The Impact of First Impressions - Pride and Prejudice

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Alexis Sachdev        English 11 Honors        8/31/2008

        

The Impact of First Impressions

Prior to publication, Jane Austen titled her novel Pride and Prejudice as First Impressions.  Interestingly, first impressions are not the most important aspect of this influential piece of literature.  Rather, the concept that these first impressions were entirely incorrect, and the damage they caused in the novel, is.  Within the lines of Pride and Prejudice, first impressions teach the characters, mainly Elizabeth Bennet, to learn before judging.  The wrongdoings of first impressions are most obvious within the relationships of Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet, George Wickham and Elizabeth Bennet, Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Elizabeth Bennet, and the reader and Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy.

        Unlike many other tales of love, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet did not look into each other’s eyes and fall deeply in love.  On the contrary, Darcy looked into Elizabeth’s eyes and told Charles Bingley, “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me” (Austen, 7).  The distaste between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy derived from the ball at Meryton.  Without an introduction or conversation, Elizabeth also judged Darcy early and decided “[Darcy] was the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world…”  (Austen, 6).  Later Elizabeth would find out, though, that Mr. Darcy’s pride was one of the only roadblocks on the path of his ardent love for her.  Nevertheless, both determined early that their “relationship” was not one they particularly sought to continue.  Unexpectedly, Elizabeth’s slight dislike for Darcy evolved into a pure hatred due to his “mistreatment” of family friend, Mr. Wickham.  Elizabeth’s blood continued to boil when she learned that he kept Bingley from Jane, for what she thought because of pride and social reputation.  From the opening, Elizabeth knew, or at least thought she knew Darcy.  Her idea of his personality seemed true, but she based it only on her first impression of him.

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        Soon, though, the plot unraveled itself – Mr. Darcy explained his motives for separating Jane Bennet and Charles Bennet, and for alienating Mr.Wickham.  He also funded Elizabeth’s sister, Mary, and Mr. Wickham’s marriage, and said he did it only for Elizabeth.  By this point in the novel, Elizabeth was falling madly in love with Darcy.  She revoked all superficial opinions of Darcy, and saw him for the man he really was – a compassionate, generous, man who was willing to put his prejudices aside in the name of love.  By the end of the novel, matrimony joined Darcy and Elizabeth. ...

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