P and P Essay

Marriage

"To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part” (Book of Common Prayer). These words bring together man and woman as husband and wife in marriage. As the vow states, marriage requires the couple to love each other for the rest of their lives. However, the society of Pride and Prejudice views marriage as a means for women to raise lower societal rank by being with men of higher class and affluence: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife” (Austen 5). Having such a view, the true fundamentals of marriage are defaced, for societal competition can lead to marriage for money and other benefits, or simply for practical matters. Such mercenary or prudent marriages devalue love, an integral constituent of marriage. Throughout the novel, love relationships, at times also prudent, are the ones that culminate in success, namely, Jane and Bingley and Elizabeth and Darcy. Therefore, love is the most favorable basis for marriage: “Love is the master key which opens the gates of happiness” (Holmes).

With no concern for love, mercenary marriages seek to satisfy monetary needs and gather other benefits. At the onset, George Wickham is a charming gentleman with agreeable qualities; when, in actuality, he is a money-hungry failure. He purports to be pleasant to lure women that have the potential to fund his extravagant spending. He jumps from Elizabeth to Ms. King because Ms. King receives her grandfather’s fortune, and he finally marries Lydia only for Darcy’s money. With Wickham’s apathy towards love, “his affection for [Lydia] soon sunk into indifference” (374) once their money is lost. Meanwhile, Lydia is left to her own naiveté to feel that their affection remained strong. Clearly, their mercenary marriage shows no accord or happiness; therefore, money cannot be a positive foundation for matrimony. As for the Bennets, marriage satisfies other benefits.

Besides money, other rewards can be sought in a mercenary marriage. Mr. Bennet marries Mrs. Bennet to satisfy his aesthetical preference: “[Mr. Bennet], captivated by youth and beauty, and that appearance of good humour which youth and beauty generally give, had married [Mrs. Bennet]” (231). Though Mrs. Bennet’s elegance satisfied Mr. Bennet for some time, “[her] weak understanding and illiberal mind had, very early in their marriage, put an end to all real affection for her. Respect, esteem, and confidence had vanished for ever; and all his views of domestic happiness were overthrown” (231). Mr. Bennet is certainly regretful of his marital motives and warns Elizabeth to not reciprocate his past with Darcy: “My child, let me not have the grief of seeing you unable to respect your partner in life” (364). Furthermore, mercenary marriages precipitate unhappiness; therefore, they are, undoubtably, an unfavorable basis for marriage.

A prudent marriage is one that uses practical common sense as the fundament for a union. For this purpose, Mr. Collins and Charlotte are quintessential. When Mr. Collins originally proposes to Elizabeth, he uses logos to reason out the advantages for such a marriage:

``My reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances (like myself) to set the example of matrimony in his parish; secondly, that I am convinced it will add very greatly to my happiness; and thirdly—which perhaps I ought to have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honour of calling patroness” (105).

For Mr. Collins, a marriage with Elizabeth would meet all his needs; hence, it is prudent.

When Collins marries Charlotte, Charlotte also exhibits prudence in her motives for marriage: “Without thinking highly either of men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and, however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want” (122). Charlotte desperately wants a husband to provide for her lifelong necessities and finds her answer in Mr. Collins: “I ask only a comfortable home” (125).

Though their marriage coincides with reason, Charlotte has a disposition that “happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance” (24). By only satisfying logic, their relationship unfortunately does not beat the odds. When Elizabeth visits the couple in Hunsford, Charlotte only seems happy for her husband’s goods and not Mr. Collins himself. Mr. Collins’ sycophantic nature was bearable for “[Charlotte’s] home and her housekeeping, her parish and her poultry, and all their dependent concerns, had not yet lost their charms” (212). Though their marriage continues, it is implicit that Collins and Charlotte feel nothing for each other and are only satisfying desperation. Thus, prudent marriage is not the most favorable basis for marriage, but possibly most reasonable.

A love marriage bonds man and woman by love. Jane Bennet is the most positive person imaginable: “[Jane] never see[s] a fault in any body. All the world are good and agreeable in [her] eyes” (16). Similar to Jane, Bingley is fond of everyone, as seen at the Meryton ball: “I never met with so many pleasant girls in my life” (13). When Bingley meets Jane, they automatically fall “violently in love” (140), for both characters share universal impartiality. With love, the couple rejoices in happiness until Darcy splits them apart, yet their affection remained as seen when they are brought back together. Jane “was the happiest creature in the world” (335). As for Elizabeth and Darcy, a first impression ruins their early stages of development. Elizabeth feels prejudiced against Darcy for his haughty manner and cold civility when denying her at the Meryton ball: “She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me” (13). This prejudice runs throughout the entire novel until Darcy expresses the utmost love for Elizabeth by paying for Lydia’s marriage to the man who Darcy despises. Elizabeth sees the wrong in her judgment and loves Darcy for his true self. Darcy did show disapproval of Elizabeth at first, yet he was “disgusted with the women who were always speaking, and looking, and thinking for [his] approbation alone. [Elizabeth] roused and interested [him], because [she] was so unlike them”(367). It is true; Darcy puts aside the matter of prudence and loves Elizabeth for her true self.

In both love marriages, the two Bennet daughters not only fulfill lasting contentment, but also maintain prudence. As for the gentleman, the lowering of class is a necessity of love. The love for their wives could not bring them any more happiness, and they do not care for societal differences or familial disapprobation: “To be sure you know no actual good of me—but nobody thinks of that when they fall in love” (367). As the marriage vow did state, no matter rich or poor, unlike the Wickhams, for better or worse, unlike the Bennets and Collinses, we are to love and to cherish our spouses, like the Bingleys and Darcys, till death do us part. Love marriage brought true felicity, something mercenary or prudent marriages could never provide: “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends” (Corinthians 13:7-8).

Charles Bingley Analysis

Daryl Thomas

AP English- Mr. George

13 April 2009

P and P Character Analysis #2

Charles Bingley

Charles Bingley is an amiable, diffident man who follows the word of his friend, Mr. Darcy, to guide his life.

Similar to Jane, Bingley is fond of everyone, as seen at the Meryton ball: “I never met with so many pleasant girls in my life” (Austen 13). Though a first impression may show Bingley as open and sociable, his high regard of all people is a mere façade that hides his lack of self-confidence. This being said, Bingley listens to his best friend, Mr. Darcy, to make decisions: “Bingley has great natural modesty, with a stronger dependence on [Darcy’s] judgment than on his own.” (141). When Bingley meets Jane, they automatically fall “violently in love” (140), for both characters share universal impartiality. Unfortunately, Darcy discovers many negative consequences in a marriage between Jane and Bingley, and easily convinces Bingley to separate from Jane. Though Bingley listened to Darcy, he holds true to his own sentiments, and in the end, once all the truth is out, Bingley marries Jane with the same affection he felt from before.

Bingley is like Play-Doh. Darcy molds Bingley into what he considers best for Bingley. When Darcy pushes him away from Jane, Bingley still contains the same sentiments he held before. When one plays with Play-Doh, they can mold into any shape or form, but in the end, the matter of the Play-Doh remains the same; it is still Play-Doh. Bingley also remains unaltered.

Bingley is similar to Lindsay Lohan in Mean Girls, for both are separated from their true love to satisfy the judgment of others, namely Darcy and the Plastics, but are brought back together in the end.

Lydia Analysis

Daryl Thomas

AP English- Mr. George

13 April 2009

P and P Character Analysis

Lydia

Lydia is a naïve, vain minx that desires attention and has no concern for hurting her family’s reputation or sentiments.

Whether or not Lydia’s character is due to an improper upbringing, she holds an air of vanity: “I am not afraid; for though I am the youngest, I’m the tallest” (Austen 11). The narrator even describes her as one with “high animal spirits, and a sort of natural self-consequence” (46). Assimilating her mother’s aspiration for marriage, Lydia seeks to gain attention by flirting with men and showing a deep concern for marriage: “Lord! How ashamed I should be of not being married before three-and-twenty!” (216). Being indifferent to everyone else and possessing a great sense of self-importance, Lydia becomes, as Elizabeth warns Mr. Bennet, “vain, ignorant, idle, and absolutely uncontrolled” (226). Lydia’s marriage to Wickham hurt Elizabeth’s chances with Darcy and shamed the Bennet name, yet Lydia’s character remains static upon returning to Longbourn: “Lydia was Lydia still; untamed, unabashed, wild, noisy, and fearless” (305). She then uses the marriage to gain the attention of others, satisfying her vanity: “She turned from sister to sister, demanding their congratulations” (305).

Lydia is like a thrown boomerang. At first, Lydia seeks attention by flirting with men, and then she flies away with Wickham. When she returns to Longbourn, she acts in the same attention-seeking manner, demanding her sisters to congratulate her for her marriage.

Lydia is like Paris Hilton, for both flirt with many men, and gain much attention for their interactions with them.

P and P #15: Ch.16-END

"Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure" (356).

I do not agree with Lizzy's philosophy for many reasons. First, many important memories evoke negative emotions. A deceased grandmother is hard to forget when one misses their loving touch or good nature. Secondly, if one only remembers times of happiness, they will not learn a lesson from a prior mistake. For example, Dave was grounded for a month because he stole a candy bar. His punishment evoked great anger, and when he was given a second opportunity to steal candy, Dave forgot the punishment and reminisced of the pleasure from the chocolate he first stole. By following Lizzy's beliefs, Dave's punishment precipitated into vexation rather than remorse. Lastly, embracing sadness from the past can actually bring more pleasure than what is felt presently. Lizzy and Darcy have now fallen in love, but many hardships came before this. After terrible first impressions and Darcy convincing Bingley to leave Jane, love would never seem to have been a conclusion. This being said, the revolution of sentiments between Lizzy and Darcy throughout the novel is of more importance than the love itself. How could Darcy possibly want to burn a letter he sent in the midst of their development, even though it may have hurt Lizzy's feelings? I would hold that as special. All in all, it is important to remember the good times, and the bad.

Question:

From Lady Catherine's response to rumors of Lizzy and Darcy's marriage, the reader can infer that:

A. Lady Catherine approves of Lizzy

B. Lady Catherine cares for her nephew's well-being.

C. Lady Catherine is only concerned for her family's reputation.

D. Lizzy finds Lady Catherine loving.

E. Lizzy desires to be connected to Lady Catherine by marrying Darcy.

P and P #12: Ch.7-9

"She was more alive to the disgrace, which her want of new clothes must reflect on her daughter's nuptials, than to any sense of shame at her eloping and living with Wickham a fortnight before they took place" (300).

Ms. Bennet should be ashamed of the choice Lydia has made with Wickham, yet "the marriage of a daughter [...] had been the first object of her wishes" (300). Her desire to marry Lydia clouded her ability to reason. Wickham is a low-life devil who seeks only money. As soon as Ms. King received her grandfather's fortune, Wickham pounced on her money. Ms. Bennet should have cared more to find out more about this man who would be in union with her daughter for the rest of Lydia's life. Ms. Bennet was only concerned about her goal of marriage and found Mr. Wickham agreeable due to her first impression: "his manners were always so pleasing" (305). Marriage is a sacred sacrament that is not treated with much regard in this novel. Marriage binds two people together in harmony for the rest of their lives under the guardianship of God. Ms. Bennet does not look at reason or religion to see that Wickham is more of a problem than her daughter's wedding garments.

Question:

In Mr. Bennet's response to Lydia's marriage, the reader can infer that:

A. Mr. Bennet approves of Lydia's choice.

B. Mr. Bennet is unhappy with his daughter's decision.

C. Lydia will never see her family.

D. Mr. Bennet enjoyed the search he embarked to find Lydia.

E. Ms. Bennet shares the same values as Mr. Bennet.

P and P #11: Ch.3-6

"'Yes,' replied Darcy, who could contain himself no longer, 'but that was only when I first knew her; for it is many months since I have considered her as one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance'"(264).

Darcy cannot repress his emotions during Miss Bingley's diatribe about Lizzy's appearance. When Darcy first encountered Lizzy at the ball, Darcy says, "[Lizzy] is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me" (13). His first impression of Elizabeth was an inferior, unattractive girl, and Elizabeth perceived Darcy as an insolent, impertinent man. As the book progressed, Darcy fell in love with Elizabeth, as Elizabeth finally expressed her affection for Darcy: "never had she so honestly felt that she could have loved him" (270). This shows how important it is to not judge someone on a first impression. We see many examples of this gone wrong. Darcy saw Jane as unloving due to her taciturn nature, which resulted in the marriage being called off. Elizabeth saw Wickham as a true gentleman, when he was actually in it for the money. The book even tests the reader to see if they judge on a first impression. Darcy received a negative connotation with his cold manner, and the reader grew fond of Wickham for his charm. Now, we see how quickly things can change. To reiterate a known idiom: don't judge a book by its cover.

Questions:

In Mr. Bennet's response to Lydia leaving, the reader can infer that:

A. Mr. Bennet believes Lydia has found true love.

B. Mr. Bennet feels he has fulfilled his role as a father.

C. Mr. Bennet feels responsible.

D. Mr. Bennet feels his daughters have been raised well.

E. Mr. Bennet does not find happiness in any of his daughters.

Huck Finn Essay

Sivilization

Imagine growing up to an education that taught that black people were inferior, unintelligent, repulsive, and were to be denigrated by all. Mob rule was said to be the means of settling disputes. Family rivalries were carried on through each generation with no apparent reason. The immorality that arises should be discernible, but those living in the mid-1800s South found these principles a part of life. On the other hand, Huckleberry Finn was an abnormality; he did not conform to either the civilized or uncivilized. Huck’s journey down the river portrayed his internal conflict of choosing between society’s principles and his own. The river was his means of freedom from society’s influence, providing a perspicacious perspective of the wrongs in society. The mid-1800s was an era of immorality, ignorance, and sin by those who followed societal standards, resulting in the dehumanization of blacks.

On the hierarchical structure of Southern society, blacks were placed at the lowest level. Whites, civilized or uncivilized, treated blacks with impertinence. The wealthy, educated white population owned slaves to work their plantations, while rednecks were racist against accomplished free blacks. When Pap hears that a black man was going to vote in the elections, his racist beliefs boil over: “when they told me there was a State in this country where they’d let that nigger vote, I drawed out. I says I’ll never vote agin. […] I says to the people, why ain’t this nigger put up at auction and sold?” (Twain, 37). The influence society has over Pap is evident through the diatribe against the black man. Pap even expects the man to be a slave. Society’s class structures may have been rigid, yet Jim’s journey with Huck gave an opportunity for blacks to be humanized.

Jim was no regular black man in Southern society. Upon hearing Miss Watson’s desire to sell Jim down to New Orleans, he runs away because he does not want to be separated from his family. Many whites at the time thought that blacks felt no sentiments toward anybody, yet Jim personifies all blacks by showing love for his family. This love is reiterated when he cries to Huck about hitting his deaf daughter for not listening to him:

“I fetch’ her a slap side de head dat sont her a-sprawlin’. […] I says pow! jis’ as loud as I could yell. She never budge! Oh, Huck, I bust out a-cryin’ en grab her up in my arms, en say, ‘Oh, de po’ little thing! de Lord God Almighty fo-give po’ ole Jim, kaze he never gwyne to forgive hisself as long’s he live!” (168).

Jim opened up and showed shame for hitting his daughter. Though a sad event, the black community was further humanized with the ability to have feelings. Lastly, Jim continued to express his opinion when Huck tricks him into believing he was only dreaming about Huck lost in the fog. When Jim realizes Huck lied to him, Jim feels betrayed:

“my heart wuz mos’ broke bekase you wuz los’, en I didn’ k’yer no mo’ what become er me en de raf’. En when I wake up en fine you back agin’, all safe en soun’, de tears come en I could a got down on my knees en kiss’ yo’ foot I’s so thankful. En all you wuz thinking ‘bout wuz how you could make a fool uv ole Jim wid a lie. Dat truck dah is trash; en trash is what people is dat puts dirt on de head er dey fren’s en makes ‘em ashamed” (98).

This was yet another event in which black people are humanized by Jim’s show of emotions, but more importantly, this was the first time a black man retaliated against a white man. Jim showed that blacks actually have their own opinions and feelings, like any other human being. Jim does not feel constrained by the societal structure of the South and is a symbol of the humanization of all blacks. Huck is able to see Jim as another human being and decided to help Jim, without returning him to Miss Watson: “He was a mighty good nigger, Jim was” (167). The doctor also explained that “[Jim] ain’t no bad nigger” (300) for helping him with Tom’s wounds. If anyone were to be denigrated, it should have been those who conformed to society’s standards.

When Boggs took his monthly run through town intoxicated, Colonel Sherburn murdered Boggs for his disruption. The city then rallied together to lynch Sherburn for his actions. Before going any further, the propensity to act with violence is made clear, an ever-present mannerism of Southern standards. This mob rule was shot down by Sherburn’s panegyric on the people’s lack of courage: “The pitifulest thing out is a mob; that’s what an army is- a mob; they don’t fight with courage that’s born in them, but with courage that’s borrowed from their mass” (159). Throughout the South, families and groups fought together when disputing, rallying themselves together with pride and courage, but forgetting the logic behind the decision to fight. The Grangerfords and Shepherdsons fought for ages, yet no one truly knew the reason behind their dispute or tried to make amends.

When Huck found a home at the Grangerfords, he was enveloped by a guerrilla war between two families that had no idea why they were fighting. When Huck confronted Buck and asked if the Shepherdsons ever did anything wrong against him, Buck did not know why the families started feuding: “Laws, how do I know? It was so long ago” (120). Fighting for something without a cause is meaningless and amounts to nothing. If this feud and all the death it created were acceptable to Southern society, how was it that blacks were forced into slavery? The logic here is nonsensical.

Indian civil rights activist B.R. Ambedkar said, “Unlike a drop of water which loses its identity when it joins the ocean, man does not lose his being in the society in which he lives. Man's life is independent. He is born not for the development of the society alone, but for the development of his self.” Living above the influence of society, Huckleberry Finn and Jim were able to see the South with its sin and immorality. As both characters progressed throughout the novel, both were able to gain a sense of self-worth, rather than conforming to the standards of a corrupt society. Jim humanized himself and all slaves as persons with feelings, minds, and opinions. Huck learned to think of others before himself and to direct his moral compass solely. Though Huck and Jim could not change much of the present problems, the Civil War did come soon enough to help Southern society realize their wrongdoing. Huck and Jim did leave us with a moral: “first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye” (Matthew 7:5). We have to be able to identify ourselves first in order to know what we can contribute and change in our society to make the world a better place.

Sometimes being “sivilize[d]” (Twain, 307) is not the best option.

P and P #10: Ch.19-2

"It is impossible that he should still love me" (249).

As seen throughout the book, all the characters grow prejudiced based on their first impression. Lizzy grew malice toward Darcy in their first interaction when he did not dance with Lizzy due to her unattractiveness. Lizzy was attracted to Wickham on her first impression of him, which was based on his looks and manners. Lydia and Kitty are enthused over the soldiers in Meryton on their first impression. With all the prejudice about, Darcy is the only one to be unaffected by any influence. With a mind of his own, he never bases his opinion of someone on their first impression. He may have found Lizzy unattractive at the ball, yet he falls in love with her, forgetting all the negativity and inferiority that comes with Lizzy. Darcy would most definitely not judge a book by its cover. It was not until Lizzy went to Pemberley, that she was able to forget the differences of the past and show affection, acceptance, and pleasure in Darcy's love for her.

Question:

In Lizzy's reaction to Darcy's change of manner, the reader can infer that:

A. Darcy accepts that Lizzy is inferior to him.

B. Lizzy is indifferent to Darcy's love.

C. Lizzy finds harmony with Wickham.

D. Lizzy could not believe Darcy's change possible.

E. Wickham and Darcy are now friends.