Hi guys, after minimum sleep and many function I finally sat down to do this, to realise it took me hours. I thought of leaving it, but then thought my effort would go to waste. I would have made it more concise by putting all flowing comments together but its taken me nearly 3 hours to get this far and some of you are lost, so here is our saturday discussion.

if there is anything you would like to comment on, i.e. on the questions, please put down the question number and then comment. e.g. question 1 I think that Mrs Bennet needs to develop a better perspective.

Question 1

Rashdah: what did you guys think of Mrs Bennet? bits of her remind me of buaji

Vimmiya: Mrs. Bennet wanted to lead a life of luxury but unfortunately, married to a man who has distinct taste and thoughts towards life. She is frustrated but keen to take things in her stride. Her pursuit is to get her daughters married to well established men which she is deprived.

Observer: Mrs. Bennet as Austen says, is very narrow minded, self centred, selfish and desires everything to go her way, if not, her nerves start to jangle, though if things turn her way, her nerves can immediately calm down and she can turn into a chirping bird. She is silly enough to argue with a child for as long as he would keep it up, without understanding that is an adult. Her two youngest daughters have pretty much taken after her - silly, frivolous, flirtatious and self-centred.

Maheen Do u think so Noor? I mean in these modern days whether in West or East husband hunting is not like that anymore.

Rashdah she is an ammusing character, espcially as you can see Mr Bennet just about tolerates her, kind of like mamaji tolerating mamiji!

observer Oh, well said Yasmin! She can't think beyond her daughters' marriage (and on that point, I think she is a good mother, though her modus-operandi can be dubious) and is jealous of the success of any other families or girls.

rashdah but Maheen, alot of households are similar even today very tradiontal mindsets

arshi_fan I guess most of the times parents want their kids the life which they haven't got.

Rashdah lol yes Observer, the woman does seem to have a massive ego issue as well, she believes there is no one like her daughters, that's a two edged sword though

Vimmiya: Mr. Bennett had that patience as he tolerated a women with no substance and still respected the relationship as she is the mother of his children. In our asian societies also we find women like this. Even "hello, bye, bye" can also be compared with Mrs. bennett

Rashdah: Maheen What I have observed is that girls r not to be traded for status/luxury/money anymore. When the book was written yes but now a days the men do the wife hunting.

Vimmiya: That is very much true Observer: Still mothers are like that, in our societies too. They are ambitious and want their daughters to be successful. Reality shows are the offshoot of these ambitions to get the limelight.

Observer: a character analysis of Mr. Bennet

Maheen: I find him very sensible. Has a good sense of humour.

Noorilhuda: Character analysis of Mr. Bennet? U know ppl r critical of the dad, cos of the way Lydia & the last 1 turned out, but he was like dad's are generally - distant, affectionate.

Ardent arshi fan: mr bennet did not realize the extent to which lydia could go, a father's fondness? hardly , what was it then, an unwillingness to rein her in cus its too much trouble? bit irresponsible, aint it

Ardent arshi fan: yeah, n when he says, u want to tell me and i have no onj to hearin it, and then austen says, that was invitation enough for her, pretty penetrating comment on a relationship, this first comment gives an insight into how they are with each ither

Observer: Well pointed out, Yasmin, Austen’s humour is very subtle and can be missed if not perceptive. Most of Mr. Bennet’s comments are downright funny in a very quiet way. And you are so right, Rashdah. Yeah, and that too, Ardent. Really funny, the way Mr. Bennet handles his wife and is capable of keeping his good humour in the face of all adversities.

Ardent arshi fan: yeah, love his wry humour, and he loves lizzie since she understands him best of all, whenhe says to her, is that a hint to me to get the horses, i mean, its touching how close they are

Vimmiya: Mr. Bennet detests making a call to the neighbour but for the sake of Mrs. Bennet he visits them obliviously from his wife. He is so sensible that he finds his own road to travel.

Observer: Yeah, Ardent and Yasmin, love his character so much, may God give such a father to every daughter!!

Vimmiya: Observer : definitely, blessed to have parents, who give us the rapport.

Arshi_Fan: I like mr. bennet's character. He is an intelligent gentleman.

He loves his daughters

Rashdah: Mr Bennet is a very interesting guy, I think I like is sardonic humour and the way he tolerates his wife. He also realises that he has an exceptionally smart daughter and another one he also likes (jane) but barely tolerates the youngest two alongside his wife

Vimmiya: Mr. Bennet is like us, has love for books and finds his solace in his library. Amongst his daughters he considers Ms. Elizabeth as the apple of his eye. Otherwise, as pointed out he has a dry sense of humour. That only people with wit, intelligence can observe, unfortunately, his wife does not.

Rashdah: however, the daughters don't really get affected by one being a favourite, its only Mrs bennet that gets into a huff

Observer: Jane and Lizzy are the solace of Mr. Bennet’s life, he is also the father of the most silliest girls in the country, in his own opinion. He is right to think that Lizzy has that edge over all the other four, in that too, he is a great judge of character. Austen also supplies most of her humour through Mr. Bennet. “he will visit the bachelors for his daughters when they are twenty in all”, just visualize that & a husband saying that to a persuasive, fretting wife! He asks his wife to go along with all her daughters to get acquainted to the Bingleys who have newly come at Netherfield so that she can offer any of them to him and since she prides herself to be quite a beauty, he may actually choose her of all!! He was so fed up of the details of the dance, that he wished Mr. Bingley had hurt his ankle, so that he could be spared the details.

Arshi Fan: but I think he failed as a father. He had no effects on his daughters

Question 2

Yasmin Banu: (Vimmiya) There is a saying "Show me your friends I will tell who you are?" Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy are entirely distinct personalities, in that case, what is the common thread that makes them good friends for years?

Nooriluda: Yasmin banu, friends have diff personalities ALL THE TIME! But there has to sm basic thread connecting them right? In Darcy-Bingley case, same rich background, love of hunting/horses, easy-going natures (Darcy was opinionated & stubborn but he wasn't bad to b around - for Bingley)

Maheen: Beside having same rich background as Noor mentioned what else there can be?

Vimmiya: Is it so tha people coming from the same backgrounds only can become friends? There has to be something very strong to be a real friend?

Rashdah: yasmin, I think ppl sometimes connect even if they are miles apart, arnav and khushi is an example, but also personally I have a friend so diff to me but we get on like a house on fire. I love kids she hates them her beliefs are opposite to mine but we still clicked

Ardent arshi fan: yeah, and the fact is, both have honest, upright natures, good upbringing, and there is jus enough diff to make it a v comfy relationship, darcy likes to lead and bingley has no obj to it

Observer: Ardent arshi fan: yeah, and the fact is, both have honest, upright natures, good upbringing, and there is jus enough diff to make it a v comfy relationship, darcy likes to lead and bingley has no obj to it

Maheen : In a relationship age is not a factor at all. It is just mental compatibility. Rashdah, you are very much right, even I have friends whose outlook are completely different from me, but we are very good friends. Somewhere, there will be one point that will hold them forever.

Observer: As Austen herself says, like Rashdah and her friend, these two were opposites but fast friends. Even though Darcy was kind of uptight (sorry, I love him too), he liked the easiness, openness and the ductility of Bingley's temper, probably because he himself wanted to be simple under that stern facade, but could not bring himself up to show it and those of us who have read the novel know how some help enabled him to climb down his ivory tower. Moreover, Bingley depended a lot on the decision making of Darcy, almost looked upon him as some sort of a older brother.

Ardent arshi fan: as someone said, god made your relatives, thank heavens u can choose your friends

Arshi Fan: but I think he failed as a father. He had no effects on his daughters

Observer: : Noorilhuda, I understand the bills paying part of it very well. That capability is very important (or else you could get stuck with a Wickham), that's why I said a man who earns his own living, though not really a stinking rich man for a partner...

Arshi_Fan I also agree with pooja.I would look for class, social status, finance & also education

Question 4

Arshi_Fan: From the Famous first line: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." Is this still true? What about single women in possession of a good fortune?

Observer: Oh, wow, you know that's my favourite line from the novel and shows the ingenuity and wit of Austen. She was a very romantic person as we will know when we read the book, but did not believe in outdated social norms, choosing not to marry herself. And she is making fun of the world that in the eyes

Noorilhuda: All I kno is that men need women more than women need men. And men take up wives quicker than a woman wud think of getting 'settled'.

Observer: of the mundane world, a single man will be pursued and shot down for his fortune by the ambitious, exacting society in the name of marriage. She made it look funny, but she rued that the society would not give any reprieve to the single man with fortune and more over, it is only the fortune that people looked for in the single man.

Arshi_Fan: wow noor u are absolutely right men can't live alone I guess But if a girl prefers to stay alone, she can

Pooja_Ipkknd: Oh no! its not true. LOOK at Arnav. I thought the That famous line only suggested the misconception of that time and ppl like Mrs. Bennet

Observer: Noorilhuda, you have stated a fact, that not many would want to acknowledge, for their own selfish reasons. Many men, employ one woman as a wife rather than employ a maid, cook, nurse, counsellor, even bank and financier, and without even a salary. They generally are incapable of handling the

Arshi_Fan: but I also think in today's modern world men will be after single women who r rich. And if she got appearence also.....

Observer: smallest trauma and want the women to step in and serve them and make them feel grateful that they were allowed to serve!! Honestly, and I hope we all take this matter of factly, a man is physically designed for a quick response to a stimulus than a woman, so while women are planning and watching the man would prefer to get on with the relationship. Women definitely have an edge over men in this department and therefore can be cleverer than men in many respects. I am not objecting, I feel terrible for stupid people, whether men or women, so I think everybody can be intelligent, if not clever

Arshi_Fan: MAN LIKES TO BE TAKEN CARE OF WITH LOVE, AFFECTION even when someone's wife dies, they can't live alone.......at some point they remarry. If they have kids, they already have excuse to remarry

Noorilhuda: Yeah, what happened to the heroine in 'portrait' was sad - but true

Observer: AF, look at it the other way round. Since you can relate the book to our society today, it is for us to understand that the Brits lived like this just a half century ago. What we Indians aping the West so desperately, we will be there in the next ten years. Definitely a large percentage of Indian population is heading there. And believe me, it is not good news. At least not from my point of view.

Observer: Pooja, we are here to discuss PNP and to understand what Jane Austen wrote it and why? To analyse and understand PNP from her point of view. So, we can talk about it. Got a little diverted into this man/woman thing because of a question. Tell us about something else in the book, or would you prefer

Observer: AF, from times immemorial, there have been poor men who conned rich women for a living. Someday, do read "The Portrait Of A Lady", a fabulous novel by Henry James. & you will find many more where men are leeching on to women just for their money & like you said : beauty is an added bonus, incentive. Yeah, AF, men need to be PAMPERED, they can't do without it, particularly in our Asian Society. Predominantly, that is.

Arshi_Fan: YEAH LIKE OUR SHYAMJI AND I WILL DEFINITELY READ THE BOOK, OKIE

Observer: Oh, thanks for taking my suggestion. It is by an American Novelist and you will enjoy it immensely. A great book, really.

Arshi_Fan: I know Observer Our Asian society will never change. I can relate this book with our community even in this century

Noorilhuda: Yeah, what happened to the heroine in 'portrait' was sad - but true

Observer: AF, look at it the other way round. Since you can relate the book to our society today, it is for us to understand that the Brits lived like this just a half century ago. What we Indians aping the West so desperately, we will be there in the next ten years. Definitely a large percentage of Indian population is heading there. And believe me, it is not good news. At least not from my point of vie

Observer: Pooja, we are here to discuss PNP and to understand what Jane Austen wrote it and why? To analyse and understand PNP from her point of view. So, we can talk about it. Got a little diverted into this man/woman thing because of a question. Tell us about something else in the book, or would you prefer

Question 5

Pooja_Ipkknd: Why did Darcy disregard Eliza so easily on their first meeting? Why do ppl make such hasty first impressions. She had those eyes and light, playful figure that day too

Pooja_Ipkknd: i mean, he totally changed his opinion abt her later, at the lucases

Observer: Hey Pooja, back in the game and a lovely question too! As we will find out later, Darcy lives in a far grander house than the Netherfield one and he thinks that the locality is a substandard one and that the country folk were not bred well enough compared to his place. Moreover, Jane definitely is prettier than Lizzy in the novel with classic features, while Lizzy was good looking in an unconventional sort of a way, so at first sight he felt that his friend had bagged the prettiest in the crowd and he did not fancy the second best.

Pooja_Ipkknd: Atleast arshi first meeting is not that similar to Dancy and Eliza.

Arshi_Fan: Their relation is like tom and jerry. Same as our ARSHI' They can't stop fighting, can't even stay away from each other

Arshi_Fan; yeah, but the story track goes kind of same..........hate.......feelings.......love

Observer: Yeah, that is why it is "Pride and Prejudice". Initially, his PRIDE PREJUDICED him against Lizzy & she PREJUDICED him because of his ill placed PRIDE. His rebuke made her ignore him & her carelessness & charm drew him to her. It will be a long time in the story before he really realises what she is all about And makes amends for all his wrongs... like Arnav makes amends by bringing his brother and Khushi's sister together!

Arshi_Fan: observer don't u feel that darcy-eliza & arnav-khushi have similarities in their characteristics? I READ SOMEWHERE BEFORE "PEOPLE U HATE THE MOST, U LOVE THE MOST

Observer: Pooja, you are right about the first meeting being dissimilar. Arnav is actually like Darcy, but Khushi is nothing like Lizzy. Lizzy is herself proud & has a lot of self esteem & after that initial rebuke, she never takes nonsense from Darcy. But, Khushi is shameless, she not only accepts insults

Pooja_Ipkknd: AF, of-course they have many similarities, all i said was their first meetings were not similar. So, shall we call it a day.

Observer: about her poverty and status, she keeps going back to him for more. The makers have tried to show that she has reasons but all of us know that the reasons don't sufficiently justify her demeaning herself. Arnav is Darcy, but Khushi is no Lizzy, she does not have an iota of pride in her.

Pooja_Ipkknd; I think Mrs Bennet was childish sort of lady. Very immature. She did'nt have the A of aduld. I did'nt like her way of trying to get rid of her daughters and her way of handling situations of like[or rather not handling them[br]Observer: Pooja, she really is childish, if she can fight with a child like in the end of Chapter V!! And of course, her modus-operandi is definitely dubious. But in this novel, she is the "sutradhaar", meaning the person with the reins. We will find out as we progress how her egging on gets the results

Arshi_Fan: Mrs bennet is like most of the asian Mothers Marraige age daghuters are like a burden to our Society

Observer: more quickly than if things were left to themselves. She definitely is not a fitting wife to Mr. Bennet, but the girls ultimately get benefitted from her being such a busybody!! Really funny, the way Austen makes her look! Her wanting her girls settled is her one virtue for which everything is excused by Austen. She is Austen's punching bag!! In Bride & Prejudice, Gurinder Chadha has shown it very well in the character of Nadira Babbar!!

Observer: Pooja_Ipkknd: And i did'nt like the dad much too. He is shown to be a bit too cynical. A dad shud not teach his children to mock their mother,nomatter how bad she is. The parents shud have a role of a guide. He made their mother a laughing stock in front of the girls No but Pooja, because Mr. Bennet is like that, he could at least produce two sensible daughters. If he had been different, like you mention, all of them would have been like their mother :-))! Mrs. Bennet is a very dominating and forceful character, she never gives up on what she has set her mind

Pooja_Ipkknd: He has a harsh take on life as they lived it. He had taken a more eager interest in the lives of his daughters rather than just sit in his library and make witty comments on everything

Observer: on, even if her husband tries to reason with her! Therefore, he hides his disappointment and sorrow under that cynicism, you can imagine what that woman would have put him through in those 23 years!! And if left to their mother's mentoring, Jane and Lizzy would have been caricatures like the last 2. No, in fact, when you look deeper and analyse, you will find that he is too liberal. He allows his wife and daughters a lot of space, he is an intellectual stuck with a mean minded shallow woman, he does not admonish his wife even when they undergo the fruits of her frivolous brought up in the form of Liddy's elopement, I think Mr. Bennet is a jem and did the best he could do under all circumstances. He always made even dire circumstances look like simple ones, he is a great stress buster. In most of our houses, a father would have shouted, raved and ranted at the mother, all & sundry, why so, even in western households, you can imagine. But not Mr. Bennet, a father should have that strength of the mind and strength of character. In fact, the characters of Jane & Lizzy are drawn from their father, a most unfortunate man who does not act like one. A one in a million! A rare Gem!

Pooja_Ipkknd: get what u r trying to say observer, but i don't think he was a ideal dad that one can have.

Sorry Observer I think I managed to cut a bit of your comment. sincere apologies