Pride and Prejudice- Chapter 36 (Vol 2 Chap 13)

[Andie]

Elizabeth is reeling from Darcy's letter, which has caused her to have to reconsider her feelings and opinions towards Wickham, never mind Darcy. She somehow brushes over all he says about Jane and Bingley, since he makes no apology about his assumptions about the two or for splitting them up.

Darcy's record of Wickham and his behaviour is only really verified for Lizzie by the conversation she had previous had with Colonel Fitzwilliam, whose comment about her being careful believing Wickham makes more sense with Darcy's context now.

Looking back on her conversations with Wickham, she is only now surprised with how forward she had let him be with her. She remembers he had boasted of having no fear of Darcy but had not appeared at the Netherfield ball the week after, clearly avoiding being present with Darcy in the same house. Also how he had kept his story quiet until the Bingleys and Darcy had conveniently left the property, and then as soon as they were gone, his story was all over the place.

She now realises that his intentions towards Miss King are horrible and the fact that her fortune is only “mediocre” proves that he is willing to go after any girl with any amount of money.

This is Elizabeth's wake up call, when she realises how full of prejudices she has been towards so many people, despite thinking she was above that.

Favourite quotes:-

“Of neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think, without feeling that she had been blind, partial, prejudiced and absurd.”

[Alicia (A Kernel of Nonsense)]

Finally, Lizzie, you see the deceitfulness of Wickham's charms. What a sordid gossip he is!

Oh the feels: "She could think only of her letter."

[Andie]

I was really amazed that she was so determined to ignore everyone's poor opinion of Wickham and yet rushed to believe Darcy to be horrible when everyone else was saying that yes he was proud but he wasn't *bad*