How does Austen tell the story in Chapter Three of Pride and Prejudice?

Plot is obviously vital in the telling of the story.  In chapter three Austen tells the story using tension, perhaps to mirror the rising tension the Bennett girls are experiencing. The turning point, an event which affects the rest of the novel, is built up to with little events which create a climax in the form of Elizabeth overhearing Darcy. This is very important to the progression of the story since after we are aware that Darcy is an unpopular character, and that by comparison, Bingley becomes more likeable. In terms of characterization, Austen has Lizzy retell the story and directly tells us that she ‘delights in anything ridiculous’ which enhances our later views of her.

In this chapter issues are raised of Pride, after Darcy behaves in a stand-offish manner at the ball and remarks that Elizabeth is not handsome enough to tempt him. Darcy’s Pride here affects the rest of the novel because without his Pride, Elizabeth would not have been prejudiced against him and there would be no turbulent relationship between them, and hence no novel.  

We learn much of the men in Pride and Prejudice from this chapter.  Throughout, Austen comments upon the characters she has created, leading how we think of them. We learn that Mr. Bennett is a long suffering husband and father; he is stubborn and determined since he is able to resist his daughters. He appears to get a certain satisfaction from teasing his wife, and as the reader we are invited to join in his teasing of Mrs Bennet since she is portrayed in such a way that we perhaps find her irritating. However, Mr Bennet is perhaps to blame for the events which follow in the novel: by withdrawing his parental control, he has allowed his wife to raise their 5 daughters, and allowed them to become ‘silly’ and ‘parochial.’ However we are not told directly about Mr. Bennett, and realize his character through the narrative of the text, and have to make inferences from what the girls say or do around him. We perhaps believe that he is embarrassed of the way his daughters are, not allowing them to meet Bingley with him, perhaps for fear they will embarrass him. Sir William contrasts this, and appears almost as parochial as the woman around him; he is easily pleased with Darcy, having only met him for ten minutes.  It is as if he, like his wife and daughters, wants Darcy to be a match for his daughters, and so believes he is perfect before he has met him.  We judge Sir Lucas here on the words he says. We also learn of Bingley and Darcy in this chapter. Bingley, we are authoratively told by Austen, is lively and unreserved, whilst Darcy’s character is revealed through his direct speech and his actions. He refuses to dance, and his comments about Elizabeth lead the reader to assume his pride, however, we find ourselves assuming them in ways similar to the villagers of Meryton – we have been drawn into their parochial world, and do not stop to consider that he simply may not be dancing because he is shy, or because he simply cannot dance.