2) Compose a response using 2-3 direct quotations from the text.
NOTE: You will have class time to complete your reading. Spread it out.
BBC America Presents: Where are they now?
Elizabeth Bennet
Mr. Darcy
Mr. Collins
Lydia Bennet
Mr. Bingley
Mrs. Bennet
How recent is this movie, anyway?
ReplyDeleteHoly smurf! Mr. Darcy wrote a letter as long as heck!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth obviously can't believe what Mr. Darcy wrote. "Astonishment, apprehension, and even horror, oppressed her. She wished to discredit it entirely, repeatedly exclaiming, 'This must be false! This cannot be! This must be the grossest falsehood!'-and when she had gone through the whole letter, though scarcely knowing any thing of the last page or two, put it hastily away, protesting that she would not regard it"(138-139). These two are undoubtedly going to break up, and the bickering will continue. I can't believe the Bennet sisters eventually cross his path on their road trip. But as we've discussed for a while, long letters like this one aren't the only factor that's making these relationships so irritating to follow. It's also commercial, because they've all been taking money into account, and the inheritance procedures are sexist. (As was everything else at the time.) "'Mrs. Collins, you must send a servant with them. You know I always speak my mind, and I cannot bear the idea of two young women travelling post by themselves. It is highly improper'"(143). Oh, grow up, Lady Catherine! I lost my patience with this book long ago, and the fact that we've only 80 pages left! It wouldn't be news to me if any of you agreed!
ReplyDeleteI meant to say, "The fact that we've only 80 pages left doesn't make me feel any better!"
DeleteI disagree about your point about losing patience with the book. Personally I feel that since the book is reaching it's climax it's only getting more interesting. Also, I'm not a big fan of romance movies, books or tv shows as a genre but I feel that intentionally of unintentionally Jane Austen has made the story and characters so ridiculous it feels like it's parodying itself and I personally find that amusing. Anyways that's just what I think, feel free to reply if you disagree with anything I said.
DeleteI agree with Cole, if the book quickly resolved everything and the characters were more normal then it wouldn't be as engaging.
DeleteWell, there's sure to be a better way.
DeleteThe chapters that we read for homework had a lot going on in them, but I found Elizabeth’s and Darcy’s relationship to interest me the most. Elizabeth reads Darcy’s letter and is obviously conflicted with feelings. Austen writes, “She grew absolutely ashamed of herself. -Of neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think, without feeling that she had been blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd” (141). I thought it was interesting how she finally blames herself for being prejudice and not the people around her, like Darcy. She is realizing all the mistakes she has made in the past with her quick judgment. Another thing I found interesting, and also funny, was Elizabeth’s want to impress Darcy. For example when Mr. Gardiner and Darcy started talking “Elizabeth could but not be pleased, could not but triumph. It was consoling, that he should know she had some relations for whom there was no need to blush. She listened most attentively to all that passed between them, and gloried in every expression, every sentence of her uncle, which marked his intelligence, his taste, or his good manners” (171). During these chapters Elizabeth also had Darcy on her mind a lot. In chapter 43 Austen writes “and she could do nothing but think, and think with wonder, of Mr Darcy’s civility, and above all, of wishing her to be acquainted with his sister” (173). I think it is funny that such a smart woman as Elizabeth is so oblivious to her own feelings. She cares about what Darcy thinks of her and also thinks a lot about Mr. Darcy and how he is actually a very fine gentleman. You would think that she would be realizing that she likes him. I am curious to see when she notices her liking towards him.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to observe and analyze others but often times we don't step back and look at ourselves making us blind to the obvious.
DeleteI agree. I think that Jane Austen purposely puts these events immediately after Mr. Darcy's proposal
DeleteChloe Hanrahan
ReplyDeleteI’m sorry, but after the chapter about the letter I found this section of reading so boring! I felt like it was filler, as if Jane Austen wanted to elongate her novel so she added these chapters in. Having Lizzy meet Georginia, re-meet Darcy and see Pemberely are important, but that could’ve all be done in one chapter that was four pages long. I had a hard time getting through all this text, which was full of descriptions and not much action. Austen had done an amazing job at making normal moments in life fun and interesting, but this section she lost her tone and humor. I’m not even sure what quotation to put in because they all fell flat for me.
At the end of chapter 45, when Darcy makes the clapback of the century was hilarious though. “I have considered her one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance” I think it was the best way to throw it in Miss Bingley’s face that Elizabeth is prettier than her and that Darcy knows it. Also Austen used that moment to let readers know that Darcy still holds that candle for Elizabeth, that moment was really well written.
I had a relevation while I was reading this section of reading too! Lizzy and Jane are foil sisters, so are my sister and I! I can’t decide who is who, but the way they interact with eachother and the honesty they use is exactly how my sister and I talk. It’s this sense of honesty with a hint of protection. I think Jane and Lizzy can really help sisters, who are very different, see their similarities.
I agree with what you said about everything after the letter feeling like filler because of how big of a moment it was compared to the rest of the section which made the other parts feel less important.
DeleteThe chapters that proceeded waht seems to be the climax of the story mainly revolved around the meetings of Elizabeth and Darcy. Literally no matter where Elizabeth goes or how she tries to avoid Mr. Darcy, he always appear when she least wants to see him. When they first meet him at his mansion she just wished that "Had they been ten minutes sooner, they should have been beyond the reach of his discrimination" (168). In other words, Elizabeth really didn't want to see Darcy. All she wanted in that tour was a quick peek, and no Darcy. How unfortunate. XD
ReplyDeleteFor me, these chapters have just been revolving around Elizabeth regarding her prejudices against Mr. Darcy. In these chapters, she is rethinking all of her judgements, which she now recalls to be slightly harsh after she learns the truth about Wickham. I feel like these chapters are purposely placed immmediately after the confrontation between Mr. Darcy and Lizzy to show that if not for the prejudices she had against him, she may have liked him after all. In this point in the story, the only thing that Elizabeth really hates about Mr. Darcy is his initial comment that continues to rankle with her. "That he was not a good-tempered man had been her firmest opinion. Her keenest attention was now awakened; she longed to hear more" (166). Basically, Elizabeth is beginning to like Mr. Darcy when he is described by people who are close in his company. Perhaps they will get on after all.
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DeleteShe is 100% falling in love with him which is a little weird, see as she rethinks the decision of declining the proposal after seeing the how beautiful his house is but I think she was most influenced by the letter.
DeleteWhy does the house have anything to do with it? That's what I don't like about this book, they're all basing relationships on what everybody has and doesn't have! That's really commercial! Even if they do make any matches, they'll all have to redeem themselves anyway!
DeleteA lot happened in this section starting with Darcy FINALLY proposing to Elizabeth just to be rejected. This scene is interesting to compare to how Mr. Collins proposed to Elizabeth just a few chapters back. When Mr. Collins proposed he basically made a powerpoint presentation about why she should marry him, while Mr. Darcy is like an elementary schooler talking to his crush at recess. I don't know if these are meant to reflect each other like a foil but it's still interesting to compare them. I also like how Darcy reacts to being rejected. Instead of being all salty about it he spends time addressing what Elizabeth said regarding Jane, Bingly, and of course Mr. Wickham and writes a well thought out letter to try and get Elizabeth to alter her opinion about him.
ReplyDelete(Btw Mr. Darcy is a gentleman don't disrespect him like that ever again)
These set of chapters in Pride and Prejudice weren't the most interesting, but the situation between Darcy and Elizabeth definitely intrigued me. The first time Elizabeth misreads Darcy's letter, but as she reads it a second time realizes that Darcy may have been telling the truth and she has been blinded by Wickham's pretty face to even recognize the fact that Wickham is an awful person with bad motives, "How despicably have I acted!" she cried; "I, who have prided myself on my discernment! I, who have valued myself on my abilities! who have often disdained the generous candour of my sister, and gratified my vanity in useless or blameable mistrust! How humiliating is this discovery! Yet, how just a humiliation! Had I been in love, I could not have been more wretchedly blind! But vanity, not love, has been my folly. Pleased with the preference of one, and offended by the neglect of the other, on the very beginning of our acquaintance, I have courted prepossession and ignorance, and driven reason away, where either were concerned. Till this moment I never knew myself" (141). This moment when Elizabeth notices how Darcy is telling the truth is significant. She finally realizes that her prejudice caused her to misread both Darcy and Wickham, and she is just as full of pride as anyone else. Throughout these chapters Lizzie also perceives that her father isn't as great as she thought he was, "But she had never felt so strongly as now the disadvantages which must attend the children of so unsuitable marriage, nor ever been so fully aware of the evils arising from so ill-judged a direction of talents; talents, which, rightly used, might at least have preserved the respectability of his daughters, even if incapable of enlarging the mind of his wife" (160). His sarcasm and jokes were funny at first, but you then realize that he is just being plain rude and sits back not offering to help his wife with anything.
ReplyDeleteThese chapters were so JAM PACKED with content and info, it's actually a little overwhelming. I enjoyed the banter between Lizzy and Darcy, though. It was probably my favorite part of the reading. They have such an interesting relationship (now turned bad) and I love it. I also love that we see Darcy project genuine emotion and even lose his composure a bit in the reading, specifically when Lizzy blurts out: "You are mistaken, Mr. Darcy, if you suppose that the mode of your declaration affected me in any other way, than as it spared me the concern which I might have felt in refusing you, had you behaved in a more gentlemanlike manner" (131). This sets off Darcy, letting the readers (us) know he doesn't like to be called "ungentlemanly" in some shape or form. I also found it funny how after that little encounter with Darcy, Lizzy is approached by Darcy THE NEXT DAY. Granted, he gave her a letter to clear up everything, but nevertheless I found that quite funny. But the best part was when Darcy gives Lizzy the letter: "'Will you do me the honour of reading that letter?' -- And then, with a slight bow, turned again into the plantation, and was soon out of sight" (133). This part in my head was essentially: "Here there! I know we got into a huge argument yesterday so here's a letter! K-bye!"
ReplyDeleteI’m finding it interesting how Austen wrote this book. Each chapter you find out more about each of the characters and your opinions on them change. For example, it seems like Austen sets up Mr. Darcy to be an unlikable person (who doesn't like to dance!) When later we learn Mr. Wickham is the one who twisted the story about their relationship, which caused Elizabeth to be, “absolutely ashamed of herself.–Of neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think, without feeling that she had been blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd” (141).
ReplyDeleteThis book reminds me of mystery series’ on Netflix, where you don’t know who’s behind which curtain, and you think it’s a particular person but it’s not. The series and the book leads you through a maze and just when you think you’ve figured it out... a curveball is thrown and you have to think everything all over again. I also noticed that Austen gives an awkwardness to very intense one-on-one moments, “Whilst wandering on in this slow manner, they were again surprised, and Elizabeth's astonishment was quite equal to what it had been at first, by the sight of Mr. Darcy approaching them, and at no great distance”(170).
I think that the note that was given to Elizabeth was a crucial point in the story. This note showed that Wickham was actually quite a terrible person. The note from Darcy said " she was persuaded to believe herself in love, and to consent to an elopement. She was then but fifteen."(141) The way that the text says it is really powerful, how she was "persuaded to believe herself in love." This text gave me a connection to the real world, because a lot of people have spoken out about issues like these and this is showing how someone deceived a young girl into love. He also says "Mr. Wickham’s chief object was unquestionably my sister’s fortune." This makes matters even worse, as he not only used a young girl, but he did it for her money. I think that in chapter 45 when Darcy says "it is many months since I have considered her as one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance," it's kind of rude that he would, in a very kind manner, call her unattractive after sending her a letter saying he knew about all this horrible stuff that had happened.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that Wickham was kind of a weird guy. I wouldn't say he's terrible, but definitely weird and gives off creepy vibes.
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DeleteSo we read the proposal in class and already discussed it already, so my goal with this blog response is to steer *slightly* away from that topic and focus on the after affects and how Elizabeth is feeling. A lot of the chapters felt like fillers and were very narrative, but then I reached chapter 43 and I couldn’t help but laugh. I can’t help but compare the behaviors and thoughts of Elizabeth to that of a teenage girl in the present day. The way she so decidedly claims she doesn’t like him while proving the exact opposite is incredibly relatable and we still definitely see a lot of that today. So even though the time period is way back then and a lot of the cultural beliefs were different- emotions and behaviors haven’t really changed. Ethan in class usually describes their interactions very simply in terms we easily understand and I honestly think it’s spot on with how they’re actually feeling- I just thought I’d mention that because it’s something I’ve been noticing the entire book. Back to chapter 45, I love how when in Pemberley, Elizabeth is looking around thinking, ‘wow this could have been my home!’ with the quote: “Instead of viewing them as a stranger, I might have rejoiced in them as my own.” (164). She’s been trying so hard to hate him and wanting to hate him, that she inadvertently ends up thinking about him. Another example of this is when she discovers from others that Darcy is actually a good person, and there is at least a paragraph of Elizabeth marveling at the fact that he is a good person and that her mind is being changed about him (even though we already know it very much has already changed in her mind). Another way I found that we can connect this to the present is when Darcy and Elizabeth see each other again, and “their eyes instantly met, and the cheeks of each were overspread with the deepest blush.” (168). I find this easy to relate to a situation where everyone knows two people like each other, except for the two people themselves. Am I missing any other situations in which it can be easily connected to the present?
ReplyDeleteI was impressed at how almost the entirety of chapter 35 was a letter. At first I was ridiculing Mr.Darcy for apologising in print rather than face to face but now I see that writing out his view was the only way to truly convey everything concisely. Elizabeth later brings up the issue of Mr.Wickham with Jane and they concluded that “to have his errors made public might ruin him [forever]. He is now perhaps sorry for what he has done”(153). Although they won’t expose him, I wonder if he will be confronted privately. He is definitely guilty of lying and defamation. While visiting the Pemberley estate Mrs.Reynold the housekeeper claims that in her experience with Mr.Darcy she has never “had a cross word from him in my life, and I have known him since he was four years old”(166). Not only is Mr.Darcy vindicated, the approval from others also come in. I think Elizabeth is very close from having her heart captured.
ReplyDeleteOkay loved these chapters. Absolute unit but more to love honestly. Elizabeth being honest with herself, that she was "blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd" (141) towards Darcy. Which is somewhat justified in their first interactions and as Darcy says "My good opinion once lost is lost for ever" (39). This was just Elizabeth's opinion of him being lost since she first heard him comment on her appearance. However now, thank god to Darcy's letter, she finally got insight and a look into Darcy's self. She had only seen him as that prideful man and now she knows that there is more to him than his condescending nature. I absolutely adored them meeting once more. When they saw each other and "Their eyes instantly met, and the cheeks of each were overspread with the deepest blush" (168). That was so cute!! I love embarrassed shy goals. Darcy is so clearly still in love with Elizabeth, despite her belief "'It is impossible that he should still love me'" (171). Like hOney!! He's blushing, but he welcomes Elizabeth and her family with open arms and even wants to introduce his sister, whom he adores more than the cosmos, to Elizabeth. THE girl who broke his heart and he wrote a whole explanation about how protective of his sister he is because people are evil creatures and yet he wants to introduce her to the girl who broke his heart. Most people in his situation would avoid the person and just pretend they don't exist!! I would honestly. And yet he has his sister come over THE very next day!! Wild!! Iconic!! I literally cannot believe it even though I knew it would happen!! And when Miss Bingley, our "favorite" person, is being a rude person (no surprise), Georgiana continues to believe in her, because DARCY told her all these good things about Elizabeth (THE GIRL WHO BROKE HIS HEART) and she doesn't doubt those statements. She believes in her brother and in her new friend. Iconic. We stan Georgiana in this household. We stan Darcy turning over a new leaf?? Because he has really changed. His demeanor in meeting the Gardiners show that. He could've been his cold, distant, proud self he had been until now. But he actually is "infinitely superior to any thing they had expected. 'He is perfectly well behaved, polite, and unassuming'" (172). He is not as he used to be, and that is definitely Elizabeth's influence (and maybe his sister's magic) and the truth of some of her statements to him caused him to reflect and understand more of her point of view. They are both changing, and seeing each other more, and understanding and meshing better. I guess we'll see how well it goes for them in the next chapters.
ReplyDeleteI really like the quotes you picked. Good finds.
DeleteI completely agree with you about loving these chapters. I love watching the interactions between Elizabeth and Darcy which is the main focus of these chapters, and although some people find these rather dull, I feel that it is somewhat more interesting.
DeleteThanks Syd love your input ;))
DeleteThanks Nick as well!!
DeleteThese 50 pages undergo a turbulent change in the story Pride and Prejudice. These few chapters start on Darcy finally proposing to Lizzy, and was rejected because Lizzy "felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry."(132). As his true intentions were slowly revealed, Elizabeth felt more open to Darcy, and "settled it that Mr. Darcy, would bring his sister to visit her, the day after her reaching Pemberley;"(173). While this was happening, we were introduced to Mrs. Gardiner, a sensible and intelligent aunt, and she has 2 girls and 2 boys. As like the previous "section", this "section" ends on a cliffhanger that has us eagerly anticipating the next few chapters.
ReplyDeleteAfter Mr. Darcy proposed to Elizabeth, she rejects him in a quite harsh manner during which she accuses him of not acting like a gentleman. Darcy appears to be very taken aback by this comment, in fact somewhat more so that Elizabeth’s other remarks regarding Jane and Bingley’s relationship and Mr. Wickham. Since Darcy was brought up in a high social class, it is expected for him to always act like a gentleman, so this appalled him. However, there is the possibility that, before Lizzy’s comment, he had no idea that he might be coming across poorly to those he does not know. He may simply not enjoy being around people that he is not familiar with, and he unintentionally comes across as overly prideful and aloof rather than showing his good character that his friends know well. Despite his ‘ungentlemanlike’ manner before Elizabeth’s comment, when they later see each other at Pemberley while Lizzy is visiting with the Gardiners, Darcy acts in such a dignified and civil way that she notices that “he [had never] spoken with such gentleness as on this unexpected meeting” (168). In order to improve himself, particularly in Lizzy’s eyes, Darcy acts much more like a gentleman to everyone, not just to Lizzy. Also, all of the blushing that both Darcy and Elizabeth do in their interactions with each other during her visit at Pemberley is both adorable and shows that they both have strong feelings for each other, in spite of their best efforts to not have them.
ReplyDeleteOn a separate note, I like how the differences between Wickham and Darcy are being to be shown and understood by Elizabeth. After hearing of what Wickham did to Darcy’s sister and family, Lizzy starts to examine Wickham closer, and realizes that he only has the appearances of being good, with the good social skills and “such an openness and gentleness in his manner” (152). However, while Darcy does not seem to have those skills, his good character becomes apparent to those close to him, especially in the way he treats his sister, friends, and other important people in his life. I particularly enjoyed when Lizzy described this difference between Darcy and Wickham (who grew up together) with “There certainly was some great mismanagement in the education of those two young men. One has got all the goodness, and the other all the appearance of it” (152). Lizzy finally has realized that Darcy is a good person, even though he may not seem that way at first, and that Wickham actually only seems good.
The quote you put at the end with Wickham and Darcy is literally a summary of her thoughts in these chapters.
DeleteI really like this section of chapters. After being given the letter she starts thinking that in some ways maybe he is right and Jane gets a kind of I told you so moment(she is too nice to actual say I told you so to Elizabeth straight up). I loved when after she reads the letter when Mr.Wickham comes. She passively agressively tells him she knows by saying "yes very different. But I think Mr.Darcy improves on acquaintance.(158)" that really suprised Wickham. I feel after this conversation she is done with Wickham and is like BYE!!
ReplyDeleteIn this section was so funny because we really have never seen Lizzy so embarrassed and blushy(if that even is a term). They act like shy, akward and cute too each other with Darcy showing to Elizabeth that he actually might be a really good person that she might have miss judged. Mr.Darcy even asks her if she could meet his sister. This sister has been a character in the book without being present so far so when we meet her and she was this shy and timid girl, "difficult to obtain even a word from her beyond monosyllable.(174)" she is very relatable to friends I have that are so shy I thought they did not like me but they were actually just too shy. I feel she is very much like jane that she is pure hearted and just like a nice person in general. In most of these chaters Elizabeth is debating do I like him? and how much and why? She is literally falling in love. I loved the ending when the Bingley's came back. The funniest thing thinking about Caroline's reacting to how good Darcy and Lizzy's relations are and she get him to call Lizzy "one of the most hansomest women of my acquiantance."(181) This the response she was intelling at but it only hurt her in the end.
Elizabeth and Darcy certainly seem to be in love with each other. The awkward communication seems to be the first step as although Mr. Darcy has already made a proposal, they are still having some trouble sharing their feelings with each other. Once they share their feelings, they likely love each other even more, leading to a marriage.
DeleteNow that Wickham's relationship with Miss King has been talked about again I'm very curious about it. I was disappointed when Darcy was telling Lizzy about how creepy he was. The whole ordeal about Wickham and Darcy's younger sister was wild. I do not like the wording that Darcy uses in his letter. He says that Georgina was "persuaded to believe herself in love, and to consent into elopement"(137)" The fact that she had to be persuaded into agreeing to "falling in love" is wrong to me. I was really hoping to like Mr. Wickham, even if how he ended things with Lizzy was odd. I wanted to believe that he was a nice guy. Also, I'm very curious how his relationship with Miss King ended. When Lydia drops the bomb that there is "no danger of Wickham's marrying Miss King" i was shocked (149). I was wondering why they would end things and why she would move to Liverpool with her uncle? If they brought it up in any of the other chapters that we read then I must have missed it. That whole relationship seems odd to me.
ReplyDeleteI mean even though Wickham and Miss King's relationship is only brief in the novel and not necessarily the mainvocal point of Pride and Prejudice, I am too curious about their relationship. But I think that was intentional. Jane wants us to think about those little quirks in the novel and let us think for ourselves of what happens between the two until Jane Austen mentions them again.
DeleteI like what you said about Mr. Wickham and Miss King, when I read this part of the book I didn't question it but now that you bring it up, it is a little suspicious and weird. Why did their relationship end so abruptly? Now that Mr. Wickham is not getting married I think he will have a big role in the book in the future because there must be a reason why they did not work out.
DeleteThis section of reading provided a lot of information. It proved how much Mr. Bennet shows affection towards Elizabeth. In the previous section Mr Bennet said how he was going to miss Elizabeth very much. It was also visible that he had softened up a little right before she was leaving but soon he changed back into this usual self. On pages 149 “Mrs. Bennet rejoiced to see Jane in undiminished beauty; and more than once during dinner did Mr. Bennet say voluntarily to Elizabeth, ‘I am glad you are come back.’”While from what we notice of Mr. Bennet as teasing Mrs. Bennet and annoying her, he has a side to him which comes out when he truly loves something. I found this to be very interesting. On page 153 it says, “But there was still something lurking behind, of which prudence forbade the disclosure. She dared not relate the other half of Mr. Darcy’s letter, nor explain to his sister how sincerely she had been valued by his friend.” Personally, I don’t understand why Elizabeth wouldn’t tell Jane the truth about Mr. Bingley and what had happened. I’m pretty sure that Jane doesn’t have complete closure as to why their relationship had ended like it did and I feel that this would’ve helped her gain it. I know that it is shown how Elizabeth and Jane are very close and they would tell each other everything and this part of the reading surprises me.
ReplyDeleteNikita Orbits
I felt like in this few chapters Elizabeth has grown so much in terms of knowing what or what to believe and growing as an individual person. When she learns Mr. Darcy side of the story, she ultimately feels guilty and goes on saying something like “How despicably have I acted! I, who have prided myself on my discernment!-I, who have valued myself on my abilities! who have often disdained the generous candor of my sister, and gratified my vanity, in useless or blameable distrust. How humiliating is this discovery!- Yet, how just a humiliation.” (141) Sometimes I wish that Mr. Wickham didn’t tell Elizabeth about his history with Mr. Darcy, but then again if Mr. Wickham never told Elizabeth anything, she still would’ve rejected Mr. Darcy because he was “not a gentleman” in Elizabeth’s point of view. But as Elizabeth reads Mr. Darcy’s letter over and over, does not only feel guilty for her actions, but her feelings toward Mr. Darcy start to change and even when she was touring the Pemberley estate and sees a portrait of Mr. Darcy, one of the maids asked Elizabeth if Mr. Darcy looked handsome and she replied, “Yes, very handsome.” (165) Even though Mr. Darcy was rejected the first time around, he still have feelings toward Elizabeth and even said “I have considered her as one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance.” (181) I think in the end Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth will get together and inevitably marry each other.
ReplyDeleteIn these chapters, I think that the most ground breaking event was when Elizabeth read Mr. Darcy's letter. This letter was both extremely out of character for him though also extremely in character. His letter can be perceived as out of character because he is expressing himself outwardly and telling Elizabeth the truth. All throughout the book, Mr. Darcy has remained reserved in his demeanor and now he is expressing himself shamelessly in his letter to defend his honor to the woman he loves. However, Mr. Darcy writing the letter was also very in character for him because though he put himself out on the line through words, he did not have the courage to say these words to Elizabeth's face. Also, as said in previous chapters, Darcy is very fond of writing long thoughtful letters. In the letter, both Elizabeth and Darcy have to overcome their pride and prejudices to understand the truth. For example, Darcy calls Elizabeth out on her prejudices against him and addresses them with the truth that only he can tell. His pride and his truth is something Darcy finds very hard to admit. Darcy makes this clear in his letter when he writes, "I must now mention a circumstance which I would wish to forget myself, and which no obligation less than the present should induce me to unfold to any human being"(137). As shown in this sentence, Darcy has to fight with himself to be able to express himself. It is like Elizabeth puts pressure on the dam of his emotions with every word she speaks to him. However, once that dam is broken, nothing can be held back, and the roar of his bottled up emotions can be heard. In doing this, Darcy also has to overcome his pride and admit his faults to Elizabeth, before he can defend himself. Another example of Darcy overcoming his pride is when he apologizes for breaking up Bingley and Jane in the letter by writing, "Perhaps this concealment, this disguise was beneath me -...I have wounded your sister's feelings, it was unknowingly done;"(135). By the end of the letter, though Lizzy is skeptical, she is forced to lower her sword against Mr. Darcy and be open to the truth. All in all I think both Lizzy and Mr. Darcy overcoming their pride and prejudices is a step in the right direction and I believe once these barriers created between them are lowered, they can begin to have a real relation ship built on trust rather then skepticism and prejudice.
ReplyDeleteIn the chapters we have just read things really start to pick up. And the pacing accelerates a lot. Darcy finally confesses his feeling to Elizabeth to which she refuses his proposal sadly. Even stating “ You could not have made me the offer of your hand in any possible way that would have tempted me to accept it.” Yet later Elizabeth finds out Darcy is being lied about and she then begins to feel confused. Everyone is currently gathered at Rosings including Mr.Collins who Elizabeth also rejected which is a funny thing to watch them two intereact in any way. Which is Mr.Collins usually just boasting his “amazing” life towards her to make her feel jealous. After they leave Elizabeth returns home and is asked to go to Meryton to see the officers with Lydia but Elizabeth denies that idea not wanting to see Wickham. So now Elizabeth's hate is shifting away from Darcy and is going more towards Wickham. Although she still thinks Darcy to not be exactly a saint just like many others as said” The general prejudice against Mr.Darcy is so violent that it would be the death of half the good people in Meryton to attempt to place him in an amiable light. So Elizabeth's opinion is starting to get better but she also does not completely know if he is telling the truth in the letter written to her and believes others have such a strong opinion towards him that they probably won't aswell.
ReplyDeleteI feel that we are still waiting for the climax of the book. After the letter everything feels dull and dry. We don't have any interesting things happening, except for the letter. I feel that Elizabeth doesn't see wickham as attractive anymore and she is now leaning more towards Darcy. It feels like we are just waiting for something new to happen.
ReplyDeleteThis letter was whack honestly dawg. I relate a lot to Mr. Darcy, because I too write letters when I am eating my heart out (I just don't send mine haha) so that's some relatable content in there. The letter made us all think though, because Mr. Darcy threw out all these truth bombs but we're not sure if they're truth bombs. Darcy did us kind of a solid by getting Jane out of Bingley's head because he is kind of a slut if I'm being 100. Also, all that stuff in the letter saying Fitzwilliam is a fraud was a lot to process, now we just have to wait and see if he was telling the truth (which he probably is!). The rest of the selection was kind of meh, nobody really cares. I am just waiting for Darcy to come back and swoop Liz off her feet and defeating whomever she falls in love with. Like Shrek!
ReplyDeleteAlso Darcy reminds me of myself because now that he got that sucky rejection he is trying to clear house and make it seem like he totally won this breakup (even though they were just friends) by using passive aggressive letters and argument in a condescending manner to put himself on top. Like me!
DeleteWatch your profanity!
DeleteIn the chapters we read it becomes clear to me why Jane Austen's original title was "First Impressions", from the beginning of the book we get really great descriptions of all the characters and Austen makes us think we have a clear understanding of everyone and their personalities but as the novel progresses we come to find that not everything is as it seems. This is a very realistic aspect, people often present themselves to be something and later on you find out they are a completely different person from your initial interaction with them. Elizabeth originally thought Mr. Wickham to be charming and he told her his background story which made her feel sorry for him and hatred towards Darcy, and her first impression of Mr. Darcy was disgust, for she found him to be a man with too much pride. The irony is that her opinions of the two men switch. Elizabeth has always been the clever one who could always find fault in her peers..."She grew absolutely ashamed of herself.-Of neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think, without feeling that she had been blind, partial, prejudiced,absurd." (pg. 141), while Jane sees the good in everyone. In these chapters Jane is the one to have been right in her initial beliefs of Wickham.
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