Question

What theme other than class, marriage, pride, and prejudice did you notice in your reading of chapters 1-12 of Pride and Prejudice? How does this theme relate to the four themes already discussed in the lesson and listed above? Choose at least one other theme to analyze and relate it to a theme already discussed in the lesson. Compare the ways that Austen chooses to portray both themes.

Answer 1

Human nature- human nature is very closely related to both pride and prejudice, (prejudice when broken down is related to bias and judgement), which- again- are related to human nature. marriage COULD be related to human nature, but it would be very hard to relate. Human nature is often related as a theme because it's tied to many themes- just a little less straightforward than most themes. Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Family is a noticeable theme in Pride and Prejudice. In a society that valued manners and social etiquette, one’s family of origin took on great importance. The social conduct of women reflected the kind of upbringing they had, and it played a role in the kind of marriage proposals they would receive. Just as critical, the family one was born to determined who one would be eligible to marry.

The theme of money or wealth is another one that pervades the novel. It is closely linked with the theme of class, partly because the status of a family depended on its annual income. The future of the Bennet sisters depended on marrying into wealthy or financially comfortable families. Even Charlotte Lucas states that her primary aim in getting married is to have an economically secure future.

Money is also closely related to the themes of pride and prejudice. The characters in the novel consider wealth as a matter of pride, and this pride colors their judgment of those of a lower social rank.