Pride and Prejudice

Choose a short passage from Pride and Prejudice. Use a close reading of your chosen passage to make an argument about the novel as a whole. The essay should be argument-driven; there should be a clear main claim and clear subclaims that structure the essay’s analysis of the passage.   In order to do this essay properly you will have to provide careful close readings of your passages. This involves summarizing, analyzing, and interpreting every part of the passage. (In other words, tell your reader what happens, discuss the word choice/imagery/rhetorical devices used in the passage, and connect the passage to the rest of the text.)   It may be helpful to reference other parts of the text; however, this is not a compare-and-contrast essay, so you should only deploy such comparisons when they further your argument about the primary section of text. Similarly, you may wish to reference the argument of one of the videos you’ve watched for class. Again, you may do this as it is useful (and certainly you must if you are employing an idea introduced in the video), but the focus of the essay needs to be on close reading your chosen passage and making an argument about the novel as a whole.   All citations to the primary texts should be parenthetical by page number. No research is necessary for this essay, and you should not consult any outside source for ideas.