The narrator uses character discourse between Jane and Elizabeth to show the differences in their personalities and character traits. They are direct opposites, used for comparison within the novel. Jane’s character doesn’t change through the novel, making the changes we see in Elizabeth’s character more prominent by comparing her with Jane. We see Jane as believing the best in everyone, ‘They have both,’ said she, ‘been deceived, I dare say, in some way or other’. Elizabeth, however, is blinded by her initial prejudice toward Darcy and quick to believe Wickham simply because ‘there was truth in his looks’ showing both her pride at Darcy having insulted her early on in the novel and her resulting prejudice towards him. Elizabeth is so blinded by her prejudice that she doesn’t see anything wrong in Wickham revealing so much of his personal life to someone he hardly knows ‘without ceremony’. The narrator uses irony with Elizabeth mocking Jane, ‘Do clear them too, or we shall be obliged to think ill of somebody’ but Jane is steadfast in her views, ‘you will not laugh me out of my opinion’. This strength of character is something not seen in Jane before, not only showing the reader that there is perhaps more to Jane than first thought, but also using Jane to give a different view point to Elizabeth’s blinded one, leading the reader to think for themselves. Throughout this dialogue, the narrator is showing the reader Elizabeth’s attempts at trying to convince Jane in the truth of Wickham’s story, to no avail. The direct speech used by Jane, ‘It is difficult indeed’, again shows that Jane is not one to easily believe badly of someone, but to look for the good, something we see recurring with Jane through the novel.
During the dialogue between the sisters, we see structural irony being used. Elizabeth is proud of her own wit and judgement, which later in the novel, turns out to be flawed. Near the start of the novel Mr Bennet declares that ‘Lizzie has something more of quickness than her sisters’ (ch.1, pg.2) showing the reader that she is thought of as the most sensible but is still fooled by someone with ‘truth in his looks’. This shows the reader the way in which people were judged by how rich they were as seen at the start of the novel, and by their appearance, a theme throughout the novel.
Towards the end of this passage we see free indirect speech being used with the narrator using language that the Bingley sisters would use such as, ‘delighted’ and ‘an age’. The narrator then goes on to tell the reader of the behaviour of the Bingley sisters, emphasising how rude they are to their social inferiors in ‘avoiding Mrs Bennet, saying not much to Elizabeth’, ‘rising from their seats’ and ‘hurrying off’ which both Mr Bingley and Jane seem unaware of, showing the likeness of their personalities in not seeing the bad in people. The fact that the Bingley sisters are not mentioned by name, and just as ‘his sisters’ indicates that the narrator is reducing their status within the novel.
The narrator’s omniscient voice is very strong in the last paragraph with free indirect speech used for the various female Bennet characters. This paragraph also acts as something of a show and tell regarding the different characters, showing their various thoughts and feelings regarding the ball.
As the title suggests, this novel is structured around the issues of pride and prejudice of the various characters and also of social class which the various techniques used in this passage help to highlight. The techniques allow the reader to get to know the characters and watch them develop through the course of the novel as with Elizabeth, realising her pride and prejudices have clouded her judgement regarding Darcy and Wickham. We learn more of the different characters, such as Jane’s lack of prejudice against anyone, contrasting with Elizabeth. These techniques help to enlighten the reader about the character's personalities and contrast them against each other and to help tie in the various themes of the novel to give the reader a greater understanding of the novel.