Chapters 24-37:
VISIT TO CHARLOTTE WITH PROPOSAL OF DARCY IN THE
MIDDLE
Characters
A. Jane
- In chapter 24 we learn about another letter in this novel which
contains many letters. Jane receives a second letter from Miss Bingley.
What does Miss Bingley tell Jane? How does Jane interpret
this letter? How does Elizabeth interpret it?
- Characterize Jane by examining her responses to
the Darcy-Wickham controversies, to Bingley's absence, to Charlotte's
marriage, and then Ms. Bingley's letter.
- After Jane goes to London with her aunt and uncle, what contact
does she have with the Bingley family? How does Jane respond to
her first meeting with Miss Bingley? How does she respond
to their second meeting?
- On the way to see Charlotte and Mr. Collins Elizabeth, Sir William
Lucas, and Maria Lucas stop briefly in London to see Jane and the
Gardiner family. Elizabeth is surprised to learn about Jane's
present condition. Why? How is Jane? What is bothering
her?
B. The Gardiners
We meet more of Elizabeth and Jane's relatives in chapter 25:
Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. How are they related to Elizabeth? How
do Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner differ from Elizabeth's other relatives?
W hat do the Gardiners offer to do for Jane? Does Jane accept
the offer? Why? What does Jane expect from her relationship
with Miss Bingley?
Themes
-- Social Status, Social Manners and Marriage
A. Wickham and Elizabeth
- Before the Gardiners and Jane return to London, Mrs. Gardiner
also has numerous opportunities to talk with Mr. Wickham. What do
Mrs. Gardiner and Mr. Wickham have in common? What do they
talk about? What does she think of him? Mrs. Gardiner also makes
it a point to talk to Elizabeth about Mr. Wickham. What words of
advice does Mrs. Gardiner offer? Why does she offer this advice?
How does Elizabeth respond to her aunt?
- At the end of chapter 26, Elizabeth's relationship with
Mr. Wickham abruptly changes. Why does it change? To whom
does Mr. Wickham re-direct his attentions? What are his motives?
How does Elizabeth react to this? How would you describe the
relationship between Elizabeth and Mr. Wickham as she leaves for
London and Hunsford?
When Elizabeth tells her aunt about Mr. Wickham's relationship with
Miss King, how does Mrs. Gardiner respond? Is Elizabeth being
consistent when she criticizes Charlotte for marrying Mr. Collins
but accepts Mr. Wickham's relationship with Miss King?
Characters
A. Elizabeth and Charlotte
- How does Elizabeth change her attitudes toward Charlotte during
the revelation of the latter's marriage and afterwards?
Before Charlotte Lucas marries Mr. Collins, she asks two favors of
Elizabeth. What does she ask? How does Elizabeth respond
to these two requests? How does Elizabeth respond to the first letters
that she receives from Charlotte after her marriage?
B. Lady Catherine
- Before Elizabeth and the Lucas's leave for Hunsford, Mrs. Gardiner
invites Elizabeth to travel in the future with the Gardiners. Where
will they go? Which of Elizabeth's acquaintances lives there?
- When Elizabeth arrives at the Collins's house, what does she
learn about the marriage between Charlotte and Mr. Collins?
- What are Elizabeth's first impressions of Mrs. Jenkinson and
Lady Catherine's daughter? What does Elizabeth think of the park
surrounding Rosings? How does Elizabeth's response to Lady Catherine
and the first evening at Rosings differ from those of Sir William,
Maria, and Mr. Collins? What does Elizabeth think of Lady Catherine?
How would you describe and characterize Lady Catherine? How does
Lady Catherine treat Elizabeth?
- Elizabeth is surprised by the arrival of Mr. Darcy and Colonel
Fitzwilliam at Rosings. How is Lady Catherine related to the two
men? What are Elizabeth's initial feelings about Fitzwilliam? How
would you characterize the relationship between Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam
as they get to know each other better?
Themes
-- Pride and Prejudice of Elizabeth and Darcy
- How would you describe the first meeting of Elizabeth and Mr.
Darcy at Hunsford? How does Mr. Darcy feel about Elizabeth?
As they spend more time together, does he completely understand
her words and actions? How does Elizabeth feel about him? Does Elizabeth
understand his feelings, thoughts, and actions? Can you give examples
of Elizabeth and Darcy's misunderstandings of each other?
Does Charlotte understand Darcy's attitude toward Elizabeth?
- In this novel about pride and prejudice, which characters
do you think are proud? Which are prejudiced? Do you think
it is completely accurate to say, for example, that Darcy is proud
and Elizabeth is prejudiced? Or are both characters a combination
of pride and prejudice? Which other characters are also proud? Prejudiced?
- As the novel develops till this point, what do you think about
Darcy's pride and coldness, esp. in Meryton assembly?
How do different people, e.g. Charlotte and Fitzwilliam, respond
to his pride and stubborness (e.g. 39-40; 125)? How does Darcy
himself explain it (pp. 34; 119)?
- During one of her regular walks in the park around Rosings, Elizabeth
meets Fitzwilliam. While talking with him, Elizabeth learns more
about Darcy's involvement in Mr. Bingley's estrangement from
Jane. How does she respond to this in front of Fitzwilliam and
by herself? Does she show any lack of judgment
in her defense of her own family? Will you respond the same
way as Elizabeth?
- As Elizabeth considers the news she learned from Fitzwilliam,
Darcy pays her a visit and, to Elizabeth's surprise, makes a
marriage proposal. Are you surprised, too?
(In other words, are there clues to prepare us for it?) How
would you describe his proposal? Does he present an overwhelming
passion for Elizabeth? How does Elizabeth respond to his proposal?
Why does she respond this way? What does she tell him?
- The next morning Darcy hands Elizabeth a letter he has written
to her. In this letter he explains his involvement in the relationship
between Jane and Mr. Bingley, as well as his relationship with Wickham.
What does this letter say? How does Elizabeth initially respond
to this letter? After she has had a chance to think about the letter,
how does she respond to it? Does she have a chance to talk
with Darcy about this letter? Why not? How does Darcy's
letter change Elizabeth's understanding of herself?
Themes
-- Marriage and Social Status
- So far a sequence of events --the general
pursuit of Mr. Bingley, Charlotte's marrying Mr. Collins, Wickham's
pursuit of Ms. King, Darcy's interruption of Bingley-Jane relationship,
and then Darcy's proposal -- reveal very clearly the society's major
concerns in their "marriage market": that the couple should be of
the same rank, or one can improve his/her social/economic status
through marriage while the other should avoid bad connections.
Do you agree that family background can be so important?
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