Book Analysis On Pride And Prejudice Essay, Research Paper

Date: June 1, 1999 Name of Book: Pride and Prejudice Name of Author: Jane Austen Publisher: Scholastic Book Services, a division of Scholastic Magazines, Inc. Copyright Date: Copyright 1962 by Scholastic Magazines, Inc. I. Briefly Describe: Protagonist: Elizabeth Bennet is the second of five girls born to Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. She s the father s favorite. Lizzy is pretty, but not as pretty as her sister, Jane. She has a hot temper, is stubborn, and holds grudges. In the book, Pride and Prejudice, Lizzy is proposed to by two men. She turns both down and the gradually falls in love with Mr. Darcy, the second man to ask for her hand in marriage. Antagonist: In most of the book, Mr. Darcy is the antagonist. In the first few chapters, Mr. Darcy insults Elizabeth. He talks very little, and is a good friend of Mr. Bingley, the rich man who moves into town. Mr. Darcy asks for Elizabeth s hand in marriage in the middle of the book, but Lizzy thought that Mr. Darcy had been poor to her sister, Jane, and turned him down. At the end of the book, they get married. Other characters used to develop protagonist: Jane, the eldest sister in the Bennet family; Lydia Bennet, the youngest daughter who runs off with a man to get married; Mr. Bingley, the rich young man who moves into town and marries Jane; Mr. Collins who marries Lydia and requires a great deal of money to get out of debt; Father, Mr. Bennet; the two sisters of Mr. Bingley who adore Jane but look down on Lizzy. II. SettingHigh society suburb in eighteenth century England. III. Point of View: Circle One First person, Third person, Third person omniscient IV: Brief summary of the plot A new, handsome rich man moves into town and Mrs. Bennet can t wait to introduce her lovely young girls. Mrs. Bennet has her eldest, Jane, call on the man and Jane gets sick and must stay at the house of Mr. Bingley for a few days. Elizabeth journeys to the home of Mr. Bingley to visit her sister and meets Mr. Darcy. Jane falls in love with Mr. Bingley and they prepare to get married. But wait! Mr. Darcy mistreats Jane (secretly) and then proposes to Elizabeth. Elizabeth learns of how Mr. Darcy mistreated her sister and rudely turns him down. But Mr. Darcy explains himself and pays for Lydia to marry a man in debt. Elizabeth falls in love with Mr. Darcy and he falls in love with her and they get married and live happily ever after.

V. Theme (the quintessential meaning or purpose of the book in on or two sentences: To show the changing of a woman s heart. How it can turn from hate and anger into love. VI. Why did you like or dislike this book? There was no point to the book. It was a story of romance and chasing after men and women. I could see no other, deeper point to the book and I find that plot shallow and boring. Therefore, the book was shallow and boring and I didn t enjoy it at all. VII. List at least five new vocabulary words from this book. Define and use in a sentence. Diminution: change toward something smaller or lower; the act of decreasing or reducing something. “The father experienced diminution as he gave the girl $5 allowance when she usually got $10.” Expedite: speed up the progress of; facilitate; process fast and efficiently. “This should expedite the process.” Solicitude: a feeling of excessive concern. “Solicitude overcame Barbara as she anxiously awaited the call of her sick mother.” Repining: wishing discontentedly. “Repining Becca look at the doll in the window of the toy store, then looked down at her own old doll.” Regiment: n. army unit smaller than a division; v. subject to rigid discipline, order, and systematization; “regiment one’s children”; form into a regiment, of military personnel; assign to a regiment, of soldiers. “The regiment quickly filed into the building.”