Monday, August 27, 2012

Vocabulary list 3


List 3
  • Accolade: any award, honor, or laudatory notice: The play received accolades from the press.
  • Acerbity: harshness or severity, as of temper or expression: It's a strange experience to read a critic best known for extreme acerbity writing about a subject he loves.
  • Attrition: a wearing down or weakening of resistance, especially as a result of continuous pressure or harassment: The enemy surrounded the town and conducted a war of attrition.
  • Bromide: a platitude or trite saying; a person who is platitudinous and boring: We continually hear that education is the bromide that will solve everything.
  • Chauvinist: a person who is aggressively and blindly patriotic, especially one devoted to military glory; a person who believes one gender is superior to the other, as a male chauvinist  or a female chauvinist: Then man was brazenly chauvinistic in his comments on the lady’s strength.
  • Chronic: continuing a long time or recurring frequently: a chronic state of civil war.
  • Expound: to set forth or state in detail; to explain; interpret: The man expounded knowledge in a very pedantic, hauteur manner.
  • Factionalism: of a faction  or factions: Factional interests had obstructed justice.
  • Immaculate: free from fault or flaw; free from errors; spotless, clean: The dress was immaculate.
  • Imprecation: the act of imprecating; cursing: They boy avoided the imprecation that was his teacher’s long lectures, rants.
  • Ineluctable: incapable of being evaded; inescapable: The man had an ineluctable fate.
  • Mercurial: changeable; volatile; fickle; flighty; erratic: The man was mercurial in his activities.
  • Palliate: to relieve or lessen without curing; mitigate; alleviate: Applying pressure to an open wound palliates the pain.
  • Protocol: the customs and regulations dealing with diplomatic formality, precedence, and etiquette; It was protocol to clock in everyday before beginning work.
  • Resplendent: shining brilliantly; gleaming; splendid: The troops were resplendent in their white uniforms.
  • Stigmatize: to set some mark of disgrace or infamy upon: The crimes of the father stigmatized the whole family.
  • Sub rosa: confidentially; secretly; privately: The man sent his message in sub rosa fashion.
  • Vainglory: excessive elation or pride over one's own achievements, abilities, etc.; boastful vanity: The man’s vainglory was unparallel.
  •  Vestige: a mark, trace, or visible evidence of something that is no longer present or in existence: A few columns were the last vestiges of a Greek temple.
  • Volition: the act of willing, choosing, or resolving; exercise of willing: She left of her own volition.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

My Beowulf comprehenshion question answers


 My Process was reading over the modern text version (source: http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~beowulf/main.html) of Beowulf (i was already familiar/read Beowulf in the past so this was review) to then converse with my collaboration partners (Torre Reddick, Pablo Nicasio) supplementing the info corresponding to the question (i.e we all communally researched the info, segregating the sections/ divvying them up, assigning particular question groups to which we would answer and i would rewrite/restructure as seen below;) . I also employed sites like: http://www.shmoop.com/beowulf/ for assistance on the more vague intricacies.  (basically everything related to Hygelac :) 

Beowulf Comprehension Question Answers
Written by Hayden Robel,
in collaboration with Torre Reddick and Pablo Nicasio

[Prologue: The Rise of the Danish Nation] (lines 1-85, pp. 33-34)

  1. Shield became ruler as a common, actually orphaned at birth, man. Eventually shield surpassed his limitations to become one of the most powerful and magnanimous rulers of the lands, his reign ending as it began, departed out to sea on top of a venerated shield. Hrothgar is the son of Shield’s son’s (Beow) Halfdane. Familial order follows: Sheafson-then Beow-then Halfdane-ending with Hrothgar.

[Heorot is Attacked] (lines 86-188, pp. 34-36)

1.  The magnificent mead hall titled “Heorot” was Hrothgar’s monument/tribute to his kingdom. For a time peace was enjoyed until the demon-monster Grendel attacked the hall (for “12 winters”=12 years) the Danes ultimately failing to subdue the monster even after deploying the greatest of their men.

[The Hero Comes to Heorot] (lines 189-490, pp. 36-42)

1. Beowulf the legendary warrior hears of Hrothgar’s monster dilemma and sets out for the embattled land.
2. The watchmen of Dane’s coast wish to evaluate whether Beowulf (armed with weapons and burnished breast plates) is a potential threat, the two exchange in a quick explanation of Beowulf’s business in the region and the hero is eventually permitted to enter, even whilst the watchmen vigilantly scrutinize Beowulf’s vessel as he walks off.
3. Herald Wulfgar instantaneously demands the meaning of their presence to which Beowulf asks a meeting with Hrothgar. Wowed by their armor, Wulfgar informs Hrothgar to which Hrothgar illuminates he is aware of Beowulf’s past feats. It’s surprising to hear the king remembers Beowulf as a boy, the son of Ecgtheow.
4. Pledging to fight unarmed/unclothed….Beowulf essentially connotes not only his confidence but duty for Hrothgar’s assistance to Beowulf’s father. Hrothgar sent tidings to a warring clan (Wulfings) of Beowulf’s father, to which the hero’s father pledged loyalty to the Dane king.

[Feast at Heorot] (lines 491-661, pp. 42-46)

1. Teasing Beowulf for allegedly losing to a past swimming match, Unferth claims that he could/will easily defeat Beowulf in the same challenge. Beowulf, first making light of Unfeth’s obvious contremp inebriation, of course accepts the challenge to prove his worth/name. Beowulf remarks the relevancy of this episode as he honestly expresses he was no match for such a challenge in monster infested waters beforehand, dually pointing out that Unferth couldn’t even hope to survive if he couldn’t defeat a monster like Grendel.
2. Carrying a celebratory gauntlet/chalice, the queen Wealhtheow offered drink to the table’s men, thanking the gods for their sending of Beowulf.
[The Fight with Grendel] (lines 662-835, pp. 46-49)

1. Beowulf, rather then prepping with say the traditional means of sword practice or proper rest, chooses silent and sleepless meditation-esque waiting, awaiting the coming fight.
2. Grendel was to eager eating a Geat as he burst thru Heorot’s threshold. Grendel then begins to fight with Beowulf, meeting the unimaginable, truly inhuman strength of the Geat, the legendary hero wrestling with the beast until ripping off one of the demon’s arm’s, a trophy of victory as the cowardly Grendel flees the mead hall.


[Celebration at Heorot] (lines 836-1250, pp. 49-60)

1. Like Sigmund, Beowulf has slain many a monster, Sigmund vanquishing even a dragon singlehandedly. Beowulf is unlike Sigmund’s acting king Heremod who was unable to defend his sovereign land.
2. Unlike Unferth’s lack of confidence in Beowulf’s abilities (Unferth reluctantly apologizing/embarrassed), Hrothgar is not only pleased by the news of the Geat’s victory, offering him riches and rewards of the like, but actually considers him an honorary son.
3. Hildeburh was given, or taken as tribute to the Dane’s enemy leader Finn. Conspiring as Finn’s wife, Hildeburh eventually gets her wish to return to Dane after Finn is killed by an uprising. The tale is common of the medieval practice for tribes to give women to enemy tribes in order to foster a literal merge of bloodlines in the potential offspring’s of the two tribes.
4. Tried reading the passage (XVII) over and over again of the modern text but couldn’t find any direct speech between the queen and her husband.
5. Offering Beowulf a broad neckalace/armor, Wealhtheow requests her wishes for Beowulf to watch over if not protect her sons’ inevitable rise to the throne.
6. Grendel’s mother is marked in the poem to be lurking outside the hall, no doubt a foreshadow to what havoc she will wreak on the sleeping soldiers.

[Another Attack] (lines 1251-1382, pp. 60-62)

1. Grendel’s mother attacks Heorot in a fit of rage, of vengeance for what they have done to her son, unlike the lust for carnage that Grendel had sought before her.
2. Once again promising riches, Hrothgar requests Beowulf to slay Grendel’s mother. Beowulf accepts this challenge, promising to kill the monster whom had killed Hrothgar’s advisor “Aeschere”.
3. The mere is a noxious but mystical swampland where the abyssal depths have never been seen, and the local fauna seem to flee.

[Beowulf Fights Grendel's Mother] (lines 1383-1650, pp. 63-68)

1. Beowulf asks Hrothgar to remain resilient and strong, confident that the Geat hero shall rid the Dane king of his monster’s mother.
2. With a sharp shot, Beowulf slays a monster within the mere pool, not before finding Aeschere’s decapitated head.
3. Equipped in armor and Unferth’s “infallible” sword “Hrunting”, Beowulf apathetically waits as in his preference preparation.
4. Living near the bottom of the mere, Beowulf has dived down for nearly a day before being attacked at Grendel’s lair threshold being dragged into a hall waterless and without other monsters.
5. Hrunting cant even pierce Grendel’s mother’s hide and is subsequently a useless tool abandoned by Beowulf.
6. The armor of Whealhtheow protects Beowulf from Grendel’s mother’s attempted kill of the hero. This a surprise to Beowulf allowing him to grab a sword, slash her, then escape.
7. Using a massive sword he quickly finishes off Grendel’s mother with a decapitating slash, later doing the same as his sword gleams in crimson victory. Spying the corpse of Grendel Beowulf ironically slashes the demon son’s head, leaving with it as a trophy.
8. The Danes, seeing blood babble on and up upon the surface of the mere, believe Beowulf to be dead, but the Geats remain their, adamant in their confidence for their hero leader, unsurprised but exuberant when he emerges.

[Further Celebration at Heorot] (lines 1651-1798, pp. 68-71)

1. Beowulf gives the head of Grendel as an issue of insurance that Hrothgar’s realms are free of the monster’s terror.
2. Banished from his lands to eventual death by a subject’s hands, Heremod choose materials instead of his fellow man unlike Beowulf according to Hrothgar’s fawning speech of the Geat. This is the lesson imparted unto Beowulf (as he is surely to be a Geat king) always be true to your fellow man before selfish wants.
3. Beowulf returns the ultimately useless Hrunting to Unferth, almost a slight to the Dane character as it most likely represents the persistent lack of confidence Unferth had to Beowulf. 

[Beowulf Returns Home] (lines 1799-2199, pp. 71-79)

1. Hrothgar predicts Beowulf will be a wise and magnanimous ruler of his homelands.
2. Queen Hygd, of Hygelac’s kingdom, differs from the parable Queen Modthryth in that Modthryth was cruel and even torturous to her subjects whilst Hygd was kind/empathetic to the people of her rule.
3. Prophesying in-fighting with the resurgence of bad blood, Beowulf (imo depicts a more calculating, wise aspect of his character) informs Hygelac that the potential marriage of Hrothgar’s child to the once adversarial “Heathobroads” will only end with more conflict between the Danes/ Heathobroads. A misguided attempt at fostering peace by marriage/bloodline merging as illustrated in the Finn fable.
4. Aside from embelshing the power of Grendel (though Grendel was indeed monstrous) Beowulf retells hi story relatively accurate, again embellishments aside.
5. Beowulf happily accepted his kings gifts including vast sums of riches and “hides assigned him seven thousand,with house and high-seat” (in other words land?)

[The Dragon Wakes] (lines 2200-2509, pp. 79-86)

1. In the fifty years or so that has passed, king Hygelac has departed, Beowulf has been entrusted with the crown reigning over his Geatland province, yet a monster has emerged much more horrifying then Grendel, a dragon now terrorizes the hero’s homeland.
2. Enraged by the theft of a jewel adorned goblet, one placed centuries ago by a lone survivor of a forgotten race, the dragon did not care about the thief’s motivations (a slave forced by his master to steal) and subsequently wrought fire, relentlessy reduced the Geat kingdom to smoldering grey ash.
3. Not even Beowulf’s throne hall was safe from the dragon’s fiery wrath, the flying beast burning the place, it to being reduced to ash.
4. Beowulf aged and tired is not aware of the reasons why the dragon attacks. He ponders what he must have done to enrage the gods, to deserve such calamities. Even in his age, Beowulf commissions a shield to fight the dragon, the hero still believing he could defeat a monster without assistance, just like he had slain Grendel half a century ago.  I’m speculating that Beowulf’s battle with the dragon will be his last…
5. Dying in battle, king Hygelac was honored by Beowulf’s loyalty even in death as the Geat hero refused Hygd’s offer of the throne, Beowulf not wanting to disrupt the order of succession already established by bloodline.
6. Securing vengeance for Hygelac’s son’s death, Beowulf decimated the Swedes who had robbed the boy of his life.
7. Accompanied by twelve men, Beowulf set out for the dragon’s barrow.
8. Herebeald was “accidentally” killed by his brother Haethkyn, their father king Herethel could only descend, mire and wallow within a void of grief, especially when Haethkyn is sent to the gallows for his brother’s death. Beowulf laments his own grief before slaughtering Swedes in a fit of vengeance.

[Beowulf Attacks the Dragon] (lines 2510-2820, pp. 86-92)

1. Dubbing it a shame if he was to fall alone, Beowulf, claiming it to be an honorable end, orders his men to fight (and undoubtedly die) if he too falls to the dragon’s might.
2. Beowulf struggling against the dragon’s flames (his strength sapped by age), Wiglaf calls upon the help of his fellow comrades to help aid their Geat king, calling them cowardly as the soldiers forgo their honor/oath in a flight of unabashed terror.
3. Trading fatal blows, the dragon (with venom-tipped fangs) bites Beowulf’s neck, Beowulf returning a blow plunging a dagger deep into the dragon’s vulnerable underbelly.
4. Wanting to see the gold he has freed for his kindom’s men, Wiglaf obeys Beowulf’s dying words, retrieving it for the dying Geat. Asking Wiglaf to remain strong, to fufill the void, the vacuum that will be left by his death, Beowulf gives Wiglaf his gold collar, breastplate, a token that will make Wiglaf a king. Desiring Burial in “Beowulf’s Barrow” the legendary hero passes on, ready to meet his fellow, fallen, ancestors.

[Beowulf's Funeral] (lines 2821-3182, pp. 92-99)

1. Wiglaf predicts inevitable invasion, doom for his Geatland knowing the cowardly companions will not be able to protect the kingdom as Beowulf the fallen had.
2. The messenger messages of impending invasion by a bevy of hordes, one of which being the rival Swedes. Ongentheow (after killing Haethkyn apparently, im confused I thought Haethkyn was hung for accidentally killing his brother?) futilely retreated but was eventually hunted down and killed, his armor given to the once king Hygelac. The messenger essentially says it would be dishonorable/useless to keep the gold and advises the riches to be put upon Beowulf’s funeral pyre.
3. Wiglaf demanded the people to view the gold, the literal costs of Beowulf’s death a second time, recounting the leaders dying words/wishes.
4. The dragon is disposed of, cast of into the watery deeps.
5. Disposing of the gold not melted by Beowulf’s funeral (byway of burying), the commemoration/memorial of Geat was exercised by ten day services (atop a seaside ridge), countless horseman riding in grief, the actual funeral ironically concluded by the cowardly companions circling the funeral pyre, fearing what will lye in their inevitable deaths after such dishonorable deeds.
6. The people titled Beowulf as such “…of men he was mildest and most beloved, to his kin the kindest, keenest for praise.” Quite different from the romanticized, stoic ideal of an infallible, larger-then-life military hero archetype, Beowulf is a testament to, a landmark of a dynamic character/hero, a true “human” hero…though with the strength of thirty men.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Beowulf notes (Prologue-Chapter X)


Beowulf AP Lit. Notes

I

·        The prologue correctly suggested the visible translation problems inherent with a work like this. The syntax in sections (like this “Then, one after one, there woke to him, to the chieftain of clansmen, children four…”) makes evidence to that…

·        The values of late 17th century are detailed a bit as Hrothgar symbolizes the remaining importance placed upon warrior’s and the warrior class in social hierarchy.

·        Like the prologue prefaced it’s a bit jarring how matter a fact the text transitions to mystical elements (i.e. Grendel) it’s almost as if monsters and magic really did exist at one time.


II

·        It’s interesting how the populace begins to loose faith in the once idol hero figure Hrothgar, go so far as to loose faith in their faiths as well. “Their practice this, their heathen hope; 'twas Hell they thought ofin mood of their mind. Almighty they knew not.” 

·        Grendel, to go the analytical route of myths having some roots in reality, could be a symbol of the unpredictable/violent factors of 17th century life. (such as inclement weather or war bands, rogue raids etc.)

·        “ne'er; O'er” Yep, this is some dated text. Also…where’s Beowulf?

III

·        “…the sooner the better I hear of the country whence ye came.” I agree with the analysis (see right sidebar) that strangers with possibly dubious motives where indeed a threat to any and all settlements. (this supports my idea that Grendel is really more of a manifestation for marauding raid bands or a neighboring hostile village leader)

·        “God they thanked for passing in peace o'er the paths of the sea.” This speaks for the harsh realities of not just seafaring but 17th century physical dilemmas (like improper foodstuffs or incondite shelters and the like). Subsequently religion became the mantle by which people sought and found safety in their arduous lives (alo a sense of moral education in a school-starved region).

IV

·        It was common for settlements to recruit external groups like Beowulf’s mercenary company to solve military problems like say marauding rogues or a certain mythical, song despising, creature…

·        “Then shone the boars over the cheek-guard; chased with gold.” The disparity of wealth is evident as the preceding quote describes the living grounds of Hrothgar’s palace. Even if the people starve without food or finance, gilded gold bedrooms are as lavish as ever, pillows plumped by private servants, feasts held every night. Really portrays the social hierarchy within the time.

V

·        “Corselets glistened hand-forged, hard; on their harness bright the steel ring sang, as they strode along in mail of battle, and marched to the hall. There, weary of ocean, the wall along they set their bucklers, their broad shields, down, and bowed them to bench: the breastplates clanged, war-gear of men; their weapons stacked, spears of the seafarers stood together, gray-tipped ash: that iron band was worthily weaponed! -- A warrior proud asked of the heroes their home and kin.” This excerpt details yet again the high value of the military class in this culture’s society. The amount of resources utilized for armaments of war, swords and shields even if food or other necessities are sparse just validates this further.

·        “I am Beowulf named.” Finally he is directly involved in the story.

VI

·        “Fame a plenty have I gained in youth!” first impressions as well as past achievements especially combat related conquests were vital to the employment of Beowulf like mercenaries. They needed a good rep, whether fictions or fact, too eat a good feast, or sleep anywhere not under a makeshift tent.

·        “he has thirty men's heft of grasp in the gripe of his hand, the bold-in-battle.” The hyperbole of heroes is evidence again here, the quote with Beowulf apparently imbued with super strength just expresses the romance society had with an idealistic warrior class. In reality Beowulf was probably based off a successful leader of a group of thirty men.

VII

·        “I had heroes the less, doughty dear-ones that death had reft.” Hearing Hrothgar speak of (aside of the tragic as well as gory I might add deaths) “heroes” it’s clear that the hero of this time was exclusively a warrior. Hmmm just like the Greeks with soldier-champions like Odysseus or hmmmm like today’s soldiers, police, and loosely firefighters. Interesting how in order to be a hero you need to be a, for lack of a better title, killer, killing others in the name of others, it seems. Well unless you’re a firefighter killing the flames, why are heroes widely connected to combat?

VIII

·        This chapter was jarring as the story, again so matter of fact in fluidity of transition, goes from a realistic (well not really, I mean, 5 days in the ocean?) challenge of endurance to Beowulf being attacked from a nautical beast of the deeps… I don’t care if you’re a legendary hero Beowulf, that’s stretching my suspension of disbelief.

IX

·        Nothing of symbolic detail struck out to me, definitely a plot motivated chapter as Beowulf dines and prepares for the fight with Grendel.

X

·        Not with the sword, then, to sleep of death his life will I give, though it lie in my power. No skill is his to strike against me, my shield to hew though he hardy be, bold in battle; we both, this night, shall spurn the sword, if he seek me here, unweaponed, for war. Let wisest God, sacred Lord, on which side soever doom decree as he deemeth right.” Beowulf has got some *suggestive colloquialism deleted* challenging Grendel to a nude man to…creature fight, “lord on which side soever doom decree as he deemeth the right” (in other words whosever lucky enough to have the fates on his or, in Grendel’s case, it’s side.) Lets get onto the battle already!

·        Also Beowulf is a hyperbolic mythical figure with his feats of slaying monsters with no armor or weapons. Its hard to find the hidden truths within the text even if its “modernized”

Peer feedback #1 (My 1987 AP Exam essays)

(Thought I'd publish it for reading convenience. Please critique anyone if you can :)


Question 1
Out with the old

Unlike the cultured citizens, cosmopolitan and world conscious civilization of today, wherein society engages in a plethora of intellectually beneficial, meaningful, activities for enlightenment as well as leisure, there was once a time when leisure was synonymous with intentional ignorance. George Eliot connotes this antiquated conception of leisure, individuals preoccupied within shallows of forced ignorance, content with monotonous labor, simple unequivocal thought, with an arsenal of rhetorical strategies. Employing deliberate/specific diction to paint an image, adumbrate her view of “old time leisure” and its indulgers as myopic ignorance content husks, coupled with a structure constructed to detail contrast between leisure old/new, alongside a noticeably sardonic tone, Eliot indeed conveys her perspicacity on leisure of the past as well as her perspective on the more cultured leisure of her own time.

As the old saying goes, self-applied ignorance of old time leisure was too many “bliss”. “Life was not a task to him but a sinecure.” Eliot expresses the central dogma of old time leisure with her diction use of sinecure. Eliot describes the widespread practices/perceptions of old leisure individuals to regard life as simple, something requiring little or know effort to exert beyond physical, a sinecure position. “[he was] happy in his inability to know the causes of things.” George Eliot further supports her view of old time leisure denoting with “happy in his inability” the embrace of ignorance common to the general populace, people content with not knowing “the causes of things” they fearing anything more contemplative/complicated then the direction of a plow. Brilliantly utilizing structure, Eliot additionally uses the rhetorical strategy to convey her perspective as illustrated in the following. “Prone to excursion, art museums, periodical literature, and exciting novels-prone to even scientific theorizing, and cursory peeps through microscopes. Old time leisure is quite a different personage: he read only one newspaper, innocent of leaders, and was free from the periodicity of sensations we call post time.” The aforementioned excerpt depicts the contrasting structure of Eliot as she compares the leisure of her time, cultured and embracing of questions/modern thoughts “even scientific”) whilst she disparages the old time lack of literacy/ critical thinking. Eliot founds old time leisure as limited/uninterested or close minded in global conscious or affairs as people of that time “lived chiefly in the country.” She connoting their limited political perspective/ minds shackled to only their most immediate and local of state or region. Indeed Eliot does not perceive the values of old time leisure to be educated or culturally, critically contemplative, all of this conveyed thru diction and contrasting structure.

“Fine old leisure! Do not be severe upon him and judge him by our modern standard.” George Eliot, with a completely sardonic tone, blatantly despises the leisure of old. Their lives veiled by self-obscured binoculars, sinecure in unquestioning, ignorant content, thought as her specific diction delineates time and time again. Even Eliot’s structure has been deployed as a strategy to convey her hostility, she contrasting the cultured and civilly conscious leisure of her time to the settlement-bound, academically, analytically, unsound leisure of old. But, like George Eliot connotes, we should not be “severe upon him” we should not “judge him by our modern standard. We should merely take note, a note of caution, ensure/endeavor to maintain our tenets of cosmopolitan thought, avoid the innately creeping leisure of old, though it may be the easier road. We must strive to rid, to be out with the old views, and in with the new.




 Question 2

As timeless as any contemporary piece of literature, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is a paradigm of sociopolitical attitudes. The respective author offers her own social commentary, what she perceived needed to be changed, if not utterly demolished in her own time, but even her thoughts are relevant to our own. Depicting in vivid degrees the hauteur arrogance of elites, Austen’s work wished to abolish the unscrupulous pride, the prejudices and proclivities present in upper Elizabethan society. Austen desired to defeat the materialism motivated, power propelled practices such as marriage for wealth, rank and status, undoubtedly a social commentary we should take in light.

Perhaps the most unabashed symbol, prominent portrait of pride, of prejudices and practices Austen deemed deplorable was manifested in the actions of Mrs. Bennet. A conniving vehicle of ulterior motives, Mrs. Bennet endlessly persisted in marrying her daughters to any and all wealthy potential suitors. Austen characterizes her as a hopelessly eccentric, materially motivated fool, a joke really, she capitalizing on the character’s various follies (such as her inane attempt to marry Elizabeth to the equally conniving Mr. Wickham for a concrete example) to criticize the entirety of power over passion marriage elitists. “Lady Catherine seemed quite astonished at not receiving a direct answer; and Elizabeth suspected herself to be the first creature who had ever dared to trifle with so much dignified impertinence!” Lady Catherine serves as another symbolic character, she symbolizing the pride of elitists in this passage as she is offended by Elizabeth refusing to answer as well as refusing to avoid marrying Darcy. Ultimately the pivotal characters Elizabeth Bennet and Darcy are tools to which Austen wishes to reconstruct her society with. Both Elizabeth and Darcy begin with unparallel pride, tantamount prejudices towards each other with Darcy being yet another analogue for upper class snobbery (for say refusing to dance with Elizabeth on the supercilious superficial grounds “she is not beautiful enough, nor handsome to tempt me.”). Elizabeth realizes, as Austen believes about her society or at least hopes for, Darcy is in fact a redeemable and humble individual eventually shedding his pride after saving the Bennets from Wickham/Lydia’s social/material debt (i.e. Wickham refusing to marry without proper pay, a failed marriage unacceptable in social status to snob upper class). Indefinitely Austen deliberately created the dynamic character arc of Elizabeth/Darcy to depict that in fact, love and passion can/should prevail over pride, sociopolitical wealth or power.

   Nearly as timeless as the “sin” of pride itself (not really) Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is rife with undertones, her attitudes, social and political that she wished to improve or abolish. Desiring the demolition of pride conveyed by the fallible actions of the conniving Mrs. Bennet Austen detailed the need to halt the practice of marriage for power, social rank and political status, over love, passion. Lady Catherine attests to Austen’s disposition towards the snobbery, the prevalent pride and prejudice of upper class elitists, unable to even comprehend a refusal to their request or haughty words. Even the primary protagonists Elizabeth and Darcy were proponents of Austen’s attitude that love is more important then money and power. The titular characters personal journeys, their conquer of pride of their previous prejudices towards one another, culminating in marriage for love-sake, a marriage of matrimony, not money stands testament to Austen’s belief that love is always first. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice aided our arguably love valuing society; we should take pride for our lack of prejudice, but not too much.               

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Socratic Seminar (August, 21, 2012) thoughts

Though a bit strained in the time department today's Socratic seminar was...."interesting" to say the least. I hope we will have some more time to explore the topic of "right to your own opinion" but i digress. One similarity that i found striking in relevance to the topic was the efforts of Mr. Price in the Poisonwood Bible. With blind, zealous, pride, Mr. Price epitomizes (and is not doubt Kingsolver's connotative vehicle) the lack of knowledge on the subject of subjective opinions. Throughout the novel he relentlessly criticizes/ thrusts his own beliefs, his own opinions or Christianized practices to the denizens of Kilanga, ignorantly refusing any and all of their deemed "culturally inferior" wants/principles/opinions. In short Mr. Price is the manifestation of the err, the argument presented in "the right to your opinion" as the zealot preaches and crusades for change, forcibly applying his apparent divine right (one that is ultimately an opinion) unto the un-wanting Kilangans. He believes that his word is not only gods but absolute in accuracy, in other words he believes that his opinions entail the mandate, the requirement for the "culturally inferior" Kilangans to unquestioningly follow. AH that feels better to get off my chest. Feel free to ask for clarification if needed (my writing can be very stream of conscious or stylistically frenzied when i go on a rant)

Monday, August 20, 2012

Reflections on Week 1

  1. There are in fact some schedule/class complications as i am taking two mathematics (by far my weakest subject; I'm definitely a right brain individual) classes as well as chemistry (math...) which require/ spread me pretty thin nearly every-night alongside the persistence of this course. Couple that with the balancing act of life/aspirations and efforts towards college...its been a rude/rocky start but I assure you I will endeavor to the most realistic of my abilities (a man may be able to fly to Jupiter but that doesn't mean a man should sacrifice himself, what is life to get there...) 
  2. I have an incredulously long (and to anyone else but me probably incredulously uninteresting) story, in fact i wrote a short story (if anyone is interested I'll send you a copy), chronicling the pivotal moment that not only chiseled my academic-student self but also transformed my life. But in short, it sounds corny, but in sixth grade i was essentially a walking husk caught in a cycle of apathy, absolutely no ambitions. This all changed when my teachers, authentic and genuinely kind/empathizing, approached me, imparting a simple challenge "Just try. Its really that simple. Give your best efforts. Believe.". Short story short, i did. I realized that, with effort and diligence, truly "anything is possible just....believe"™. From there stemmed my love for learning as well as latent talents for writing...And the rest is history.
  3. To start off with some negatives/concerns, i just hope my above complications are considered (my very real limitations) but I'm not asking for preferential treatment as many, most likely have arguably greater obstacles/dilemmas, just know i never try to intentionally not fulfill assignments, any given task but in reality...*expletive deleted* happens, life does (so far though I'm appreciative of you, Dr. Preston if your reading this, for your approachability/ realism in light of my "rocky" start, really, thank you). But, anyways, i am enthused by the prospects of this course improving my writing (whether it be creative, critical, or contemplative knowledge) and very much believe this, in terms of pragmatic practicability, this class could benefit my passions/pursued career as a respective writer. (novelist, journalist, etc. and so forth) Can't wait :)

Saturday, August 18, 2012

My additional thoughts: austen/montaigne essay

1. I would have "injected" more dynamism in terms of the specific differences between Montaigne/Austen's respective rhetoric/perspectives on relevant topics (more on subjectivity or universal relativity of society's mental porthole) and more so touch upon (with more concrete examples of course) the similarities of said Author's view of their society's seemingly unbalanced or inappropriate set of priorities (ultimately weaving it to our own time's materialistic predilections :).

2. What occurred to me after? to tell you the truth i was completely prepared to complete the essay while in class and already had my set of key-points to tackle and would compose my essay.

3. The interruption allowed a bit of reprieve/ further thought planning but aside from that it utterly ruined my ability to not ultimately rush the quality/content of my essay. But i feel that i salvaged/selected the most prominent of my ideas in the end. Wish i had more time :P

Monday, August 13, 2012

(Assignment #1) Of ambition, anticipation, expectations, pride, more pride, excitement, and ultimately, procrastination




“All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”
T.E. Lawrence (of Arabia)


As the dog days fleet and fade with summer rays, the hallways, purple-yellow corridors, breathe in anticipation, awaiting school’s annual inauguration. Students wrestle with their covers, writhe in their beds, struggling to sleep as the prospect of a new year rampages in their head. Hearts fluttering with angst, they, we attempt in a fit of sleep-deprivation, to dream of what a new school year will bring. Dreams of new friends, maybe new enemies, new classes, new teachers, maybe new *expletive deleted* teachers, new challenges, new relationships, new chances, new beginnings, new opportunities, and new possibilities. It’s funny, even though I’ve experienced this for well over ten years now (wow I feel old!); I still feel a sense of excitement. No matter how cynical I’ve become, how much I try to nonchalantly downplay it (too cool for school I know right?) I can’t help but feel like a child seeing the world with innocuous, un-muddied, pure hearted, wonder, cant help but see the world rife with endless discoveries, as a place where magic does exist. I can’t help but be warmed by the flames of excitement kindled by the first day of a new school year. Of course this feeling of scholastic novelty tapers off after the first week, hell for some maybe day, even though we will all soon stop dreaming new possibilities of a new school year, start dreaming about our old summer ventures, on some level I’m still excited. Just cant hide it (see what I did there...I’m lame I know). Like every year I will endeavor to maintain my grades at what I deem acceptable (never really cared for “grades” too arbitrary, subjective in most if not all cases; not an excuse but a reality) as well as perform the sometimes impossible balancing act of what I call “school” and “living” (so, basically what everyone calls it). Feel like I’ve got it nailed down after a decade. Well I thought at least. I feel as if I am Orleanna writing to heal my own guilt, or Elizabeth, Darcy maybe, maybe even the entire flawed cast whose pride blinded them. To cut to the point, although I took the disciplined task of reading each assigned novel, my time management failed to prepare me for active notes on the essays of Michel de Montaigne. This part of the post again seems more or less a reflection of my own guilt (a healing mechanism like Orleanna’s bible? No…just procrastination), I bit off more then I could chew believing I had enough time to dutifully analyze/respond authentically with the exhaustive structure of my previous notes. But life goes on and ill learn/accept the consequences of my choices, embrace them actually. Live and learn, live and learn. Anyways, enough of my ramblings. As it is my passion, as well as pursued profession, I chose this course over college prep not out of pressure or some sort of  institutional, student, honor but to truly glean/expand/ improve my skills as a writer (I’m lame, I know, don’t rub it in :). I have always had a passion for creative writing and writing in any form in general and I am of the belief that the more you write, indeed, the better you can. I can only expect this class to further and positively polish not only my fundamental writing skills but also my objective (no such thing, aside from math) pieces as well (i.e. essays, etc. and so forth, yadda). As I finish this post I can only imagine what my own dreams will be for this coming year whilst struggling to sleep. But as T.E. Lawrence once described, I will strive to be more than a dreamer of the night.

-Hayden Robel, an ultra-cynic, utopian idealist, and an aspiring dreamer of the day

Hayden Robel’s AP English Literature and Composition Active reading notes Pride and Prejudice (By Jane Austen)


Pride and Prejudice Ch. 1 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Having no fore knowledge of Pride and Prejudice, reading the opening (aside from the old English rhetoric, more on that below) it is definitely blatant that this is the 17th century. On the heels of announcing a bachelor by the name of “Bingley” the character of Mrs. Bennet discusses with her seemingly indifferent husband Mr. Bennet the need for there five daughters to potentially pursue “Bingley” as a marriage opportunity. I don’t think it’s a wild guess to say the novel will spiral from here on with the theme of women’s social hierarchy achieved via marriage and dowry as Mrs. Bennet will undoubtedly force her daughters on the new coming bachelor, to the daughter’s inevitable dismay. But we will see. J (Also the story, as far as I can tell, is narrated in third person limited omniscience allowing for more flower and fluff. Additionally the tone for this chapter  was humorous satirizing the mad or chaotic tendencies of Mrs. Bennet Not sure who exactly the primary character is yet…)      



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       Man oh man this is old English! (not that that’s a bad thing) initially I was surprised by how terse and really, “modern” the prose was until I read the dialogue which was (at least so far) dense with casual conversation: “It is more then I engage for, I assure you.” Rife with redundancies Etc. I took note quickly of Jane Austen’s utilization of characterization thru dialogue (which is essentially the entire chapter) as a expedient way to not only hook the reader but also depict the motivations/personality of Mrs. Bennet as she’s eager to marry her daughters to a man, especially one who will net them status and wealth. Mr. Bennet as Austen describes seems not only “reserved” but indifferent to his wife’s posing. I also like the author’s opening: “IT is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” Which denotes the theme of women in the 17th century often seeking social/financial benefits against marriage for “love’s” sake. So far no problems following the old English structure.
o       The title is an example of antithesis with the eponymous Pride and Prejudice themes paralleled, balanced in contrast.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “IT is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” (see 2. for denotation of significance)

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 2 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Funny, looks like Mr. Bennet’s apathetic veneer was just that, false. Meeting up with Mr. Charles Bingley Mr. Bennet does indeed seem to care, expressing the necessity for a good first impression (“I hope Mr. Bingley will like it…”) as well as the need to beat the competition that will arise with other families seeking Bingley’s hand. Reading on we are introduced to a few of the daughters: Lydia who seems to be a little immature, brash (“I am not afraid; for though I am the youngest, I'm the tallest.”) as she is the youngest and Kitty who is criticized for coughing by her overbearing mother. This yet again stresses the importance of making a good impression first when they meet the prospective Bingley.  



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       Austen again utilizes nearly an entire chapter of dialogue to expertly convey the traits and nuances of the characters (For example Lydia as mentioned with the quote above; as well as Mr. Bennet’s apparent deceit of indifference) I also noticed that the characters have little to know physical descriptions. Maybe its to illustrate the nature of many families and society in that time period byway of enabling the reader a blank, symbolic, persona, placing all the middleclass women in the position of marrying for advantage? Time will tell.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “I do not believe Mrs. Long will do any such thing. She has two nieces of her own. She is a selfish, hypocritical woman, and I have no opinion of her.” – Mrs. Bennet. Connotes the competition amongst locals, as well as hypocritical nature of the Mrs. Bennet character.


Pride and Prejudice Ch. 3 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       We are finally introduced to Mr. Bingley a “quite young, wonderfully handsome, extremely agreeable,” man seeming to knock the socks off of Mr. Bennet. Finally part too, we are introduced to who seems to be the protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet who is strongwilled after being shot down to dance with Bingley due to a man named Darcy dubbing her “tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me.”. Kind of a jerk, I agree with Elizabeth’s disposition, disliking Darcy he being a little to nitpicky from the get go. Elizabeth’s character is definitely the most well developed currently, with some clever quips I’m liking her o far.    



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       So much for ample dialogue. This time I noticed that Austen utilizes more character action in long descriptive passages (like the ball itself) such as Elizabeth’s refusal to dance with anyone after being insulted by Darcy to flesh out character. Which Elizabeth definitely has a lot already.  


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled at Netherfield, and all the others equally well married, I shall have nothing to wish for.” - Mrs. Bennet on yet again the middle classes seeming obsession with marriage for material over emotional happiness.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 4 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Starting off with a conversation between Elizabeth and Jane, Jane is developed a bit more as Austen describes her swooning over Bingley (shes a bit ignorant of her beauty as Elizabeth puts it). Bingley seems to be equally taken with Jane. We are also given insight to Darcy as a good friend of Bingley (“Between him and Darcy there was a very steady friendship, in spite of a great opposition of character.”).
o       Austen illustrates the significance of appearances as Elizabeth and Jane discuss their dubbing as “ill-mannered” by fellow ball attendees. 



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       Mr. Bingley is expanded as Austen dedicates an entire section to his past, he seemingly kind from the brief moments he speaks.
o       I sense a tinge of envy from Elizabeth as Jane got the most of the Bingley first impressions. Austen distinguishes Elizabeth as happy for Jane ultimately though.
o       Darcy supports my initial view of him being a “jerk” as well as his apparent societal arrogance/ superiority the PRIDE of prejudice with “Darcy, on the contrary, had seen a collection of people in whom there was little beauty and no fashion, for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest, and from none received either attention or pleasure. Miss Bennet he acknowledged to be pretty, but she smiled too much.”


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o     “He is also handsome, which a young man ought likewise to be, if he possibly can. His character is thereby complete.” Elizabeth describes Bingley in response to Jane’s gushing.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 5 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       In a conversation between the neighboring Lucasses (who illustrate social ranks significance even if he couldn’t care for it “For though elated by his rank, it did not render him supercilious; on the contrary, he was all attention to every body.”), the Bennet’s declare that Jane and Bingley indeed have a strong attraction for one another already (“Oh! -- you mean Jane, I suppose -- because he danced with her twice”). But what is really interesting during this chapter is Elizabeth’s pride against Mr. Darcy as she states she will never “dance” with him. Thus the titular theme is coming into clear view as Darcy also poses such pride against her.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “…For he is such a disagreeable man that it would be quite a misfortune to be liked by him.” Austen sets up the Pride aspect distinctly here structuring (with an almost foreshadowing tone) the excerpt with the possibility of Darcy liking one of the Bennet girls.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “Pride,” .We are getting to the thick of it.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 6 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Ha, knew it. Darcy, in a verbal confirmation of his attraction, is indeed falling for Elizabeth, even against his initial prejudices to her. This being a shock to Elizabeth  
o       “Nay, if you are so serious about it, I shall consider the matter as absolutely settled. You will have a charming mother-in-law, indeed, and of course she will be always at Pemberley with you.” I can already see the glint in Miss Bennet’s eyes. She has no complaints for Darcy’s marriage to Elizabeth, but she obviously doesn’t care what Elizabeth thinks.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “Occupied in observing Mr. Bingley's attentions to her sister, Elizabeth was far from suspecting that she was herself becoming an object of some interest in the eyes of his friend.” Austen indeed follows thru on my speculation from last chapter with the above. Elizabeth is unaware to Mr. Darcy’s attraction towards her.
o         “Mr. Darcy is all politeness. Elizabeth said smiling.” Austen with a humorous tone highlights Elizabeth’s stance against Darcy but specifically ends with her “smiling” to illustrate the social pressures of the time period. Power over passion in terms of marriage for advantage. 




·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o     “Her wit flowed long” Miss bennet is already contemplating Darcy and Elizabeth’s potential marriage, Austen denoting Miss Bennets conniving nature to set them up even if Elizabeth despises Darcy.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 7 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       On the news of patriarchal possession exchange the only avenue of Mr. Bennet’s inheritance, I feel that Austen is foreshadowing an inevitable strike of misfortune. Maybe he’s going to become terminally ill?
o       Miss Bennet’s wishes of a storm, she intentionally having Jane go by horse, are answered as Jane departs on request from the Bingley’s for her visit. Elizabeth is dispatched in her stead thanks to Jane’s essentially  maternally contrived illness. I can only imagine Darcy will be waiting in eagerness for her arrival.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “From all that I can collect by your manner of talking, you must be two of the silliest girls in the country. I have suspected it some time, but I am now convinced.” Mr. Bennet via Austen’s clever craft confirms the capricious or silly immaturish nature of the sisters Lydia and Kitty in their entertainment from militia soldiers.
o       “perhaps we may see something of Captain Carter before he goes.” Lydia is victim again to Austen’s clever use of dialogue to portray her callousness.
o       Austen is deservedly called a master of diction thru dialogue using specific cold and “cut to the chase” structure to entail the character’s inner nature. “No, my dear, you had better go on horseback, because it seems likely to rain; and then you must stay all night.” Mrs. Bennet is a great mother.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “…if your daughter should have a dangerous fit of illness, if she should die, it would be a comfort to know that it was all in pursuit of Mr. Bingley, and under your orders.” WOW Miss Bennet is shrewd in response to her daughter’s illness, one that he basically contrived in the first place! (Austen yet again using dialogue to illustrate her character). You can’t hear it but I’m laughing pretty hard right now.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 8 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Right off the bat I’m enjoying the tension exerted by Elizabeth and Darcy as they verbally duke it out in cold, short responses about the ideal woman (detailed below). On a side note its an example of Austen’s satiric use of “authorial sadism” (learned that from a writer’s conference;) by throwing Elizabeth into an ever increasing set of bad situations as she is recquired to stay the night.
o       I find it funny the more so Darcy fights with Elizabeth the more so he’s attracted to her whilst Elizabeth grows evermore disdain for him. Her pride, her already adamant prejudices stacked against Darcy’s own.
o       Bingley’s sisters and Darcy symbolize the “snobby” nature of certain upperclass individuals when insulting the Bennets, specifically Jane for her attempt thru rain. I support Elizabeth again for having prejudice against this guy.




·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved.” Thus thru dialogue Austen details the perspicacity, the pressure placed upon women during the 1800s.
o       “…his sisters declared that they were miserable. They solaced their wretchedness,” the Bingley sisters are developed as manifestations of the snobby upper class individuals that populated Austen’s time.
o       “Bingley was quite uncomfortable; his sisters declared that they were miserable. They solaced their wretchedness, however, by duets after supper, while he could find no better relief to his feelings than by giving his housekeeper directions that every possible attention might be paid to the sick lady and her sister.” Bingley succumbs to the social pressures byway of Austen using the housekeepers as the outlet of his fear of not following his sisters status quo.



·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “never saw such capacity, and taste, and application, and elegance, as you describe, united.” – Elizabeth sets Darcy straight (describing that Darcy’s standards for women are overt) with what will hopefully be one of their many cleverly executed verbal bouts.


Pride and Prejudice Ch. 9 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Yep, Mrs. Bennet definitely manifests the sheer obsession with marriage for advantage as well as her own conniving nature as she focuses on Bingley staying at Netherfield instead of on the well being of the sickly Jane.
o        “I am perfectly ready, I assure you, to keep my engagement, and when your sister is recovered, you shall if you please, name the very day of the ball. But you would not wish to be dancing while she is ill.” Bingley keeps his promise to dance with Lydia after Mrs. Bennets continues to plot alternative routes to get his hand.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “…remember where you are, and do not run on in the wild manner that you are suffered to do at home.” I swear Miss Bennet is worse then Cinderella’s stepmom (inspired by maybe?) as Austen uses dialogue to illustrate Mrs. Bennets fixation impressions, believing that Elizabeth is ill-mannered in the company of a possible husband.
o       “Bingley was unaffectedly civil in his answer, and forced his younger sister to be civil also, and say what the occasion required.” Bingley isn’t a bad guy, especially in contrast to his sister as Austen basically dictates that only his persisnt pressuring forces the Bingley sisters to act kindly.
o       “Darcy only smiled, and the general pause which ensued made Elizabeth tremble…” the use of tremble was vivid enough to write down. Elizabeth really doesn’t like Darcy, even though he’s a bit sympathetic in his misguided attempts to connect.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “I assure you there is quite as much of that going on in the country as in town.” -Miss Benet tries to convince Bingley to stay in town for Jane thru her shrewdness.


Pride and Prejudice Ch. 10 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Ha, the tension is palpable as Elizabeth remains adamant against Darcy’s somewhat misdirected efforts to converse on the topic of Darcy’s letter writing. I really enjoy Austen’s quick one-two retorts between the two characters, you can feel the intensity of their verbal combat thru her fast, jabbing diction, although It is difficult to keep track of who speaking what occasionally. (Elizabeth: “To yield readily, easily, to the persuasion of a friend is no merit with you.” Darcy: To yield without conviction is no compliment to the understanding of either.”)
o       Like I said earlier, the more Elizabeth remains against Darcy with her pride, the more he is attracted (such as depicted by her refusal to dance with him given the option)



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “No, no; stay where you are. -- You are charmingly group'd, and appear to uncommon advantage. The picturesque would be spoilt by admitting a fourth. Good bye!” Austen is setting up a little attraction between Elizabeth towards Darcy I believe as she details Elizabeth being amused by Darcy in weird way.
o       Miss Bingley likes Darcy, Austen is establishing a love triangle, actually a matrix with her use of Miss Bingley’s diction: “Miss Bingley warmly resented the indignity he had received, in an expostulation with her brother for talking such nonsense”



·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast.” – Darcy’s wit is just as sharp as Elizabeth’s as she comments on his lack of humility. I think she’s starting to like him a little. Let lovers quarrel. 

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 11 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Miss Bingley is desperate for Darcy’s affection, surprisingly at least to me is that she resorts to inviting Elizabeth all but confirming what could only be her deep seeded fears that Darcy likes the Bennet as he follows.
o        “I never heard any thing so abominable. How shall we punish him for such a speech?” Miss Bingley is like a child in a sense, not able to express her feelings but thru ridiculing Darcy. As mothers say “they only tease you because they like you!”. Guess my mom was right….




·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       Austen is exceptional at executing witty verbal fights such as (Elizabeth) “And your defect is a propensity to hate every body.” (Darcy) “And yours,'' he replied with a smile (diction!), “…is wilfully to misunderstand them.”
o       “Miss Bingley succeeded no less in the real object of her civility; Mr. Darcy looked up.” Austen byway of Darcy looking up cleverly details his sole attraction for Elizabeth (though Elizabeth still remain prideful) and Miss Blingly resorted to inviting her along to get any attention whatsoever, the irony.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “I have made no such pretension. I have faults enough, but they are not, I hope, of understanding. My temper I dare not vouch for. -- It is I believe too little yielding -- certainly too little for the convenience of the world. I cannot forget the follies and vices of others so soon as I ought, nor their offences against myself. My feelings are not puffed about with every attempt to move them. My temper would perhaps be called resentful. -- My good opinion once lost is lost for ever.” –Darcy. See Darcy isn’t THAT bad….he admits he has flaws, Elizabeth still remains prideful in any case.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 12 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “But their father, though very laconic in his expressions of pleasure, was really glad to see them; he had felt their importance in the family circle. The evening conversation, when they were all assembled, had lost much of its animation, and almost all its sense, by the absence of Jane and Elizabeth.” Even though Mr. Bennet is pressured by the Power over passion element of his time, ultimately like all fathers this quote illustrates he really just wants his girls to be happy ( Is it foreshadowing a happy ending?)
o       “Steady to his purpose, he scarcely spoke ten words to her through the whole of Saturday, and though they were at one time left by themselves for half an hour, he adhered most conscientiously to his book, and would not even look at her.” Darcy is smarter then I thought, he realizes the ned to be coy and less antagonistic in his approach to Elizabeth’s approval.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “…it had actually been hinted that Colonel Forster was going to be married.” If that’s not foreshadowing well, guess I don’t belong in this class! Are one of the Bennet sisters going to marry him?
o       “…But Mrs. Bennet, who had calculated on her daughters remaining at Netherfield till the following Tuesday, which would exactly finish Jane's week, could not bring herself to receive hem with pleasure before.” Austen’s use of diction, calculated perfectly describes Elizabeth’s mother.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “In consequence of an agreement between the sisters, Elizabeth wrote the next morning to her mother, to beg that the carriage might be sent for them in the course of the day.” Yeah, your moms not going to let that happen….

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 13 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “After amusing himself some time with their curiosity, he thus explained.”- Mr. Bennet. I like Austen’s characterization of the father, he has my sense of humor as he dangles the question of the identity of an incoming stranger.
o       Also I guess it was common practice to entail land to an individual you’ve never even met? Not criticizing but just saying…




·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “Mrs. Bennet's eyes sparkled. A gentleman and a stranger! It is Mr. Bingley, I am sure. Why Jane -- you never dropt a word of this; you sly thing! Well, I am sure I shall be extremely glad to see Mr. Bingley. But good lord! how unlucky! there is not a bit of fish to be got to-day. Lydia, my love, ring the bell. I must speak to Hill, this moment.” Austen’s use of sparkled not only amused me but also displayed her discipline on diction denoting Mrs. Bennets blind obsession with getting Mr. Blingley to marry.
o       I like Austen’s formalized syntax literally incorporating the letter into the novel, interesting. This Catherine de Borough (guy?) sounds genuine thanks to her polite prose.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “…In a softened tone she declared herself not at all offended; but he continued to apologise for about a quarter of an hour.” Hell hath no fury like a women’s rage Mr. Bennet, no fury.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 14 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o        “Mr. Bennet could not have chosen better.” He’s impressed by this Mr. Collins but I am not. He won’t stop gabbing about Lady de Borough as his “patroness” a symbol of the need for an established social rank.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “Do you know, mama, that my uncle Philips talks of turning away Richard, and if he does, Colonel Forster will hire him. My aunt told me so herself on Saturday. I shall walk to Meryton to-morrow to hear more about it, and to ask when Mr. Denny comes back from town.” Lydia is quickly scolded for (as Austen yet again sustains the theme) already ruining her first impression with Bourough as she interrupts him mid reading. Also her obsession with the militia I giving credence to my speculation about her marrying a soldier…
o       “Lydia gaped as he opened the volume, and before he had, with very monotonous solemnity, read three pages, she interrupted him with” Austen’s hyperbole suits Lydia’s nature.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o        

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 15 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “Mrs. Bennet treasured up the hint, and trusted that she might soon have two daughters married; and the man whom she could not bear to speak of the day before was now high in her good graces.” Like a machine Mrs. Bennet “drops a hint” to Mr. Collins and begins tangling him in her machination, her convoluted web of potential marriage candidates. Again with ought any thought to Elizabeth’s thoughts.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “and though he belonged to one of the universities, he had merely kept the necessary terms, without forming at it any useful acquaintance.” Austen not only develops Mr. Collins as a somewhat pathetic man, she comments of the lengths at which people go to maintain appearances (i.e. staying in the university even though he did nothing with his education)
o        “What could be the meaning of it? It was impossible to imagine; it was impossible not to long to know.” Austen’s foreshadowing the importance of Darcy’s cold disposition to this Mr. Wickham fellow. Maybe…. probably.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “Something he supposed might be attributed to his connection with them, but yet he had never met with so much attention in the whole course of his life.” Yeah well, now your one of Mrs. Bennet’s pawns so expect more of it.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 16 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “Elizabeth went away with her head full of him. She could think of nothing but of Mr. Wickham” Austen complicates the romance “matrix” further with Elizabeth becoming attracted to Mr. Wickham, cant help but sense an epic conflict of sorts to ensue with all these “players”.
o       “…This information made Elizabeth smile, as she thought of poor Miss Bingley. Vain indeed must be all her attentions, vain and useless her affection for his sister and her praise of himself, if he were already self-destined to another.” Elizabeth’s happiness to this quotation warrants some connection to her mother in a cruel way.
o       I’m surprised to hear about the “Darcy loophole” claimed by Mr. Wickham, though Austen seems to imbue possibility of doubt with her depiction of a smooth talking “no-flaw” man.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “His pride never deserts him; but with the rich, he is liberal-minded, just, sincere, rational, honourable, and perhaps agreeable, -- allowing something for fortune and figure.” Austen hijacks this dialogue to intill more character dynamic for Darcy, allowing me the reader to feel more sympathetic and less opposed to the possibility of him and Elizabeth.
o        The world is blinded by his fortune and consequence, or frightened by his high and imposing manners, and sees him only as he chuses to be seen.” Yet again Austen supports the aspect of Darcy’s character being slightly misunderstood or at least superficially so with “the world is blinded; and sees him only as he chuse to be seen.”


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “Every body is disgusted with his pride.” Elizabeth’s prejudices and pride should also be checked.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 17 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “it was not long before her mother gave her to understand that the probability of their marriage was exceedingly agreeable to her.” Yep her moms using Mr. Collins as one of the plethora of possible husbands.
o       “It is impossible. No man of common humanity, no man who had any value for his character, could be capable of it. Can his most intimate friends be so excessively deceived in him? oh! No” I agree with Jane here, Elizabeth is falling head over heels without getting up to validate the “Darcy loophole theory”



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “Elizabeth felt herself completely taken in. She had fully proposed being engaged by Wickham for those very dances: and to have Mr. Collins instead!” the satire of Austen’s work seems to be mounted on Mr. Collins.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “Elizabeth felt herself completely taken in.(with Wickham)”- Elizabeth is blinded by her prejudices towards Darcy, I thought she was beginning to like him…

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 18 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Elizabeth’s pride eclipses even her dance with the (by now I have completely given up hope for this character) ridiculously pathetic Mr. Collins as she can’t stand to dance with Darcy. Hey at least Miss. Bingley is defending him.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “Elizabeth blushed and blushed again with shame and vexation.” I like Austen’s use of her physically blushing in embarrassment og her mother’s loud ranting.
o       “Charlotte could not help cautioning her, in a whisper, not to be a simpleton, and allow her fancy for Wickham to make her appear unpleasant in the eyes of a man of ten times his consequence. Elizabeth made no answer” Austen expresses Elizabeth’s proclivity to stand by Mr. Wickham’s story no matter miss Bingley’s genuine caution. With “Elizabeth made no answer” Austen clearly demonstrates that Elizabeth is indeed blinded; seeing what she wishes to see of Darcy’s true character. 


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “Insolent girl!”- Elizabeth criticizes herself, though not for the right reasons.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 19 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Nope. I have nothing to say about how dense Mr. Collins is (he really is Austen’s chew tow for comedy isn’t she) as he repeatedly asks for Elizabeth’s hand. Sorry kid, she blinded by prejudices for Wickham.
o       “Oh dear! Yes certainly. I am sure Lizzy will be very happy I am sure she can have no objection. Come, Kitty, I want you up stairs.'' And gathering her work together, she was hastening away,” Wow Mrs. Bennets is by far the most unlikable character so far, completely about power over passion (not unlike many of the time as Austen most likely intentionally commited too)



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “her father, whose negative might be uttered in such a manner as must be decisive, and whose behaviour at least could not be mistaken for the affectation and coquetry of an elegant female.” Austen’s use of might engender some vivid imagery, enough for me to incorporate this. In other words, father will lay down the law.
o       “You are uniformly charming! cried he, with an air of awkward gallantry” Rhythmic rhyming of cried he and gallantry instantly caught me. Austen like all great writers whether intentional or coincidental utilizes the audible syllables of “e” to create a nearly lyrical flow.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “I am not now to learn.” (Collins in response to Elizabeth’s refusing) Well Mr. Collins, you better. Get the hint.
Pride and Prejudice Ch. 20 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.” It official, Mr. Bennet is the better parent. No contest. He ultimately exceeds the threshold of social hierarchy and essentially wants Elizabeth too make the choice that makes her happy. Mrs. Bennet could learn a thing or to.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “...looking as unconcerned as may be, and caring no more for us than if we were at York, provided she can have her own way. -- But I tell you what, Miss Lizzy, if you take it into your head to go on refusing every offer of marriage in this way, you will never get a husband at all -- and I am sure I do not know who is to maintain you when your father is dead. -- I shall not be able to keep you -- and so I warn you. -- I have done with you from this very day. -- I told you in the library, you know, that I should never speak to you again, and you will find me as good as my word. I have no pleasure in talking to undutiful children, -- Not that I have much pleasure indeed in talking to any body. People who suffer as I do from nervous complaints can have no great inclination for talking. Nobody can tell what I suffer! -- But it is always so. Those who do not complain are never pitied.”       From this passage it is (if it was utterly evident already) blatant that Mrs. Bennet’s is blinded by her own desires for social status through wealth/ her daughters marriage without taking into account there own thoughts. Austen uses a methodical (almost as if Mrs. Bennets was mentally deteriorating boiling down to her bases of desires) syntax/structure to deconstruct, depict, the women’s lack of concern for Elizabeth’s emotional well being. All I can say is like begets like.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “But we are all liable to error.” –Mr. Collins. Some more than others…

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 21 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “This is from Caroline Bingley; what it contains, has surprised me a good deal. The whole party have left Netherfield by this time, and are on their way to town; and without any intention of coming back again. You shall hear what she says.” This surprised me too. To be honest I wasn’t even aware of this “Georgiana Darcy” character beforehand, but well Jane…plenty of fish in the sea?....



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       Honestly nothing really stood out too me in terms of notable rhetoric, it was less a textual piece as it was an emotional character piece as Elizabeth mollifies her despondent sister.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “You must decide for yourself”-Elizabeth. Same goes to you Elizabeth.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 22 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “Engaged to Mr. Collins! my dear Charlotte, -- impossible!” Im jut as surprised as Elizabeth here that Mr. Collins actually managed to find a willing wife, especially Charlotte who in the brief time she has been visited in the book seemed much wiser then to accept Mr. Collins as a husband. Just goes to show that many people in this time period could careless about who there marrying but more so WHAT they are marrying (getting in exchange…)




·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “Charlotte the wife of Mr. Collins, was a most humiliating picture!” Agreed. Collins is not only pathetic but Austen’s vehicle for comedy or at least concentraring on the nonsensical practice of marriage for materialism over character/ love.



·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 23 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “Even Elizabeth began to fear.” As I mentioned earlier its clear that all of the conscientious Bennet sisters Jane and Elizabeth (Lydia is a child and Kitty is forgotten) are beginning to fear not finding a match. The social pressures upon women in this time period to find worthy/wealthy spouses is indeed evident.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “But as no such delicacy restrained her mother, an hour seldom passed in which she did not talk of Bingley, express her impatience for his arrival, or even require Jane to confess that if he did not come back, she should think herself very ill used. It needed all Jane's steady mildness to bear these attacks with tolerable tranquillity.” Aside from Austen’s use of delicacy in such a context as romance, this portion struck out as it connotes a felling of anxiety slowly and dreadfully developing within both Elizabeth and Jane, it seemingly an urgent quest to find a suitable husband soon or there chances may never arise…
o       “Two inferences, however, were plainly deduced from the whole; one, that Elizabeth was the real cause of all the mischief; and the other, that she herself had been barbarously used by them all; and on these two points she principally dwelt during the rest of the day. Nothing could console and nothing appease her. Nor did that day wear out her resentment.” Austen is definitely not shying away from characterizing Mrs. Bennet as a pushy un-thoughtful woman with her diction above. She repeatedly blaming Elizabeth without considering her own tunnel vision. Blinded by Pride like many if not all the characters.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “The sight of Miss Lucas was odious to her.” –Mrs. Bennet. Not only a classic use of synesthsia (at least for odious modern definition). Mrs. Bennet should take a wiff of her own pompous stench.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 24 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “And every body was pleased to think how much they had always disliked Mr. Darcy before they had known any thing of the matter.” I feel this quote exemplifies prejudice within not only Elizabeth but all the present characters as they too easily fall upon vilifying Darcy without going beyond Wickham’s words. Tisk, tisk, Elizabeth.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “We must not be so ready to fancy ourselves intentionally injured. We must not expect a lively young man to be always so guarded and circumspect. It is very often nothing but our own vanity that deceives us. Women fancy admiration means more than it does.” Austen provides a social commentary undertone on most women’s denial of their own social mobility/ potential within her time period. Women all to content with accepting their role as wives, not women first choosing to cripple themselves then stride forth as human beings that they are. Patriarchal power seems to strangle the female population though into to thinking this in the first place. In many ways….not far off in some respects to today, although the difference is its much more subtle, yet at the same time…not at all…


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “Mr. Darcy was condemned as the worst of men.” He’s not a bad guy at all Liz, just misunderstood ya know? Your Pride and his blind and butt into one another to unrivaled extent.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 25 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       I think Jane is going to find nothing but more grievances when she goes to London, Elizabeth seems to suspect the same. Maybe an imminent conflict between Mr. Bingley and Jane?
o       “But that expression of “violently in love” is so hackneyed (not anymore), so doubtful, so indefinite, that it gives me very little idea. It is as often applied to feelings which arise from an half-hour's acquaintance, as to a real, strong attachment.” Elizabeth depicts her intelligence imparted by Austen’s deliberate commentary upon the quick swooning, the flings that occur between people back in her time and (how futurist) today. Really like the use of “Violently in love” really is apt to describe the tendency of flirt first, get married, ask questions after the honeymoon period.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “…for Jane would have got Mr. Bingley, if she could. But, Lizzy! Oh, sister! it is very hard to think that she might have been Mr. Collins's wife by this time, had not it been for her own perverseness.” I think its intentional use of hypocritical criticism on part of Austen’s use of perverseness as Mrs. Bennet’s constant selfish endeavors for her daughters marriage is in a way perverse to the wants and true happiness of Elizabeth and sisters.
o       “The consequence of it is, that Lady Lucas will have a daughter married before I have, and that Longbourn estate is just as much entailed as ever.” Goes to show not just Mrs. Bennets now irredeemable persona but also the social pressures the competition for families to appear wealthy and powerful to fellow tiers/peers of their societal ladder.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “On being made acquainted with the present Mr. Darcy's treatment of him, she tried to remember something of that gentleman's reputed disposition, when quite a lad, which might agree with it, and was confident at last that she recollected having heard Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy formerly spoken of as a very proud, ill-natured boy.” I’m making the prediction that Wickham is definitely lying from here on about the “Darcy loophole” tainting as many minds into his play as possible.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 26 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “The sudden acquisition of ten thousand pounds was the most remarkable charm of the young lady to whom he was now rendering himself agreeable; but Elizabeth, less clear-sighted perhaps in his case than in Charlotte's, did not quarrel with him for his wish of independence. Nothing, on the contrary, could be more natural; and while able to suppose that it cost him a few struggles to relinquish her, she was ready to allow it a wise and desirable measure for both, and could very sincerely wish him happy.” Elizabeth’s heart is breaking here, she’s definitely in denial with “wish him happy”. There’s no harm in being angry for Wickham essentially dumping you for money, Liz. But this goes down as yet another example of power over passion when marrying.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “…and if he had the fortune he ought to have, I should think you could not do better” Austen denotes very clearly the prejudices for individuals marrying only for advantage thru Gardiner’s character. She represents this in a concise and cold tone, o matter of fact its clear that the people of this time didn’t care at all about love.
o       “Her heart had been but slightly touched,” Austen shows here Elizabeth’s denial of her love for Wickham also Elizabeth’s faltering under the social pressures of her own time as she later accepts the idea of Wickham marrying for money instead of Elizabeth for love.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “I beg your pardon. I will try again. At present I am not in love with Mr. Wickham; no, I certainly am not. But he is, beyond all comparison, the most agreeable man I ever saw” – Elizabeth. No your not at all in love with him….

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 27 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “But he paid her not the smallest attention, till her grandfather's death made her mistress of this fortune.” Yep Wickham is being developed as a gold-digger, though who can blame him honestly. He’s a victim of his own prideful society.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “Lakes, mountains, and rivers shall not be jumbled together in our imaginations; nor, when we attempt to describe any particular scene, will we begin quarrelling about its relative situation. Let our first effusions be less insupportable than those of the generality of travellers.” With Austen’s following of the Elizebethan era’s dry somewhat imagery-less prose this stood out to me with her use of imagery or likening of “generality of travelers” to denote the capricious nature of 17th century denizens relating to the topic of marriage and love.
o       “I should be sorry to think our friend mercenary.” I like the symbolism Austen used to describe Wickham here, using the term “mercenary” is fitting for Wickham’s gold digging pursuits.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “Her not objecting, does not justify him. It only shews her being deficient in something herself , sense or feeling.” You, Elizabeth, are lacking in commonsense. Believing Wickham to financially settle with you. Elizabeth is a naive girl just as Darcy a boy.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 28 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “She looks sickly and cross. Yes, she will do for him very well. She will make him a very proper wife.” Karma is going to strike you down Elizabeth if you persist with prejudice against Darcy. Austen connotes Elizabeth’s pride binds yet again.
o       “Here, leading the way through every walk and cross walk, and scarcely allowing them an interval to utter the praises he asked for, every view was pointed out with a minuteness which left beauty entirely behind. He could number the fields in every direction, and could tell how many trees there were in the most distant clump. But of all the views which his garden, or which the country, or the kingdom could boast” Talk about boasting, now that Collins has some wealth he follows the trend of social class maintaining appearances by attempting to wow his guests, typical.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “The garden sloping to the road, the house standing in it, the green pales and the laurel hedge, everything declared that they were arriving.” I may be reading to much into this small excerpt but Austen slyly denotes again thru the trimmed hedges and recently tamed grass the need to maintain appearances as the Hunsford house prepres for a guests arrival.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o        

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 29 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Lady Catherine is a “snob” to keep this PG. Austen characterizes her in this chapter as one of the many “snobs”, upper-class by criticizing the Bennet’s upbringing. Elizabeth’s characterization in this chapter redeems her in my eyes after the lat few previous as she inteniontally slights the “lady”. I have other words to describe this “lady” (PG tm)



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “Lady Catherine seemed quite astonished at not receiving a direct answer; and Elizabeth suspected herself to be the first creature who had ever dared to trifle with so much dignified impertinence!” I like how Austen thru Elizabeth jabs not only the snobby Lady Catherine but the upperclass here. Also Austen connotes the need to seem young and beautiful, attractive to prospective husbands in the correlating passage conversation as Elizabeth is “hides” her direct age. Though again I’m probably reading into the details too much.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “No governess! How was that possible? Five daughters brought up at home without a governess! I never heard of such a thing. Your mother must have been quite a slave to your education.” Lady Catherine needs a governor for her arrogance. A muzzle for her snob mouth.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 30 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       This Chapter was incredibly uneventful….not much significance aside from Mr. Darcy’s (and Colonel Darcy’s) entrance. Heres betting to another conflict between him and Elizabeth. A contest of contending prides.

·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “great lady was not in the commission of the peace for the county, she was a most active magistrate in her own parish, the minutest concerns of which were carried to her by Mr. Collins; and whenever any of the cottagers were disposed to be quarrelsome, discontented or too poor, she sallied forth into the village to settle their differences, silence their complaints, and scold them into harmony and plenty.” Lady Catherine is Austen representation of the smug in power patronages of the lowerclass that’s for sure. I like how Austen utilizes the word “scold” instead of say calmly hear out the villagers complaints, subsequently reflecting the lack of care for commoners by that of the rich.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o        

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 31 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Austen display her talent for witty interstitial conversations between characters frequently throughout this chapter. Between the fast and sharp retorts, verbal artillery aimed and fired at one another I can see the relationship of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth grow more hospitable, if not friendly in terms of Elizabeth’s feeling towards him.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “I often tell young ladies, that no excellence in music is to be acquired, without constant practice. I have told Miss Bennet several times, that she will never play really well, unless she practises more.” Austen uses music as one of the many “necessary skills” that social pressure forcefully applies to women like Elizabeth. 
o       Austen shows Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship progressing nicely with the following compliment which pleases Elizabeth but also reveals he’s not that much of a snob, disregarding Elizabeth’s lack of practicing towards the commonday female pleasing male stereotypes (like learning how to play the piano for example):  You are perfectly right. You have employed your time much better. No one admitted to the privilege of hearing you, can think any thing wanting. We neither of us perform to strangers.”

·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “Lady Catherine continued her remarks on Elizabeth's performance, mixing with them many instructions on execution and taste.” Lady Catherine needs some instructions on her own execution and tastelessness.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 32 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       I think its funny how dense Elizabeth is too Darcy’s admiration. Even charlotte points out its obvious. Also I suspect Colonel Darcy shares some of his cousins infatuation with the Bennet.
o       On a side note it seems that Mr. Bingley is going to remain a distant symbol of marrying for advantage and is not going to directly interact with the story seeing as though he’s in London.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “Elizabeth made no answer. She was afraid of talking longer of his friend; and, having nothing else to say, was now determined to leave the trouble of finding a subject to him.” The awkwardness stemming between Darcy and Elizabeth is evident to Elizabeth’s emerging ambivalence towards Darcy. Shes not so sure she hates him as much. Its progress!


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “My dear Eliza, he must be in love with you, or he would never have called on us in this familiar way.”-Charlotte. O Really?

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 33 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “and she was quite decided at last, that he had been partly governed by this worst kind of pride, and partly by the wish of retaining Mr. Bingley for his sister.” And I thought Elizabeth and Darcy were making progress. She states here that it his pride that is the “worst kind” problem is she cant admit her own equally worse pride/ prejudices towards Darcy byway of Wickham’s “loophole theory”. Wondering where this will lead.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “If his own vanity, however, did not mislead him, he was the cause, his pride and caprice were the cause, of all that Jane had suffered, and still continued to suffer. He had ruined for a while every hope of happiness for the most affectionate, generous heart in the world; and no one could say how lasting an evil he might have inflicted.” Austen denotes the pride and caprice is the cause for Jane’s suffering but also Elizabeth’s as her own pride gets the best of her. She wont even hear Darcy’s side of the Wickham “theory”


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “…the power of choice.” Austen conceals this snippet of her opinion that indeed the power of choice is greater than or at least should be greater than power over passion.
Pride and Prejudice Ch. 34 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” WOAH that was abrupt. Wasn’t expecting Darcy to propose like that without warning. Not a surprise that Elizabeth rejects and becomes enraged by the offer…their too much alike in terms of their respective prides.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “His sense of her inferiority of its being a degradation of the family obstacles which judgment had always opposed to inclination, were dwelt on with a warmth which seemed due to the consequence he was wounding, but was very unlikely to recommend his suit.” Austen comments on Darcy’s pride but also somewhat his internal battle to fight said pride and rather embrace the power of choice by pursing the only moderately wealthy Elizabeth. But I don’t blame Elizabeth for her anger here.
o       “As she pronounced these words, Mr. Darcy changed colour.” Austen uses the word color (though I don’t like colour) in an excellent execution of Darcy’s shifting moods.
o       “From the very beginning, from the first moment I may almost say, of my acquaintance with you, your manners, impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form that ground-work of disapprobation, on which succeeding events have built so immoveable a dislike; and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry.” Yep Elizabeth represents here in clear view the power of her blinding prejudices towards Darcy.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “You have said quite enough, madam. I perfectly comprehend your feelings, and have now only to be ashamed of what my own have been. Forgive me for having taken up so much of your time, and accept my best wishes for your health and happiness.”- Darcy. Right now Darcy is my favorite character, flawed he may be. Who isn’t?

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 35 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       I knew it! Thru Darcy’s letter its confirmed that Mr. Wickham was lying of the particular, important details involving his “Darcy loophole theory”. I can only root for Darcy’s perspective on the matter to influence and maybe help repair Elizabeth’s disposition on him.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “Be not alarmed, Madam, on receiving this letter, by the apprehension of its containing any repetition of those sentiments, or renewal of those offers, which were last night so disgusting to you. I write without any intention of paining you, or humbling myself, by dwelling on wishes, which, for the happiness of both, cannot be too soon forgotten; and the effort which the formation and the perusal of this letter must occasion should have been spared, had not my character required it to be written and read. You must, therefore, pardon the freedom with which I demand your attention; your feelings, I know, will bestow it unwillingly, but I demand it of your justice.” Austen through Darcy’s letter structure/rehetoric in general (which has a tone of not regret but honest humility) gives way to the idea that he is at least attempting to better himself and conquer hi prideful avarices. 


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “Of what he has particularly accused me, I am ignorant”-Darcy. Weren’t we all.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 36 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       At least Elizabeth is finally catching on to the gold-digging of Wickham now. I find it equally pleasing that her emotions towards Darcy have shifted into a more positive direction as she has a revelation of her own, realizing she was blinded by her prejudices. Finally. 



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “The extravagance and general profligacy which he scrupled not to lay to Mr. Wickham's charge, exceedingly shocked her.” At least she’s finally beginning to see Wickham is in fact a mercenary try to grasp for Darcy’s sisters wealth.
o       “How despicably have I acted I, who have prided myself on my discernment! I, who have valued myself on my abilities! who have often disdained the generous candour of my sister, and gratified my vanity, in useless or blameable distrust. How humiliating is this discovery! Yet, how just a humiliation! Had I been in love, I could not have been more wretchedly blind. But vanity, not love, has been my folly. Pleased with the preference of one, and offended by the neglect of the other, on the very beginning of our acquaintance, I have courted prepossession and ignorance, and driven reason away, where either were concerned. Till this moment, I never knew myself.” This might possibly be the greatest reveal of Elizabeth’s pride thus far actually undoubtedly so. As the highlighted diction expresses above, Austen depicts Elizabeth’s self-revelation of her own pride and prejudices, her vanity to be the source of her ignorant perspicacity on Wickham as well as initially misunderstanding of Darcy’s true character. Great chapter.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “This must be false! This cannot be! This must be the grossest falsehood!” Didn’t they have players in the 17th century? Should have known better Elizabeth.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 37 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “She studied every sentence: and her feelings towards its writer were at times widely different” This essentially sums the chapter nicely as Elizabeth is increasingly ambivalent of her feelings towards Darcy. I was wondering how Austen or if Austen would repair the two’s  relationship.  



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “They were hopeless of remedy. Her father, contented with laughing at them, would never exert himself to restrain the wild giddiness of his youngest daughters; and her mother, with manners so far from right herself, was entirely insensible of the evil.” Austen illustrates this passage with a somewhat (at least to me) humorous tone with hyperbolics “they were hopeless.” And her criticisms of Mrs. Bennets character.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o        

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 38 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       I’m definitely ready for a change of scenery with Elizabeth leaving the Rosings. I’m also eager to see Jane’s reaction to Darcy’s letter. Also its funny how pathetic Collins is, intentional on the part of Austen I believe to make fun off the “snobs”.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “And most fortunately having it in our power to introduce you to very superior society” Austen delineates with “superior society” the obsession upperclass withheld for impressing others with possessions.
o       “My dear Charlotte and I have but one mind and one way of thinking. There is in every thing a most remarkable resemblance of character and ideas between us. We seem to have been designed for each other.” Austen is ridiculing (with a satirical tone again) the reality of Collins words as she connotes the exact opposite truth that in fact Charlotte is much to good for Collins. Collins is the butt of Austen’s “snob” discriminating jokes.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “And how much I shall have to conceal.”- Elizabeth. Indeed Elizabeth. Indeed.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 39 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Back at the Bennets its obvious thru Austen’s humorous tone, not much has changed. Lydia remains a child obsessed with soldiers and ugly bonnets apparently. Dad is signaturely laconic whilst sardonic to his wife’s hyperbolic tendencies. And Jane is still injured by her lost love. In other words this chapter was anti-climatic. Were definitely in the mid act.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “Look here, I have bought this bonnet. I do not think it is very pretty; but I thought I might as well buy it as not. I shall pull it to pieces as soon as I get home, and see if I can make it up any better.” Austen uses Lydia as a symbol of waste in my opinion for that of money (wow my English is devolving to 17th century by reading this book!). Seeing that they are upperclass they are capricious in their spending while the commoners struggle any luxuries of such.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o        

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 40 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “You are quite right. To have his errors made public might ruin him for ever. He is now perhaps sorry for what he has done, and anxious to re-establish a character. We must not make him desperate.” I say humiliate Wickham but Jane and Elizabeth disagree on publicly revealing Wickham’s true nature. But hey Austen has a reason for everything right? Additionally I’m happy to see Darcy being put in a more “amiable light” as the novel progresses.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “The general prejudice against Mr. Darcy is so violent, that it would be the death of half the good people in Meryton to attempt to place him in an amiable light. I am not equal to it.” Austen denotes with specific diction the prejudice held and grudges maintained by people in society, not just hers but also in today’s really.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “…If I had not been so very weak and vain and nonsensical as I knew I had!” –Elizabeth…bout’ time your realize.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 41 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “The rest of the evening passed with the appearance, on his side, of usual cheerfulness, but with no farther attempt to distinguish Elizabeth; and they parted at last with mutual civility, and possibly a mutual desire of never meeting again.” I support Elizabeth’s notion of never seeing Wickham again, even keeping him dark and pretending to not know his true character made me laugh. Also I suspect something’s going to happen between Lydia and “Colonel Forster. Mr.” she’s too naieve to an adult’s manipulation…



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       The entire conversation between Elizabeth and Wickham is on par with some of todays attempts at comedy with Austen’s humorous undertone.
o       “She saw all the glories of the camp; its tents stretched forth in beauteous uniformity of lines, crowded with the young and the gay, and dazzling with scarlet; and to complete the view, she saw herself seated beneath a tent, tenderly flirting with at least six officers at once.” Again Austen’s a good comedian as well as descriptive writer when she permits it describing Lydia’s “violent love”.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “While she spoke, Wickham looked as if scarcely knowing whether to rejoice over her words, or to distrust their meaning.” He’s catching on!

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 42 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       I can already see Darcy’s return in the inevitable upcoming chapters, this one simply a setup for what is to come with Elizabeth (who is still obstinate in her feelings for Darcy) on tour to his abode. Can’t wait.
o       On an aside I like Mrs. Gardiner the more she I developed he seems like (aside from maybe Mr. Bennet) the most wise and rational of the entire cast.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “She blushed at the very idea.” Austen again uses “blush” to further the argument of Elizabeth’s more positive perspective on Darcy.
o       “Her father, captivated by youth and beauty, and that appearance of good humour which youth and beauty generally give, had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mind had, very early in their marriage, put an end to all real affection for her.” “Violent love” thru flings seems to have led to the Bennets love like so many today even.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “END OF THE SECOND VOLUME VOLUME III” THANK GOD

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 43 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Glad to see Darcy depicted in less monstrously arrogant manner from the mouths of others! Also glad to observe Elizabeth’s emotions continue with the trend of seeing Darcy as a goodhearted, granted a bit “eccentric”, person (Austen’s making him more dynamic then a cookie cutter narcissistic rich boy character). I’m interested in seeing where the inevitable meet up with Georgiana/ Mr. Bingley is heading, bet it won’t be pretty!



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “I might have been mistress!” Austen literally develops the ever-changing image of Darcy in Elizabeth’s mind, her using of mistress as an analogue (synecdoche) to Elizabeth having accepted Darcy marriage offers.
o       “I have never had a cross word from him in my life, and I have known him ever since he was four years old.” Austen solidifies the fact that Darcy wasn’t given enough credit from the get go by Elizabeth here. Elizabeth’s prejudices are slowly dissipating!


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “In what an amiable light does this place him!”-Elizabeth. Yes one not blinded by ignorant prejudices.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 44 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       She certainly did not hate him. No; hatred had vanished long ago, and she had almost as long been ashamed of ever feeling a dislike against him that could be so called.” Austen depicts not only clearly Elizabeth’s changed outlook on Mr. Darcy but also the breaking down of her prejudice towards, she personally realizing she misunderstood the character. Finally Elizabeth catches on.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “While these newly-born notions were passing in their heads, the perturbation of Elizabeth's feelings was every moment increasing.” Yet again Elizabeth is in a step of revaluation of Darcy’s character, Austen’s use of “perturbation” validating her ambivalence.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o        
Pride and Prejudice Ch. 45 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “I must confess that I never could see any beauty in her. Her face is too thin; her complexion has no brilliancy; and her features are not at all handsome. Her nose wants character; there is nothing marked in its lines. Her teeth are tolerable, but not out of the common way; and as for her eyes, which have sometimes been called so fine, I never could perceive any thing extraordinary in them. They have a sharp, shrewish look, which I do not like at all; and in her air altogether, there is a self-sufficiency without fashion which is intolerable.” Really don’t like Miss Bingley what a *expletive deleted*. But seriously, Austen represents the methodically cruel, nearly fanatic level of fastidiousness employed by the upper class. People today aren’t far off with their level of superficial scrutiny. Sad.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “Elizabeth's collected behaviour, however, soon quieted his emotion; and as Miss Bingley, vexed and disappointed, dared not approach nearer to Wickham, Georgiana also recovered in time, though not enough to be able to speak any more.” Elizabeth is characterizes her by Austen as defeating the urge to verbally duke out with Miss Bingley. She practicing restraint, humility instead of pride.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “I have considered her as one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance.”- Darcy. Hopefully Elizabeth’s opinions will change so, too.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 46 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “Good God!” I’m surprised as much as Elizabeth. I thought Lydia was going to marry a soldier but not Wickham. Doesn’t surprise me that Wickham is already trying to elope the mercenary he is. I’m happy to hear Darcy is a close ally recruited in this chapter to help Elizabeth in stopping the potential collapse of the Bennet reputation. Austen reflects yet again the importance placed upon family rank/reputation.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “It was, on the contrary, exactly calculated to make her understand her own wishes; and never had she so honestly felt that she could have loved him, as now, when all love must be vain.” This is the most literal denotation of Elizabeth’s growing attraction to Darcy as Darcy depicts his sympathy’ desire to assist in the Wickham wedding dilemma. Austen again uses “vain” for the vanity that previously had blinded Liz.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “…Bosom..”-Elizabeth Bennet, some time in the 17th century.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 47 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “Wickham will never marry a woman without some money.” Lady Gardiner, that’s a fact. This chapter is one of the many somewhat fluff-less plot-motivated chapters, nothing really of symbolic significance stood out to me.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       Plot motivated chapter, not much to type.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “And now here's Mr. Bennet gone away, and I know he will fight Wickham wherever he meets him, and then he will be killed.” Get em’.


Pride and Prejudice Ch. 48 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Mr. Collin’s is too pathetic in my opinion to be raising questions of the Bennets childhood upbringings’/values being inferior. Interesting that Mr. Bennet couldn’t seem to find Lydia/Wickham…



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “The death of your daughter would have been a blessing in comparison of this.” Austen provides a nearly absurdly comical connotation of the obseesion the upperclass society had with reputation, so much so they claim the death of Lydia would be better news then the news of their eloping…WT-(letter after E)


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o        
Pride and Prejudice Ch. 49 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Ha, I really can’t find anything redeemable in either Wickham or Mrs. Bennet both seemed to be characterized as one-sided upperclass dopes/mercenaries. Bennet being for reputation and the maintenance of said rep whilst Wickham longs for wealth to assert his reputation. Austen is pretty clever.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “This is delightful indeed! She will be married! I shall see her again! She will be married at sixteen! My good, kind brother! I knew how it would be I knew he would manage every thing. How I long to see her! and to see dear Wickham too! But the clothes, the wedding clothes! I will write to my sister Gardiner about them directly. Lizzy, my dear, run down to your father, and ask him how much he will give her. Stay, stay, I will go myself. Ring the bell, Kitty, for Hill. I will put on my things in a moment. My dear, dear Lydia! How merry we shall be together when we meet!” Austen again critics not just Mrs. Bennet, but many of the wealthy in that time. The preoccupation of appearances being more important then the fact that Lydia is marrying a scumbag. The nerve of some “people”.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “Wickham's a fool”- Mr. Bennet. Been saying that since the beginning.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 50 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “What a triumph for him, as she often thought, could he know that the proposals which she had proudly spurned only four months ago, would now have been gladly and gratefully received!” Austen mark a major turning point in the story here as Elizabeth confirms her attraction to Darcy, even going so far to say shed marry him if given another chance. Finally Elizabeth catches on! Also I can only imagine the trouble or drama that’s imminent with Lydickam (yep like Bradgelina) coming to town.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “But how little of permanent happiness could belong to a couple who were only brought together because their passions were stronger than their virtue.” Austen connotes the commonday practice of her time as well as ours for flings of sudden “violent love” using Lydia and Wickham as symbols of such.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “But while he was mortal, there must be a triumph.” As all mortals have to triumph flaws. Austen connotes that even an arrogant Darcy can change for the better.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 51 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Hmmm interesting as to why Darcy was in the church, but whats not is Wickham’s nonchalant demeanor, he know what trouble he’s caused and doesn’t care. Lydia on the other hand is as immature as always.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “Wickham was not at all more distressed than herself, but his manners were always so pleasing, that had his character and his marriage been exactly what they ought, his smiles and his easy address, while he claimed their relationship, would have delighted them all.” With his smiles and easy address Austen vilifies Wickham, the man knowing what hes done could careless. Thus it is connoted the common unquestioned pursuit of power over passion thru him.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “without violently caring for her, he chose to elope with her at all, had she not felt certain that his flight was rendered necessary by distress of circumstances; and if that were the case, he was not the young man to resist an opportunity of having a companion.” Austen yet again uses the term violent to describe Lydia’s immature “love”.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 52 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “Her heart did whisper that he had done it for her. But it was a hope shortly checked by other considerations, and she soon felt that even her vanity was insufficient, when required to depend on his affection for her -- for a woman who had already refused him as able to overcome a sentiment so natural as abhorrence against relationship with Wickham. Brother-in-law of Wickham! Every kind of pride must revolt from the connection.” Since the begging I have championed Darcy as greater then he let on, great enough so to pay Wickham even with there past. Elizabeth should get over her previous pride, its obvious he still cares for her, and now she emulates the same. You can see above Elizabeth, thru Austen’s emboldened diction, realization of her flawed prideful perspective, I hope she will continue dismantling her pride.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “He generously imputed the whole to his mistaken pride, and confessed that he had before thought it beneath him to lay his private actions open to the world. His character was to speak for itself. He called it, therefore, his duty to step forward, and endeavour to remedy an evil which had been brought on by himself.” See even Darcy can conquer his pride, though his pride may be the vehicle of his need to finance Wickham’s dubious actions. Austen makes it very clear he’s not simply an arrogant upperclassman.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o        
Pride and Prejudice Ch. 53 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       I don’t blame Mr. Bennet’s refusal to see the returning Bingley, but I do blame the ignorance of Mrs. Bennet’s snoody shots at Darcy, she should be grateful! I guess ignorance is bliss….?



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “she had such anxious designs, or satisfy the appetite and pride of one who had ten thousand a year.” Even now Austen laughs at the persistence of Mrs. Bennet as her “designs” for Bingley to marry still exist (for his money and tidings of social wealth with “ten thousand a year”). Austen criticizes directly with the word of “pride” the mother’s unbridled sum.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “The day of his and Lydia's departure soon came…” good riddance.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 54 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “They were confined for the evening at different tables, and she had nothing to hope, but that his eyes were so often turned towards her side of the room, as to make him play as unsuccessfully as herself.” Well this sucks. Elizabeth is actually endeavoring to make good with Darcy but his pride is maintaining there distance, he wouldn’t want to refused yet again. Also why is Bingley returning to the story o often I thought he was married already thus rendered useless?



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “A man who has once been refused! How could I ever be foolish enough to expect a renewal of his love? Is there one among the sex, who would not protest against such a weakness as a second proposal to the same woman? There is no indignity so abhorrent to their feelings!” I like how Austen is making Elizabeth pay with her previous pride and prejudice karma. Now that she wants to befriend and more with Darcy, he ignores her, even if he likes her still. Funny.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “They were confined for the evening at different tables, and she had nothing to hope, but that his eyes were so often turned towards her side of the room, as to make him play as unsuccessfully as herself.” - KARMA

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 55 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “Would you believe it, Lizzy, that when he went to town last November, he really loved me, and nothing but a persuasion of my being indifferent would have prevented his coming down again!” Woah that was a blindside to me. Wasn’t expecting Bingley to actually be ignorant of all the previous claims and still “beholding” to his love for Jane. What a surprise.




·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “The Bennets were speedily pronounced to be the luckiest family in the world, though only a few weeks before, when Lydia had first run away, they had been generally proved to be marked out for misfortune.” Thus Austen critics the capricious reputation absorbed upperclass at the time, with a satirical tone she shows the contradictory nature of the snobs as they profess their good fortune after lat weeks potential mis.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “Oh! Lizzy, why am I thus singled from my family, and blessed above them all! If I could but see you as happy! If there were but such another man for you!” How ironic. Austen plays with the consequences of Elizabeth’s pride earlier denying Darcy. She would have been the first of the Bennets to marry. O The irony.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 56 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       The nerve of “lady” Catherine. I’m happy how Elizabeth disses her essentially by defending herself, family, and the power of passion, of choice instead of social/wealth motivation. More power to you Elizabeth, I say.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “Because honour, decorum, prudence, nay, interest, forbid it. Yes, Miss Bennet, interest; for do not expect to be noticed by his family or friends, if you wilfully act against the inclinations of all. You will be censured, slighted, and despised, by every one connected with him. Your alliance will be a disgrace; your name will never even be mentioned by any of us.” Austen absolutely manifests the pride and prejudices of her time period thru Lady Catherine’s quote. Lady Catherine believing love only to be motivated by social status/monitarial gains. Darcy’s better then that…At least I hope I’m right…


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “I will make no promise of the kind.”-Elizabeth refusing to go along with Catherine’s designs. Good job.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 57 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “so delightfully absurd!” I agree. Elizabeth better hurry and crash in on Lady Catherine’s designs or else it will be too late. I’m genuinely interested in reading what is to happen next. Not that I wasn’t entertained by the book previously….:)



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “The colour now rushed into Elizabeth's cheeks” Again Austen uses the imagery of color onto cheek as she has thru out the novel to characterize Elizabeth’s shifting moods.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “Oh! yes. Pray read on.” Sure, I’m already this far…why not?

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 58 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       AW I knew Darcy was more then an arrogant snob, glad to see Elizabeth does now too. No time for lengthy unnecessary chapter responses, need to continue reading.



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “My object then was to shew you, by every civility in my power, that I was not so mean as to resent the past; and I hoped to obtain your forgiveness, to lessen your ill opinion, by letting you see that your reproofs had been attended to. How soon any other wishes introduced themselves I can hardly tell, but I believe in about half an hour after I had seen you.” From page one I knew (or at least hoped it wasn’t the truth) Darcy was more then a snob. Here Austen develops him more and actually connotes that even the most severe of prides can be toppled (he bettering himself for Elizabeth, disregarding the Bennets’ only moderate wealth and embracing true passion over power and rep). Same goes with prejudices.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “What will you think of my vanity?”-Darcy to Elizabeth. I think you turned out fine.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 59 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       “Elizabeth's mind was now relieved from a very heavy weight” So is mine. I’m happy to read that Darcy and Elizabeth’s marriage is essentially guaranteed now with the Bennet family approval. The end is in sight!



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “I can think of nothing else! Ten thousand a year, and very likely more! 'Tis as good as a Lord! And a special licence. You must and shall be married by a special licence. But my dearest love, tell me what dish Mr. Darcy is particularly fond of, that I may have it tomorrow.” Austen criticizes in a satirical tone the snobby Mrs. Bennet she still only obsessing about the spoils of their imminent marriage. Seriously?


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “Wickham, perhaps, is my favourite; but I think I shall like your husband quite as well as Jane's”- Mr. Bennet. I hope that’s sarcasm.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 60 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Good. No surprises. I was expecting some sort of cruel plot twist like a sudden death of Darcy or some other devious Deus ex machina, to ruin the marriage. I’m way too tired so give me a break…but, hell, theres still one more chapter left…
o       Also Lady Catherine’s still as hilariously demented as always. Serves you right *expletive deleted*



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “You may as well call it impertinence at once. It was very little less. The fact is, that you were sick of civility, of deference, of officious attention. You were disgusted with the women who were always speaking, and looking, and thinking for your approbation alone. I roused, and interested you, because I was so unlike them. Had you not been really amiable, you would have hated me for it; but in spite of the pains you took to disguise yourself, your feelings were always noble and just; and in your heart, you thoroughly despised the persons who so assiduously courted you. There -- I have saved you the trouble of accounting for it; and really, all things considered, I begin to think it perfectly reasonable. To be sure, you knew no actual good of me but nobody thinks of that when they fall in love.” Austen thru Darcy’s account, approves of her theme of pride and prejudice, that choice and love is more vital the power/possession. Cant find a problem with that either.


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “…but nobody thinks of that when they fall in love.”-Darcy. Cool it Cassanova, not too late for a surprise unhappy ending….I really need to get some sleep.

Pride and Prejudice Ch. 61 Notes

·       1. Notable elements of literature/ chapter response, “analysis”:
o       Happy ending. In this cynical day and age I’m happy to see, read, one. It’s no question that Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is indeed a testament, relevant to all times and beyond her own. Thru Elizabeth and Darcy we bear witness to a dramatic/dynamic change of character with each of the characters exceeding the blinding pride, prejudice they withheld towards one another initially. Elizabeth and Darcy embracing passion over power, choice over financial decision. In the end, love instead of pride.   



·       2. Notable writing tools, techniques and rhetoric:
o       “HAPPY…” Cant help but be happy as well. Great book J


·       3. Other (notable quotations, miscellaneous, etc.):
o       “THE END.” Alls well that ends well. SLEEEEP.