Pride and Prejudice
Before Reading
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TALKING ABOUT THE COVER

• Can you tell from these two faces which character will be proud, and which will be prejudiced?
• In your opinion, which of the two characteristics – pride or prejudice – would be more damaging to a relationship? • Which of these two characters do you expect to feel more sympathy for in the story?

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BEFORE READING ACTIVITIES (PAGE 108)
ACTIVITY 1 BEFORE READING

Encourage discussion about types of pride and prejudice, and speculation about the kind of story students are expecting to read. Do not tell students if their guesses are right. They will find out as they read that the best answers are 1b, 2a, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3e and 3g.

walk across the muddy fields to visit Jane’s sick-bed at Netherfield Park.
Mr Collins to Mrs Bennet, referring to the fact that he might propose to one of her daughters, to make amends for inheriting their house when Mr Bennet dies. Elizabeth to Mr Wickham, about Mr Darcy.
Mr Wickham to Elizabeth, about the post of rector of Pemberley which Mr Darcy had failed to give him.
Elizabeth to Mr Darcy, mocking him for his lack of conversation, by suggesting to him the kind of boring comment that he should be making.
Mr Darcy to Elizabeth, about Wickham and whether he was able to keep the friends that he found easy to make. BEFORE READING CHAPTER 5

Encourage speculation and discussion, but do not confirm or deny students’ guesses at this stage. The answers are: Mr Collins proposes to Elizabeth Bennet and Charlotte Lucas, and the latter accepts him.
CHAPTERS 5 TO 7 WHILE READING

ACTIVITY 2 BEFORE READING

This activity is designed to introduce students to Jane
Austen’s irony, as a preparation for their reading of the book. As irony is ‘the humorous or mildly sarcastic use of words to imply the opposite of what they
normally