Jane Austen
Discussion ideas
Ideas to discuss
Etiquette of the time (social conventions
Primogeniture & the Estate
Friends and Family: importance
Importance of virginity & modesty (lace)
Mr. Bennet’s improprieties (ex. He does not
escort his family to the ball)
Town vs. city
Trade (Bingley) vs. inherited wealth (Darcy)
Social rank & inheritance money. Also, how
Lady Catherine fits in.
Lord and Lady Lucas, but only Miss Charlotte
Importance of Rumors (news): Is it different
today?
Show Geneology from Rutherford to show
Anglo-Saxon melding into Normal names
Historical landscape (Napoleonic wars/marrying
well)
Discuss p. 149 117 “You shall not, for the sake
of one individual, change the meaning of
principle and integrity, nor endeavor to persuade
yourself or me that selfishness is prudence and
insensibility of danger, security for happiness.”
Discuss Mr., Bennett as father p. 151 last para.
119
The Gardners p. 153
120-1
The custom of Ladies’ “at homes” 162
127
Where does discretion end and avarice begin? P.
168 131-2
Lizzie’s criticism of travelers who don’t know
what they are seeing. [. 170 133
The importance of place: Hertfordshire, London,
Devonshire, Longbourn, Rosings, Pemberly,
Lucas Lodge, Gracechurch street, Grovenor
street
Sir William – absurd 170, 176, 178, 183
136,7,9,143
Mr. Bennett ever sardonic 328 250
The woman’s dowry & settlement. 332 253
Mrs. B’s joyous reaction to news of Lydia’s
marriage 335-6 255-7
Discuss important background on Mr. and Mrs.
Bennett & his profligacy. 338-40, 258-260
Discuss this chapter. He would jeopardize his
other daughters’ futures for his own ease.
Lady Catherine’s bad manners 180, 184, 190
140-4 , 148
Charlotte is clever. P. 184 143
Great satire on Lady C and the poor 185, 144
Is Darcy shy? 192, 150
Lizzie likes an informed mind p. 198 154
p. 199 Last sentence: What does “patronage in
the church” mean.
p. 214 166 Paper is a precious commodity
Key to Lizzie’s prejudice 229 176
Good traveling companions defined 264 202
Visiting grand houses 265 203
Mr. Gardiner redefines “class” for Darcy 277-8,
212-3
Good definition of love 290 222
Proof of family weakness. Discuss why Lydia’s
elopement would diminish Elizabeth’s hopes
w/Darcy. 303 232
Gratitude and esteem vs love at first sight.
Discuss a sound basis for falling in love. 304
233
Read & discuss chapter, 1st para. 307, 235 ; also
308 add remark about Mr. Benett to above
discussion.
Discuss renewed satirical tone re. Mrs. Bennett
& Mary 315 (who is a prude/puritan remnant.
Discuss Lydia’s letter 318 243
Mr. Bennett another failing 321 246
Typical human nature satirized 322 247
Discuss Mr. Collins’ letter 324 248
Lydia’s lack of virtue clearly derives from Mrs.
B. 344 262
Is Lydia immature, selfish, redeemable,
understandable, pitiable Chapter 51, p. 345-on
263-on
Chapter 52 Discuss the concept of honor
Humorous comment about them being
sportsmen p. 374 285
p. 374 Mrs. B reads too much into good humor &
common politenss.
Jane Austen
Discussion ideas
Predictable bitchery of gossipers p. 339
Discuss passion stronger than virtue assertion
342 261
“Are you lost to every feeling of delicacy and
propriety? (Lady C: irony) 392 298
A great rejoinder from Elizabeth that will make
your ladyship…” 393 299
Mr. B is clueless. He never guesses Mr. Darcy’s
role in saving his family & misinterprets both
Darcy & Lizzie. 401 304-5
Key to the tone of the novel. For what do we live
but to make sport for our neighbors and laugh at
them in our turn. 402 305
The key to Darcy –he is stung by her noting
before “Had you believed in a more gentlemanlike manner: 406 209
Lizzy wisely knows that Darcy can’t yet take a
joke aimed at him.” 411 312
Mr. B truly does not do credit to Lizzy’s
character” 416 313
Typically, he is selfishly glad to hear that Darcy
paid for Lydia’s marrying because he will not
have to repay him 418 317
Why does Austen have Lizzy enumerate the
reasons darcy fell in love with her? 421
Sir Wm Lucas silly to the end 425 323
Austen’s real view of Mrs. Philips 425 323
Mr. B. delighted in going to Pemberly, especially
when he was least expected” 426 324
Lydia- has she changed at all? 428 324-5
Why does she end with the Gardners? 430 326
Sir walter Scott” “That young lady had a talent
for describing the involvements, feelings &
characters of ordinary life, which is to me the
most wonderful I have ever met with.”
p. 377 287Funny bitchy comment by Mrs. B
about Mrs. Long
Irony: Mr. Bennett cannot abide presumption or
folly. P. 381 290
Wickham, Lydia were all forgotten. Jane was
beyond competition her favorite child.
Mrs. Bennett & Philips are sisters in spirit as
well as breeding and more satire on
neighborhood gossip. 387 294
Lady Catherine’s very bad manners over & over
again. 388-9, 295
The importance of “interest” monetary concerns.
392 298
p. 394, 300 Full middle paragraph
Mr. C’s perception of Christian virtue. Ironic.
401 304-5
Discuss the way Austen handles love scenes 405
208
Discuss her line “think only of the past as the
remembrance gives you pleasure”
Jane & Lizzy’s very modern viewpoint on love in
marriage 413 314
A key slip for Mr. B: “My child, let me not have
the grief of seeing you unable to respect your
partner in life.” 417 316
What is a special license. 419 318
Mr. B’s REALLY! Insultingly apt final (brief)
letter to Mr. Collins. 424 319-20
The Collinses not in favor with Lady C. 424 322
Chapter 61 Written by Austen as persona (323)
Even Bingly and Jane have to get away from
Mrs. B.
What does it mean that Lydia “retained all the
claims to reputation which her marriage had
given her?” 428 325
Austen’s “interest was in life’s little perplexities
of emotion and conduct; her gaze was steadfastly
ironical” p. 434
Jane Austen
Discussion ideas
Interesting characterization/themeatic quotes:
Sir William
Pride
Men & Women (Jane & Bingley) What points
does Austen make about men and women?
Darcy wants conversation over dance and
frivolity
Miss Bingley!
& the book!
History of Mrs. And Mrs. Bennett
Seriousness of a “little trifling cold”
City vs. Country
Value of books
Bad manners
Discuss all the ways/instances of bad manners
Differences between Darcy and Bingley
Key to the book “Follies and Nonsense”
Mr. Collins is not included with the gentlemen
Women’s accomplishments
Pride & Virtue delineated
Discuss Jane’s character
Mary
Dance etiquette: do NOT introduce self to person
of higher social rank. & Do not leave last
Mr. Collins opinion of women
Mr. Collins’ living
Mr. Collins’ proposal
Elizabeth is either very brave or headstrong in
dooming her family to poverty
Charlotte, her mother, the Lucas family
Discuss validity: “There are few people…merit
or sense
17
19, 61
21-22
18, 50
25
23
27
24
58-9
48-49
28-29 25-27
37 & 45 32 & 38
39
34
46-49 39-41
55-56, 109-111 45-47, 87-89
50-54, 41-45
61 50
82
60
41
89 72
93
74-5
95
75-6
114
90
85-86
112 88
116, 91-92
119 94-95
135-6
148 117