Pride and Prejudice
In the novel, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Elizabeth finds herself. She judges people the wrong way and overall contradicts everything she had previously thought. The number one thing she contradicted in the novel, was her happiness. She first claims to be happier than Jane but then says, “If you were to give me forty such men, I never could be so happy as you. Till I have your disposition, your goodness, I never can have your happiness.” (Jane 424) By saying this it is assumed that Elizabeth is not happy with herself compared to her sister. Is it better to be good, to think the best of people, and be happy like Jane? Or is it better to see the world accurately, and feel less happiness, much like Elizabeth? I believe that Elizabeth’s statement about herself is correct. She will never be as happy as her sister or at least on the same level until she has the same mindstate as Jane. But Elizabeth and Jane are two different characters and it is noticed throughout the novel. Jane is more reserved and much gentler than Elizabeth is, while Elizabeth’s tongue is much too sharp for her own good. However, you cannot be happy with life until you are happy with yourself. Elizabeth can’t have someone else love her when she doesn’t love herself. Once Elizabeth realizes that Mr. Darcy isn’t quite what she originally thought she opens herself up and begins to become happy just like Jane. If Elizabeth was this way in the beginning she would have had the same disposition as Jane throughout the novel. She does find her type of Jane’s goodness and disposition, it just took way too long to find it. It is said that people who are always happy are airheads, too oblivious to see the real world around them. Is it better to be this way and be happy all the time? Or see the world for what it really is? There are pros and cons to both philosophies. With being happy all the time and seeing the best of people you will be taken advantage of. But also with that you will be happy and