Diploma in English Level 03 2013/14 LSD 1205

Continuous Assessment No: I

Reg: No: 213880014
The age-old battle between appearance and reality is one of the themes discussed in
Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice. This battle is a common nature of the human mind even
nowadays. Misunderstanding the qualities of a person at the first impression provides the
basis for this. Jane Austen points out the way how people understand others when they meet
them at the first time, and the way they understand others by experiencing their behaviours
and qualities with the support of their association. She uses Miss. Elizabeth Bennet as the
protagonist to discuss this theme. The characters such as Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Mr. George
Wickham, Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Bennet, and Miss. Lydia are the other most significantly described
characters which support the theme of common human nature, the age-old battle between
appearance and reality.
When Miss. Elizabeth Bennet first saw Mr. Darcy at the Netherfield party, her feelings
towards him were not very cordial after overhearing a conversation of him with Mr. Bingley.
Manners of Mr. Darcy at the party were the clues for her to misunderstand him as a very proud
character. When she visited Pemberley with her uncle and aunt Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, she
realized the politeness and care of Mr. Darcy for his visitors. It was a very crucial occasion
that Miss. Elizabeth was able to begin identifying Mr. Darcys true character. Mr. Darcy
involved in securing the marriage of Miss. Lydia after her elopement with Mr. Wickham.
These occasions show how the appearance of a person and reality can differ in human lives.
Mr. George Wickham was first seen as a person who has most pleasing appearance
with all the best parts of beauty, countenance, and very pleasing address, by Miss. Elizabeth.
But after the receipt of the detailed letter of Mr. Darcy about Mr. Wickham, Miss. Elizabeth
gradually realized the true character of Mr. Wickham. Therefore, Miss. Elizabeths
understanding about Mr. Wickham at Netherfield party also proves that there is a considerable

Diploma in English Level 03 2013/14 LSD 1205

Continuous Assessment No: I
Reg: No: 213880014
difference between appearance and reality in human behaviour. Tony Tanner (1986) points out
that:
The constant need to be alert to the difference between appearance and reality
is made clear from the start It is only after reading Darcys letter she has to
start changing that model. (Tanner, T. 1986. p.114)
This quotation also proves that the age-old battle between appearance and reality is discussed
in the novel through the character of Miss. Elizabeth.
The character of Mr. Bennet is used to describe how even a gentleman like him,
misunderstood the appearance of Mrs. Bennet when he decided to marry her. She is not
sophisticated enough in any degree, and always materialistic, rather than being analytical of
other human qualities such as knowledge, education, and attitudes. Persuading Miss. Elizabeth
to marry a person like Mr. Collins, only by considering his potential legacy of Longbourn,
shows Mrs. Bennets level of understanding at a very crucial moment of the life of Miss.
Elizabeth. It is a great piece of evidence to prove that Mr. Bennets decision to marry a woman
like Mrs. Bennet has influenced to continue the age-old battle between appearance and reality.
Mrs. Bennets irrational persuasion was ironically rejected by Mr. Bennet by saying, Your
mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you
again if you do. If Mr. Bennet had not been a victim of misunderstanding the appearance of
Mrs. Bennet, he would not have faced such unsophisticated involvements of her in his life.
Miss. Lydias elopement with Mr. Wickham ironically shows the immaturity of her
decision making. She is the daughter of Mr. Bennet who incorrectly understood Mrs. Bennets
appearance at his marriage, and of a mother such as Mrs. Bennet who still cannot make any
wise decision. According to the true nature of Mr. Wickhams character, poor Lydia would

Diploma in English Level 03 2013/14 LSD 1205

Continuous Assessment No: I
Reg: No: 213880014
have been a prey of him unless the gentle involvement of Mr. Darcy in securing her marriage.
Therefore, Lydias elopement is not merely an attraction to Mr. Wickhams appearance; it is
indeed a continuation of the age-old battle between appearance and reality.
According to the above mentioned occasions of the characters of Jane Austens Pride
and Prejudice, the incidents of Miss. Elizabeth Bennets misunderstanding about Mr.
Fitzwilliam Darcy, wrong perception on Mr. Wickham, at the time that they met for the first
time, Mr.Bennets choice of marrying Mrs. Bennet, and the elopement of Miss. Lydia, are the
very obvious facts that indicate the appearance of a person cannot make a perception of true
nature. First impression provides only a snapshot to create actual perception at a later time
with essentially needed more experience about a persons true behaviour. Therefore, regular
visits, balls, and communicating by letters stand to be decisive in understanding in detail the
behavior of middle class people who lived in England in the 19th century. In Pride and
Prejudice, Jane Austen uses these events very cleverly to describe the difference of appearance
and reality of characters to her readers. With the aid of such suitable methods of describing
characters, she shows her ability of proving the difference of appearance and reality.
According to these exemplified situations, it is so obvious that we encounter the age-old battle
between appearance and reality in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice through the characters
that she created to narrate her story.

Diploma in English Level 03 2013/14 LSD 1205

Continuous Assessment No: I
Reg: No: 213880014
References
Tanner, T. (1986). Jane Austen. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Gran, C. E. (2013) Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice A Modern Conduct Book?
Hume, D. (1739) A Treatise of Human Nature, by Selby-Bigge L.A. (1896)
Pride and Prejudice (2003) PENGUIN CLASSICS, London.