Name: ______Date______

English 11 Honors

Summer Reading 2013

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice

For this assignment, it is required that you read the novel Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, and complete the accompanying study guide. The study guide will be worth a CLASSWORK/HOMEWORK GRADE The book is available for purchase in reputable book stores, online, and is also available in the public library. The assignment is not simply an annotation, but rather a comprehensive analysis of the work, its characters, as well as the elements of British Romanticism.

Elements of British Culture

Use the following chart to offer examples and/or explanations of elements of British culture exhibited in the novel. Use specific examples including page numbers where appropriate.

Dating Rituals / Example 1:
Example 2:
Etiquette (proper behavior) / Example 1:
Example 2:
Family Life
Religion
Social Class / High:
Middle:
Low/Working:
Government/Military

Romanticism

Pride and Prejudice is a Romantic work, marked by the emphasis on individuality and a preference for nature and rural settings over the city. Where are these notions seen in the novel?

Emphasis on Individuality / Preference for Nature or Rural Settings
As seen through-
Example:
Name of character _Lizzie__
Example of individuality:Lizzie has little interest in getting married or getting a man.
Name of character ______
Example of individuality:
Name of character ______
Example of individuality:
Name of character ______
Example of individuality: / Description of Setting
What hints are given in the novel to establish setting?
Costumes
Men –
Women –
Historical events
Location
Give two examples of characters seeming to prefer nature/rural settings. Be specific!
Example 1:
Example 2:

Describe how the novel is similar to something you have read in your study of American Literature.

Name of Author:
Name and explain one similarity:

Gender Roles

Please utilize the following chart to compare and contrast men’s roles (behaviors and expectations) in the film with modern men’s roles. You should name at least 4 differences and 2 similarities.

19th Century British Men / BOTH / Modern Men
Example: In both cultures, men typically propose.

Please utilize the following chart to compare and contrast women’s roles (behaviors and expectations) in the film with modern women’s roles.

19th Century British Women / BOTH / Modern Women

Extending the Text

Read over the writing tasks below. You will be required to construct two open-ended responses (A & B), as well as an essay (C). Your open-ended responses will be averaged together and count a QUIZ GRADE. Your essay will be graded separately and count as a TEST GRADE.

A. Your Perspective
Choose one of the open-ended questions below and create a 2-3 paragraph response using your own perspective. Be sure to include specific examples from the text including citations and a works cited page. Make sure you label your response (Ex: A1 or A2) and give it a title.

  1. After Jane becomes engaged to Bingley, she says she wishes Elizabeth could be as happy as she is. Elizabeth replies, "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." Do you think Elizabeth's statement is true? Is it better to be good, to think the best of people, and be happy? Or is it better to see the world accurately, and feel less happiness?

-OR-

  1. Charlotte doesn't marry Mr. Collins for love. Why does she marry him? Are her reasons valid? Are they fair to Mr. Collins? Do you think marrying for similar reasons is appropriate today?

B. Jane Austen’s Perspective
Choose one of the open-ended questions below and create a 2-3 paragraph response using the perspective of the author. Again, be sure to cite specific examples from the text including citations that connect to a works cited page. If you conduct supplementary research on the author or her perspective, be sure to include any additional works on the works cited page. Make sure you label your response (Ex: B1 or B2) and give it a title.

  1. Consider the kinds of marriages that appear throughout Pride and Prejudice, including the marriage of Elizabeth and Darcy. What kinds of relationships between a man and a woman did Jane Austen idealize?

-OR-

  1. Identify the main characters in the novel and discuss what you feel is Austen's attitude toward each of them. Are the verbal portraits she paints flattering or otherwise?

C. Character Transformation

Construct a 5-paragraph expository essay in response to the prompt below. Your essay must be constructed in MLA-Style. (See my webpage for MLA Guidelines, if necessary). Like the other questions above, be sure to cite specific examples from the text including citations that connect to a works cited page. For this essay, you cannot consult supplementary materials. Make sure your essay has a title.

Both Elizabeth and Darcy undergo transformations over the course of the book. How does each change and how is the transformation brought about? Could Elizabeth's transformation have happened without Darcy's? Or vice versa?