Pride and Prejudice Read-Along Week #4

Hello, readers and friends! Another week of the Pride and Prejudice Read-Along has come and gone. I can’t believe how fast this read-along and month has passed!

General Impressions
Again, it’s been a whirlwind of events in these chapters! We begin with the aftermath of Lizzy’s turning down Darcy’s proposal and the letter that he writes explaining why he and Whickham do not get along. In this letter, Lizzy comes to see how wrong she has been. Lizzy is out of sorts as she returns from the Collins’ while Jane also returns from London. And then Lydia goes to visit a friend, where she runs away with Whickham. The family is in an uproar as this section comes to a close.

Discussion Questions
1: Who do you think has changed the most since the beginning of the story? What are some examples of how he or she has changed for the better or for the worse?
I definitely think that Lizzy’s views have changed, obviously. She went from despising Mr. Darcy, to regretting turning down his proposal, and her views on Whickham are as different as night and day from the last section. And if I had not already known the story prior to this reading, I would have been shocked by the truth about Whickham.
2: What are your impressions of Pemberley (Darcy’s home), including the location, and the people who work/live there?
I think Pemberley seems like a beautiful place to live. In both the BBC miniseries and the 2005 Focus Feature, it was a beautiful place. It reminds me of Downton Abbey, my favorite show. I think the housemaid that gives Lizzy and the Gardiner’s a tour seems sweet, and she is very proud of the place where she works, as well as those that she works for.
3: If you were a Bennet daughter and got word of Lydia’s disappearance, do you think you’d respond more like Jane, Elizabeth, Mary or Kitty?
I’d probably respond most like Lizzy. I would think Lydia was acting absolutely crazy running off with Whickham!
Thanks for stopping today, readers and friends! What did you think of the events of these chapters?
-Miranda Atchley