? What do we immediately learn about the Bennet family and their priorities?

3) How is Mr. Darcy presented when we first meet him? How do the other characters’ opinions influence the reader’s view of him? What is the initial impression of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth, and how do their first meetings at the Meryton ball and during the Netherfield visit cement Elizabeth's opinion of him?

4) What are your first impressions of Elizabeth Bennet? How does she differ from her sisters?

5) How do the contrasting personalities of Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy become clear through their dialogue and actions in the first few chapters?

6) What does Mr. Bennet's character reveal about his view of his daughters and his marriage? How does he interact with his wife and the other children? Does his wit make him sympathetic, or is it also somewhat irresponsible? What do we learn about Mrs. Bennet in these chapters? Is she merely comic relief, or does Austen use her to make a social point?

7) Mr. Collins is introduced near the end of this section. What is your first impression of him, and how does he add to Austen’s critique of marriage and social ambition?

Mrs. Bennett isn’t the brightest character (she has been compared to Catherine in Northanger Abbey, but as an adult, without the excuse of inexperience). She has a good grasp of some hard realities for women, and a sense of the ends to be pursued. Unfortunately, she is hopeless on the best means to be employed in the case at hand.

A couple of friends of mine have argued, one online, but unfortunately not accessibly (https://www.proquest.com/docview/2309...), that Mr. Bennett’s quality and interest as a father can be traced pretty straightforwardly in his children. Jane, although perhaps a disappointment, was a much-loved child who grew into a sunny and calm adult. Elizabeth was a bigger disappointment, but blossomed when he discovered and nourished her natural intelligence and sardonic wit. Mary failed to be Elizabeth, and was soon ignored, but continued to seek his approval. He washed his hands of Kitty and Lydia.

A good thing about rereading a book when you already know the plot and some of the lines is being able to focus on how the author uses language, how characters are depicted, etc.

The first sentence sets the tone which we later hear from Mr Bennet and from Elizabeth. I think this is why he favors his second daughter, she thinks the most like him. Mrs. Bennet is totally oblivious to irony. Jane is too kind to think that way, Mary too abstract, and Kitty and Lydia just too silly and soldier-crazy. One of the earliest lines we have from Elizabeth is at the beginning of Chapter IV.

Jane says of Bingley, "He is just what a young man ought to be, sensible, good-humored, lively, and I never saw such happy manners!" Elizabeth replies, "He is also handsome, which a young man ought likewise to be if he possibly can. His character is therefore complete." A bit later she says, "I always speak what I think".

The social world is introduced from the very beginning in the discussion of Mr. Bennet calling upon Mr. Bingley, and the other opportunities the family might have to meet him. It is a closed community of local families. Then at the ball, there are the unspoken messages of who dances with whom, in what order, and how many times.

The first words about Mr. Darcy are that he is handsome and very rich. But soon, popular opinion, not just that of Elizabeth, who overheard his comment about her, is that he is cold and unfriendly. He doesn't dance much, doesn't laugh, doesn't chat, doesn't flirt. It's a great contrast to Bingley, who is outgoing, fun-loving and an admirer of pretty women.

There's an interesting passage between Elizabeth and her friend Charlotte about whether a woman should, in modern terms, play hard to get. They are a bit sorry that Jane is too honest and modest to play any such game. That's a contrast with Miss Bingley, who in several scenes, speaks only to manipulate or to get attention.

Mrs. Bennet is presented as foolish, yet in her way she shows the skills of a business manager or even a spy. She has a goal of marrying off her daughters and she goes about it strategically. She deliberately sends Jane off, knowing she could get sick, then does everything she can to extend the visit - and the ploy actually works. Elizabeth really cares for Jane and is someone who takes action, even if it involves walking through rain and mud.

While Elizabeth is at Netherfield, there are several scenes with Darcy. Austen has let us know that he is interested in her, but Elizabeth has no idea of that. She assumes he has maintained his scornful attitude. And he himself struggles with it, he doesn't want to be attracted to her. Miss Bingley sees it and makes sure to joke with him about it and about the in-laws he would acquire. We'll see later that this is a legitimate concern. Darcy is a snob, and he insists his pride is well deserved.

The Bingley sisters are instantly recognizable to any of us women who once went to school with "mean girls". There is no physical violence, only cutting remarks, disparaging looks, and exclusion, while at the same time claiming they are friends who care about you.

Mrs. Bennett is taking a real risk if she assumes that Jane will get sick, the “modern medicine” of circa 1800 being what it was. It has been objected that in reality Jane would not “catch a cold,” modern science telling us that these are due to viruses and not temperature and wet. Of course, what matters in the book is what was believed at the time.

Anecdotally, I was attending UCLA while Southern California was being soaked by El Niño rains for several years, and I routinely came down with bacterial, rather than viral, infections when I got drenched. Fortunately, I had the advantage of antibioticss