The Twists of Pride and Prejudice

““I might as well inquire,” replied she, “why with so evident a design of offending and insulting me, you choose to tell me that you liked me against your will, against your reason, and even against your character? Was not this some excuse for incivility, if I was uncivil? But I have other provocations. You know I have. Had not my own feeling decided against you–had they been indifferent, or had they even been favourable, do you think that any consideration would tempt me to accept the man who has been the means of ruining, perhaps for ever, the happiness of a most beloved sister?”” – Elizabeth Bennet

The passage above seems to me to embody the strength of Elizabeth Bennet, in Jane Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice. Throughout the novel, Elizabeth stands out as a strong-willed girl, way beyond her time. The dialogue above is a heated argument between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. Mr. Darcy has asked for Elizabeth’s hand in marriage, and she has refused him, not only because of her dislike for him, but also because he separated her sister from a possible fiancé. In this time period, many women simply went along with whatever they were told. They wished to become ‘accomplished’ by learning to draw, embroider, read the modern languages, keep a household, etc. Often times whenever a young woman was proposed to, she married, even if the man was much older than she. Elizabeth was determined not be like all of the other women. She often times gave her opinion bluntly and with a biting remark.

In my opinion, Elizabeth’s ability to completely stand her ground and to express herself, even when she was caught completely off guard by Mr. Darcy, proves that she is a woman who will always tell her opinion on any situation. Her stubbornness throughout the novel is what makes her an enjoyable character to follow. I personally find Elizabeth to be one of my idols. She stands up for her family and friends at all times. Elizabeth loves her sister Jane like no other person ever could. She is constantly pushing Jane to expose her true feelings, and loves her gentle nature above all.

The quote above is also an important turning point in the novel. After the argument between Darcy and Elizabeth, Darcy writes Elizabeth a letter. This reveals a different side of Mr. Darcy that begins to sway Elizabeth in her feelings for him. I also had been along Elizabeth’s side throughout the novel in detesting Mr. Darcy with a passion. When I began to understand the information given to me, my heart warmed to the man of nothing but pride. As the truth spilled from the pages about Mr. Wickham and his plots to steal money, I instantly felt Darcy’s pain from the whole ordeal.

Pride and Prejudice is a novel full of gossip and romance. The argument between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy was a key factor in a very significant twist in the novel. (500)

Dearest Mr. Coon

Throughout my life, I have changed schools over five times, I have moved away from my hometown and loving family, and my schedule has never been constant. One thing that has always stayed the same has been my joy of jumping into a book, and losing myself in the adventures, romances, and mysteries that each story holds. Ever since I learned to read I was hooked. My mother had to make the strangest of threats by telling me that if I did not go to bed, she would remove every book from my room. Of course, I still found excuses to go on reading late into the night. I would sit in the bathroom for hours, and if I heard my parent’s footsteps approaching, I would immediately perch myself on the toilet, feigning an emergency. I even went so far as to tell my mother that I was afraid of the dark and needed a certain night light that was bright enough to read by.

I was introduced to the magical world of reading at an early age. My mom began reading to me before I could even speak. She had a way of bringing the story to life through different voices and facial expressions. She had the ability to have my brother and I giggling so much that instead of calming us down to put us to sleep, we would be bouncing off the ceiling. One of my favorite books that she read to us was Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. She made both my brother and me jump completely off a bed.

When I moved from Denver to Phoenix, I spent the entire last night in my house reading the first three Harry Potter books. Though I have often gone through stages of reading exceptionally easy books – such as the Harry Potter series, a Series of Unfortunate Events, and an array of teen girl books – I also enjoy challenging myself. Over the last few years, I have taken it upon myself to take a bite of the classics. I began buying many classic novels that I am interested in reading, but have only managed to read three thus far. I thoroughly enjoyed Jane Ere, Pride and Prejudice, and The Three Musketeers. The first summer that I moved to Phoenix, I spent most of my time reading until almost three in the morning, sleeping, then waking up and beginning again. Over the last four years, I have spent my summers working and skating, and unfortunately have not had the same amount of time to read as I would like.

Unlike my reading habits, which I consider to be one of my passions, I feel completely the opposite about writing. Though I can find enjoyment in a particular topic that I like, I have always felt as if writing was an obligation, not a hobby. Normally, I only write when required to do so, often procrastinating until the last possible moment, and not even keeping a journal. Many times I have heard that reading and writing go hand in hand, but strangely, I only really enjoy one, and often times not the other. (524)