P & P #10: Ch. 3- 6

Quote 1: "Since the -shire were first quartered in Meryton, nothing but love, flirtation, and officers, have been in her [Lydia's] head" (214).

Lydia comes off as a loose character and a complete idiot when it is learned that she has run off with Mr. Wickham, but it is important to keep in mind the way the Bennet sisters have been raised. The only thing that is talked about, prepared for, or is heard of involves marriage. The sole goal for the family is to marry off all five daughters. In order for this to occur, the girls must attend balls, show off their beauty, and attract men to marry. This has all been encouraged to do so by Mrs. Bennet. Jane and Elizabeth have not enveloped themselves in trying to acquire a husband, but we see that the two youngest have been most affected by it for all they do is flirt, giggle, and strive for attention. Mrs. Bennet has been so focused trying to marry the older girls that by being a younger daughter, that is all that is left to do. The unfortunate thing about all this is that Mrs. Bennet criticizes Mrs. Forster's hospitality towards Lydia, when in reality, Lydia should have been brought up with enough common sense to not act the way she did: "I am sure there was some great neglect or other on their side, for she is not the kind of girl to do such a thing, if she had been well looked after" (217). Instead of reflecting upon her ill-parenting, Mrs. Bennet did not see any harm she had done to Lydia by her continuous encouragement of marriage. Mrs. Bennet even defends Lydia by saying she is not the type of girl to do something so foolish. This flirtation act could have been stopped if Mr. or Mrs. Bennet told the girls they were not to flaunt themselves around Meryton like desperate bimbos. The way Lydia and the other daughters act is a reflection on Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. If the daughters do something dumb, their parents are to blame.

Quote 2: "No, Kitty, I have at last learnt to be cautious, and you will feel the effects of it" (228).

Mr. Bennet has learned his lesson. Anything nonsensical a woman of the Bennet household did was always a joke to him. He would make a sarcastic remark, laugh about it, and seem to accept the fact his family was ridiculous. Never did he try to bring the girls in line and tell them not to act the way they did. In regards to Lydia going with the Forsters, it did not faze him that it may not be the best idea: "Let us hope, therefore, that her being there may teach her her own insignificance. At any rate, she cannot grow many degrees worse, without authorizing us to lock her up for the rest of her life" (177). He merely brushed off what Elizabeth was mentioning to him about how bad it looks on the Bennet family for having flirtatious daughters. The tables have finally turned for Mr. Bennet.