Pride and Prejudice

Starter Discussion Questions  (click on each question):

1.  Jane Austen titled an earlier version of this novel First Impressions?  Do you think this would have been an appropriate title for the novel?  Why or why not? Which title do you prefer and why?

2.  In what ways are the themes and concerns of Pride and Prejudice timeless?  Why do readers still relate to Austen's characters and story today?

3.  Are the Bennets a dysfunctional family?  Why are Mr. and Mrs. Bennet good parents or not?

4.  In what ways do Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy change over the course of the novel?  What do they learn about themselves and about life?

5.  In Jane Austen’s day, what skills must a woman possess to be seen as “accomplished?”  How does Elizabeth, with her “lively mind,” rebel against these conventions?  Do any of these conventions still remain true today?

6.  How do various characters display pride and prejudices in the novel and what are the ramifications of such strong feelings?

7.  At what moment does Elizabeth begin to fall in love with Mr. Darcy?  What is it about Mr. Darcy that makes him such a catch for Elizabeth and for many readers over the last two hundred years?  

8.  What does the novel tell us about the role of marriage in Austen's time?  (For instance, why does Charlotte Lucas marry Mr. Collins?)  How is the function of marriage different or the same in the twenty-first century?

9.  Was the end of the novel satisfying for you?  Was it too much of a fairy tale ending or did Austen hit just the right note?

10.  How would Elizabeth Bennet fare at Judson College if she could be materialized into our world today?

Start your own discussion question threads when you answer these questions!