Pride & Prejudice Ch. 1-12

What is the significance of the opening line, “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife”?

• It establishes the central irony of the novel: that, in reality, wealthy, single men have no desire to marry.

• It hints at the fact that propels the novel – that a single woman must also want a wealthy husband.

• It speaks to the tremendous pressure that single, upper-class men face to settle down, no matter their individual desires.

• It illustrates that single men have little say over their futures and who they marry.

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What literary technique does Austen primarily use to reveal her characters’ personalities?

• Austen primarily uses physical descriptions, connecting her characters’ fundamental traits to their appearances.

• Austen primarily uses allusions, revealing her characters' personalities through indirect references to unrelated objects, events, or people.

• Austen relies heavily on dialogue, revealing her characters' traits and attitudes through how they express themselves.

• Austen relies heavily on metaphors, similes, and other figurative language to invoke her characters’ core traits.

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Austen rarely uses ____ in Pride and Prejudice, so readers come to understand characters by through ____.

• physical descriptions; their words

• exposition; their manners

• plot; their choices

• action; their physical descriptions

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How do Bingley and Jane’s initial interactions compare to Elizabeth and Darcy’s?

• Bingley and Jane enjoy an easy courtship, while Elizabeth and Darcy mutually dislike each other.

• Bingley isn’t interested in Jane at first, while Darcy is immediately taken with Elizabeth.

• Both women reserve their affections, but Elizabeth soon warms to Darcy, while Jane takes ages to realize her feelings for Bingley.

• Both couples experience “love at first sight, but Darcy acts while Bingley holds back.

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Which statement best characterizes the significance of Bingley and Jane’s romance?

• Their relationship serves as a warning against marrying outside social class.

• Their relationship is timeless enough to illustrate a typical courtship today.

• Their relationship represents the ideal against which Elizabeth compares all her relationships.

• Their relationship is an example of true love between two people who are uncomplicated by the vices of pride and prejudice.

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How do the prejudices of the wealthy compare to those of the lower classes?

• The prejudices of the wealthy are based in fact, while those of the lower classes are distorted by ambition.

• While all classes grapple with their own prejudices, it’s only the judgements of the wealthy that stand in the way of love.

• Characters of every class struggle to see each other clearly through the distorted lenses of their prejudices.

• Both the snobbery of the rich and the judgements of the lower class threaten the social hierarchy.

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The discussion of entailment in the novel illustrates how few options were available to ____ to create better lives for themselves.

• women

• single men

• clergy

• servants

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What is the result of Darcy and Elizabeth’s argument about the ideal woman?

• Darcy inwardly admits that Elizabeth has won the debate, but he loses interest in her because of her aggressive arguments.

• Elizabeth realizes that her first impression of Darcy was entirely incorrect, and she suddenly recognizes him as a man of integrity.

• Elizabeth lets her brilliance shine in their debate, and Darcy begins to move past his initial prejudice.

• Darcy grows more and more prideful, but Elizabeth begins to let go of her initial prejudices.

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How do the reader’s first impressions of Darcy and Miss Bingley differ?

• Miss Bingley and Darcy are both motivated by love and kindness, making them appear to be a perfect match.

• Though Darcy is arrogant and unpleasant, his integrity shines when compared to Miss Bingley, who strives to uphold societal hierarchies.

• Darcy is overbearing and egotistical, while Miss Bingley is sympathetic because she’s so infatuated with Darcy.

• Miss Bingley’s cruel treatment of the Bennets casts her in an unfavorable light, while Darcy is charming from the get-go.

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Why does Darcy see Elizabeth as a threat?

• Because Elizabeth is so perceptive, he is threatened by her ability to see through his arrogant façade to his true self.

• Elizabeth’s unique ability to persuade others of her point of view threatens his courtship with Miss Bingley.

• Darcy views Elizabeth as a threat to his tightly held worldview because she is unwilling to compromise on her beliefs.

• His growing attraction to Elizabeth, a woman he deems unfit to marry due to her class, threatens his social standing.

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