People Won T Change
Sizhe Wang
1
Sizhe Wang
English109, D
Mrs. Cottingham
April 7, 2015
People Won’t Change
Set in England in the early 19th century, Jane Austen’s novel “Pride and Prejudice” follows the main character, Elizabeth Bennet, as she deals with issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education, and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of the British Regency.
Austen's assessment of behavior in Pride and Prejudice is at harsh times, yet she manages to extract a happy ending. She skillfully demonstrates the perils of pride and prejudice and the customs of the marriage process, and illustrates that behavior is innate, though alterable, improvable, and subject to external influence.
Claudia L. Johnson’s article “Pride and Prejudice and the Pursuit of Happiness” describes the centrality of happiness within the plot, themes, and character development in
Jane Austen’s novel “Pride and Prejudice”. Many of the characters in Jane Austen’s novel clearly demonstrate the pursuit of happiness in some form or fashion. In addition, this article accurately portrays both Mr. Collins’ and Mr. Darcy’s intention of marrying for happiness as well as Mr. Darcy’s eventual transformation into a man capable of being made happy by and bringing happiness to Elizabeth. Overall, Johnson’s article possesses great value; and that by reading this article, one can better realize the significance of happiness as an overarching theme within the plot and characterization in “Pride and Prejudice”.
Austen's attempts to demonstrate conclusively that the essence of behavior is intrinsic to one's pursuit of happiness. Throughout the story the reader observes the morals and tempers of different characters giving him/her an opportunity to understand the standards
Sizhe Wang
2
necessary for the happiness of those characters. The different means by which characters find happiness indicates a system for modeling characters standards and preferences according to some set of parameters. Characters also feel
1
Sizhe Wang
English109, D
Mrs. Cottingham
April 7, 2015
People Won’t Change
Set in England in the early 19th century, Jane Austen’s novel “Pride and Prejudice” follows the main character, Elizabeth Bennet, as she deals with issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education, and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of the British Regency.
Austen's assessment of behavior in Pride and Prejudice is at harsh times, yet she manages to extract a happy ending. She skillfully demonstrates the perils of pride and prejudice and the customs of the marriage process, and illustrates that behavior is innate, though alterable, improvable, and subject to external influence.
Claudia L. Johnson’s article “Pride and Prejudice and the Pursuit of Happiness” describes the centrality of happiness within the plot, themes, and character development in
Jane Austen’s novel “Pride and Prejudice”. Many of the characters in Jane Austen’s novel clearly demonstrate the pursuit of happiness in some form or fashion. In addition, this article accurately portrays both Mr. Collins’ and Mr. Darcy’s intention of marrying for happiness as well as Mr. Darcy’s eventual transformation into a man capable of being made happy by and bringing happiness to Elizabeth. Overall, Johnson’s article possesses great value; and that by reading this article, one can better realize the significance of happiness as an overarching theme within the plot and characterization in “Pride and Prejudice”.
Austen's attempts to demonstrate conclusively that the essence of behavior is intrinsic to one's pursuit of happiness. Throughout the story the reader observes the morals and tempers of different characters giving him/her an opportunity to understand the standards
Sizhe Wang
2
necessary for the happiness of those characters. The different means by which characters find happiness indicates a system for modeling characters standards and preferences according to some set of parameters. Characters also feel