Homework Help: English

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 20, 2008 at 10:56am.

I have to write a 750-1000 word essay on Pride and Prejudice. The question is,'By the end of chapter one of ‘Pride and Prejudice’, what have we learned about Mr. And Mrs. Bennet individually, and about their marital relationship ?'

I have written around 400 words. Could someone plz check it and tell me wat u think (maybe give some tips?). It's not the best (so sorry).

In the first chapter of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ we learn a lot about Mr and Mrs Bennet not only as husband and wife but individually as well. They have contradictory characters. They are two opposing personas.
Mr and Mrs Bennet are a couple who have been married for twenty-three years and who have five unmarried girls. Despite being married for as may years as they, Mr Bennet has a better understanding of Mrs Bennet than she has of him.
Mr and Mrs Bennet are the complete opposite of each other. Mr Bennet has a very complex character whereas Mrs Bennet has a less developped character. Mr Bennet is a calm, patient and tolerant man; whereas his wife, Mrs Bennet, is an impatient and nervous woman. He prefers solitude to being in the company of many people compared to Mrs Bennet who is a gossip. Mr Bennet is a good-hearted but withdrawn man and Mrs Bennet, on the other hand, is a querulous and excitable woman (give example of such behaviour).
Mr and Mrs Bennet also differ from ideas of marriage for the girls. Her main concern in life is to see her daughters married to wealthy men so that they will be taken care of in the future,when their parents-ie Mr and Mrs Bennet- are dead. She also has a very foolish nature and can be very two-faced in her opinions of people (ex).
We can see that Mr Bennet shows favouratism towards one of his daughters, Elizabeth, which Mrs Bennet is displeased about; she thinks each of her daughters have their own endearing qualities and that Mr Bennet shouldn’t give preference.
Throughout this chapter Mr Bennet uses a lot of irony and sarcasm; he has a bitingly sarcastic humour. He takes delight in provoking his wife and using irony and sarcasm against her because he always gets a great reaction from her.
The parents ideas on marriage for their children are of the opposite opinions to each other. Mrs Bennet values a marriage which concerns wealth and social status while Mr Bennet concerns don’t seem to involve so much wealth and social status but more in a loving respectful marriage. From this we can see that Mr Bennet’s love for his daughters is probably a quiet deep one and Mrs Bennet’s love is exaggerated and conditional. The father cares more about what is in the inside of people and the mother worries more about the vanity and appearance of people.

English - bobpursley, Sunday, January 20, 2008 at 11:13am
I didn't check grammar and stucture. My main thought is that you keep developing the premise of 'opposite' personalities. I wonder if you mean complementary personalities. That is entirely different than complementary. We tend to marry complementary folks, not alike, nor opposite. Complementary folks each have needs the other fulfills, making a match in heaven. You might think of that in these examples. What he needs, he gets from her, and what she needs, she gets from him. What the girls need, they get from one parent or the other. Think on that.
English - MattsRiceBowl, Sunday, January 20, 2008 at 11:22am
I have to be honest and say I have not read the book. I might have read the Cliff Notes when I was in high school, but don't remember. And no, I don't recommend that to anyone. I feel like an idiot as an adult now when people my age discuss literature simply because I didn't pay attention to it when I had the chance.

At the same time, I want to throw out an observation based upon what Bob said. A lot of our stories center around conflict. Conflict is what brings us both drama and comedy and also expresses a deep truth to humanity.

I wish I could comment more. Again, I feel like an idiot simply because I never paid attention in class. Learn from my mistake, anyone that is reading this. :)

Matt
- English - Writeacher, Sunday, January 20, 2008 at 1:11pm
  Don't wait! You still have time to read it and other works assigned in HS and college. (I "read" A Tale of Two Cities by means of Classics Illustrated when I was a sophomore in HS -- couldn't face another Dickens book after Great Expectations as a freshman!!)
  
  There are many books, plays, etc., that I should have read at some point along the way, but I didn't. I did manage to read many of them when my kids were children -- before I went back to work! There's time!
  
  This is a good book list to work from:
  http://als.lib.wi.us/Collegebound.html
  
  =)
  - English - GuruBlue, Sunday, January 20, 2008 at 2:27pm
    AND.... there are soooo many super books on that list. Start with the World Lit list... lots of exciting ideas and new experiences. I loved teaching AP World lit for that very reason.
English - GuruBlue, Sunday, January 20, 2008 at 11:25am
I totally agree with Bob. She has the sense of humor of a prune...he makes up for it. She is practical about the need for marriage.. he doesn't know beans about practical.

Perhaps complementary personalities would be a better way of describing them. Then explain how they help one another by filling out the missing aspects needed.

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