Socratic Discussion

Today in class we discussed the values associated with finding a mate. As discussed in our circle the values have not have changed as much from the time of Pride and Prejudice as much as one would assume. In fact from the feedback and responses I heard today in class, I would say the list of characteristics a mate must meet actually has gotten longer over time! I think this is due to the fact that both sexes have reaches a balanced form of equality, making each spouse demand an equal amount of either intelligence of financial capabilities to come from their partner. At the heart of finding a mate looks are the cornerstone of modern relationships. Since looks are all one sees before getting to know someone, they are the deciding factor of interest for single men or women. As discussed today in class, expectations haven't changed but only increasing.

1st Body Paragraph

Since Elizabeth differs from the majority of the women from her time, she is continually butting heads with societal expectations. Mrs. Bennet, a traditional English woman, is solely dedicated to having her daughters married into a higher position in society. For this reason, Elizabeth and her mother never truly get along. One can see this when Elizabeth rejects Mr. Collins' proposal. Despite the fact that she is older and less likely to be proposed to again later on in her life, she rejects the offer because she believes it to be an unmatchable relationship. Elizabeth keeps her head held high and ignores what anyone thinks of her even when it's that she'll stay single for the rest of her life. Her self confidence would never be obtained by other woman of her time because of their need to conform and please society. One can interpret Elizabeth's rejection of proposals from both Collins and Darcy, two men of high status, as her telling the world that she would rather be alone for the remainder of her life, than be married to someone who she does not love because she was pressured to be with him. Elizabeth does not conform with expectations thus making her different from other woman of 19th century English society.

Intro Paragraph

Over the years, the views of marriage have evolved from being a form of assured stability, to an act  of true love and eternal unity. As seen in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, 19th century English society regards marriage as a means to climb up in status. Since women were of lesser status in society, they conformed to this expectation; putting love aside and focusing on economic betterment. Elizabeth Bennet, the main character of the novel, differs from the women of her time because of her radidical views of marriage and stability, something some might say to be avant garde.

Outline

Intro:
As the view of marriage evolves, so do the incentives for marrying someone.




Elizabeth's View of Marriage:
One should marry solely on the base of love and agreeability between the couple. One can see this when she continuously looks down upon Mr. Collin's and Catherine's marriage. She believes Catherine's decision to marry Collins solely on the base of a stable life to be ungraceful and wrong. That is precisely why she denied Mr. Collins the opportunity, something her narrow minded mother continually looked down upon.








Modern Views of Marriage For Woman:

Stability is key in modern day virtues but not the reason for marrying someone as it would have been in the time of Pride and Prejudice. Now women are much more independent and can make for themselves thus eliminating the need of a dependent relationship with an economically successful spouse. There are the other kinds of people who decide to be lazy and see if they can end up with someone with money. These people, "gold diggers" usually come from lower class backgrounds and marry solely on the basis of financial stability, usually at an excessive degree.

Essay Question

How does Elizabeth compare to modern women and their view of marriage

D.W. Harding

I agree with D.W. Harding in that Jane Austen made her work more humorous in order to not be judged or criticized for what she wrote. Living in this society, Austen knew what the issues were and what the people were like so being overly judgmental could have been very detrimental to her success. I do not agree with D.W. on the hate Austen has toward certain characters. This is taken to an extreme by D.W. and I personally just see it as Jane trying to lighten up the mood of the uptight aristocrats. Jame may mock certain personalities of her time, but to say she complete loathed them is an overstatement.

Question Focus

1) Is Lady Catherine inferior to a man of equal or lesser status than she? (O)
2) How does someone of Mr. Bennett's class obtain the connections of the aristocrats like he does in the novel? (O) X
4) How does Elizabeth define herself in society being an independent, mature, and wise young woman? Since she is before her time, does she intellectually regard herself as someone above the rest of her society? (O)
5) Why does Mr. Bennett allow his wife to stand as the dominant figure in the household, when it is usually the man, the father-figure, who is given complete power? (O) X
6) Does Mr. Darcy feel excluded from society because of his lack of interest in a spouse? (C) X

Satire towards Mrs. Bennet

"You will have a charming mother in law."

Here Miss Bingley tells Darcy that Mrs. Bennet would be a fabulous mother in law when in reality she does not truly does not fancy Mrs. Bennet  and finds her rather annoying and crazy. This is satire because she says one thing and means the complete opposite!

iPads At Buckley

After reading this article, it has become apparent to me that I am not the only one who knows that there is so much more we can do with the iPad. I know that it is the first year the school is utilizing these devices and it's going to take some time to get used to them, but I know that using the iPads in school is only beneficial. Besides the fact that it will take a good ten pounds off my backpack after school, it really does make learning a hands on experience in ever sense of the word. I believe that specifically in Dr. Forman's class, we should use the iPads for turning in and receiving our work! It would minimize the amount of paper the school uses, especially the English department, and it would make everything more efficient! If I was to receive my graded work from my iPad, I would never worry about losing it or misplacing it. Furthermore I believe that reading through the iPads is great. The highlighting feature, though annoying at times, is very helpful and really gives my reading more purpose and assistance! To conclude, I believe that we should use the iPads for more than reading in class, I believe that it should be used to grade, submit assignments and return graded work.