入圍決選獎
姓  名 黃羿弦 學  校 國立彰化女子高級中學 年  級 二 年 十三 班

 

 

Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice, one of the world classics, told a story about understanding and misunderstanding, the honesty and the weakness of humanity. Pride and Prejudice was not only the greatest novel of the world, but also the reflection of the real life.

The setting of the story’s beginning is the Bennets’ house, the noisiest family in this book. We could find out everyone’s character from their conversations. Mr.Bennet, the mixture of intelligence and unsociable reserve was a contrast to Mrs.Bennet, who is clumsy and nagging. I would like to say they are the most weird couple I’ve ever seen. Contrary personalities and entirely different values led to argument between them every day. At first, I was confused by the author’s arrangement, but letter I found that these two opposite characters ran through the whole story.

Mrs.Bennet’s behavior made a bad impression on Darcy. He kept away from the Bennets as far as he could for dealing with vulgar people might damage his reputation. Darcy suggested Bingley keep distance from Jane Bennet as well because of her family. Though Mrs.Bennet’s and Lydia’s misbehavior made Darcy contempt the Bennets, Elizabeth captured his attention. In contrast with her mom and younger sisters, Elizabeth was elegant and clever. The more Darcy knew Elizabeth, the more he admire this brilliant girl. Although he thought the marriage between two different classes was disgraceful at first, Elizabeth broke his prejudice. Great manners and intelligent comments made her a lovely girl. Despite the inferior origin, Elizabeth’s wisdom and temperament tempt Darcy a lot.

Darcy, the image of pride in this story, was my favorite character. Being calm and sensible made him the most fascinating role of this book. In the beginning of the story, I consider him an arrogant and indifferent man. But when he helped the Bennets to deal with the problem caused by the ignorant girl, Lydia and wily Wickham, I found him sincere and kind. When it came to Wickham, I would like to say I made the same mistake as Elizabeth --- misjudgment. Who knew that the gentle, handsome man turned out to be a liar? Darcy seemed mean in external but kindhearted inside. On the contrary, Wickham appeared honest at first, but revealing his insatiable and tricky character in the last. They truly proved the proverb: ”There’s more to them than meets the eye.”

Each of the characters stood for a system of value. Mr.Bennet represented the egoist, he would not get involved in the trouble unless it damaged his profits. Mrs. Bennet stood for the property supremacist. But we couldn’t blame her for being so snobbish since they lived in the era when estate and social class was the most important thing. Collins was the best example of those who flattered the upper-class people to pursue the better material life and reputations. Charlotte represented the pragmatics, preferring reality to fantasy, marrying for material stability not for spiritual happiness. Jane and Bingley just liked prince and princess, having adorable ending.

Darcy was the image of those who chose to hide who they were, what they truly thought. He tried to be conforming, fearing that he might damage family’s reputation and his own position by having inappropriate behaviors such as the marriage between two different classes. But Elizabeth appeared, breaking all of his principles. Love made him willing to abandon the principles and express his true emotion. And most of us were like Elizabeth, relying on only first impression to judge a person instead of finding one’s essence. Misunderstanding caused conflict but might also bring Mr. Right to you. Thanks to all of the pride, prejudice, understanding, misunderstanding and love, they created this marvelous story.