Chapter 35 essay on Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice".

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AS English Literature

How does Austen tell the story in Chapter 35? (20 marks)

Pride and Prejudice written by Jane Austen is a well written and respected novel. Throughout Pride and Prejudice Austen uses a range of different narrative techniques in order to interest and inform her audience. Austen takes on a different aspect in Chapter 35 in the form of letters. In this essay I will attempt to show how Austen tells the story in Chapter 35 and the effect it has on the novel.

Austen opens Chapter 35 with ‘free indirect style’, this is a form of narrative voice in which a character’s thoughts and feelings seem to be directly expressed, freely taking on views and often the language of that character. ‘Elizabeth awoke the next morning to the same thoughts and mediations which had at length closed her eyes’. This is an obvious example of free indirect style it takes on the thoughts and feeling of Elizabeth and allows the reader to emotionally engage with her. Austen cleverly uses this technique to allow the reader to create an intimate and emotionally engaging relationship with Elizabeth. By using this narrative technique at the opening of the chapter this allows the reader to connect to the character so throughout the chapter the reader can take on the thoughts and feelings of Elizabeth.  ‘Free indirect style’ is a subtle take on ’stream of consciousness’ and refers to the character in the third person. This style coincides with Austen’s previous choices of narrative techniques and moves the narration from a more detached voice to one that is more intimately connected to one character.

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In Chapter 35, letter form is predominantly used throughout; Austen uses this technique cleverly to move the plot of the novel along. The letter helps communicate important information in a short amount of time that would have taken a lot longer in narrative form.  ‘Two offences of a very different nature, and by no means of equal magnitude, you last night laid to my charge.’ This is a turning point in the novel; it allows both the character and the reader to understand the motivation behind character’s actions. By Austen using this aspect of narrative she has cleverly allowed the narrative ...

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*** 3 STARS A good but rather brief essay which uses PEA (Point, Evidence and Analysis). There is some confusion between free indirect style and omniscient narrator but generally the writer shows an understanding of narrative techniques and their effect on the reader.