2021-08-02 Book Report of Pride and Prejudice

Reading Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice is not at all effortless since there are many new words and I want to understand every single sentence, which I know it's not that necessary. Anyway, I enjoyed it in a slow way. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a person in possession of spare time must be in want of something unusual.

The reasons I have a special feeling for this novel is

a). I really adore the plot. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth's love story -- which transfers from resentment at first to attachment gradually.

b). the author Jane Austin is definitely an attractive narrator. I can't help laughing at the stupidity of Mr. Collins, admiring the calmness and generosity of Jane, or worrying about the deeper misunderstanding between Mr. Darcy and Lizzy. It's a compelling, instructive, insightful and fun work.

In 1796, the 21-year-old Jane Austin finished her work First Impressions, the very first draft of Pride and Prejudice. But it didn't draw any attention of presses. Consequently it didn't come out until 1813.

The book mainly talks about the seeking for marriage of the youths over 200 years ago in England. Four cases of match, among which three are daughters of the Bennets, are hence included. Chronologically, the first union is Charlotte Lucas and Collins, a formalistic and headstrong clergy. Their marriage is insipid, I guess. The second is Lydia Bennet and Wickham. They united hastily only because of Lydia's imprudence, ignorance and their heedless of the future. The third is Jane Bennet and Bingley, whose admiration for each other is from their first sight and has been steady, in spite of some misunderstanding. The fourth is of Elizabeth Bennet and Darcy, which is the highlights of the whole book. Elizabeth's independence, prudence, courage and thoughtfulness as well as Darcy's pride, selfishness, conceit, then to his generosity, humbleness and civility, were vividly shown through Austin's tender and exquisite writing.

These four young ladies have their own different opinions of matrimony, whether good or bad, and these lead to different lives. With marriage, many things can be involved in, such as money, connections, pride and so on. We can see from the book that marriage is not a thing of two individuals, but family and society. What astonishes me is that is what is still happening in the world today whatever country we live in.

The following is the insights the novel gave me into my real life:

a) Never pay too much belief on the first impression. As an adult, intentionally or not, he may disguise the real self to others. Thus,we can seldom learn a person well just by a few sights or some remarks from others. Like the attitude of Lizzy to Darcy.

From

Elizabeth: From the very beginning, from the first moment I may almost, of my acquaintance with you, your manners, impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of others... you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry.

Elizabeth: I love him(Darcy). Indeed he has no improper pride. He is perfectly amiable.

b) A healthy marriage should be based on love and esteem. Neither pure desire of wealth nor of establishment can really make one a happy man or woman. As Jane said,

Do any thing rather than marry without affection.

c) For females, age and appearance can be anxious notions. Being married can be the first wishes of our wishes as we get older. Thinking of myself, I am a little anxious to be frank. See, Charlotte, 27 years old, without ever having been handsome, is such a typical unpleasant instance that warns girls not to subject to the worldly world. What's really striking about her is that she knew she is indifferent to Collins, but still chose to marry him. That is what she said to Elizabeth:

I am not romantic you know. I never was, I only ask for a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins' character, connections, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state.

Thus, Charlotte sacrificed her better feelings to some material reality. It's a pitiful situation. Girls are easy to persuade themselves to what they don't like. Unlike Elizabeth, she is bold enough to deny what she dislikes. This is what she said to Darcy's aunt, an insolent woman.

I am only resolved to act in that manner, which will, in my opinion, constitute my happiness, without reference to you, or to any person so wholly unconnected with me.

It occurred to me a recent news about the Olympic gold medal winner in women's shot put, Gong Lijiao's interview--

" You are a cowgirl, and when will you become a girly girl?"

The reporter then asked her what she looks for in a partner.

And added that her future husband may not be as muscular as she is.

I do think the questions are offensive to a 32-year-old gold medal winner, and also a big girl. It also reflects marriage is like shackles pressured on women. But a celebrity is facing so, let alone plain people. When will this come to an end? When will girls be asked and cared more about their dreams and accomplishments? I hope, Lijiao and girls, can find someone who really suits them. Never compromise in this.

And the book also has its weakness. For example, it is restricted in the perspective of females. The opinions of matrimony are from several girls or middle-aged women. For girl readers, they would take these as tenets if she didn't have sufficient experience. With most and

At last, let me finish this report with the sentences impressed me most:

We all love to instruct, though we can teach only what is not worth knowing.我们人人都喜欢指指点点地，然而指点的东西又不值一听。（孙致礼译）

For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn? 人生在世，除了让人家开开玩笑，回过头来又取笑一下别人，还有什么意思呢？（孙致礼译）

If you were to give me such forty men, I never could be so happy as you. Till I have your disposition, your goodness, I never can have your happiness. 你即使给我四十个这样的人，我也绝不会像你这样幸福。除非我有你这样的脾气，你这样的好心，否则我绝不会像你这样幸福。（孙致礼译）

终于嗑完啦！刚开始还是很认真地做了一些笔记。