Part 1 of Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice is not my favorite book. I find it hard to follow sometimes. There are some parts in the conversations between characters that make it hard to distinguish who is actually talking and I have to go back and reread. I do however like how Austen shows life realistically. She displays not only love and honesty, she shows deceit and hatred.

When Mr. Bingley first came to Hertfordshire I really liked him because he was of a higher rank but he welcomed everyone and didn't act like he was to good for them. When Jane and him became intimate I couldn't help but root for them because they seemed like such a good couple. I was so pissed when he left to go to London because he didn't even tell her goodbye. Even though Jane tried to act like she was fine it was obvious that she was heartbroken. I found it sad that Jane went to visit her aunt and uncle in London to get away and secretly tried to get a chance to talk to Mr. Bingley. Though Jane is cheerful and loving her ignorance to the Bingley sisters' plans to get her brother away from her annoys me.

Mr. Collins just seems like the nerdy cousin in the family that no one wants but has to put up with. When he first came to the Bennet household to discuss the estate I suspected he had alternative motives. When he decided he wanted one of his cousins to make his wife, I was like what? They are cousins. That fact apparently didn't bother him or Mrs. Bennet. I hated how he wanted Jane at first but when he found out that she was taken, he just moved onto Elizabeth. Then when Elizabeth refused his proposal, he just moved onto her friend, Charlotte Lucas. I would be angry is my best friend got engaged to the person I dumped. I found it ridiculous that all of them were so focused on getting married for security reasons and not emotions. I grew a lot more respect for Elizabeth when she declined Mr. Collins proposal in order to be true to herself no matter what the cost.

Elizabeth is my favorite character. She is very honest and open with her opinions. Although she thinks she has everything figured out she doesn't. She should have known that something was wrong with Mr. Wickham's accusations against Mr. Darcy when he stopped pursuing her to be with someone who had money. I think she is in denial with her true feelings with Mr. Darcy. If she hates him she won't have the opportunity to admit that she is attracted to him. I don't blame Mr. Darcy for acting rude towards Elizabeth and her family. He has been raised with pride and Elizabeth is not in his rank and doesn't have money. I think he feels somewhat ashamed to love her. When he finally did propose, Elizabeth rejected him with some choice words.

I think everyone in this story puts way to much emphasis on getting married and kissing everyone else's behinds. Yet they didn't know any other way of living. I'm looking forward to the changes in the character's relationships in the chapters to come.