Satire in Pride and Prejudice

"Her mind was less difficult to develop.  She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper.  When she was discontented she fancied herself nervous.  The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news." - Mr. Bennet (pg 5)

Satire as discussed in class, is the more intelligent version of sarcasm, as it used in most novels, to poke fun or make certain points.  Mr. Bennet is probably the most satirical person in the Pride and Prejudice thus far, as he is described as cruel and carless for his family yet is just the way he talks that shows this. In this passage early in the book, Mr. Bennet pokes fun of his wife using satire, for example, her mind was less difficult to develop implies that she is not smart and doesn't have to much knowledge.  In the second sentence, Mr. Bennet basically calls his wife stupid, or a person who is oblivious to everything and doesn't understand anything.  But the reason these lines are satire is because they are carried with such intelligence and flow, the "sharpness of the tongue" must be heard and understood.  In the rest of the passage Mr. Bennet says that his wife is social and can only be part of social gatherings and events, nothing more, and if she doesn't know whats going on she is essentially a "deer in the headlights".

HW: Brief description of what Janie's expectations are for the three men whom come into her life and how they change

Logan Killicks: Janie initially doesn't think to much of Logan.  He is one of few wealthy blacks.  Janie believes that she will be able to marry her one true love, but Logan is pushed upon her life by Janie's grandmother, because her concern is that her free spirit will get in the way of having a secure life.  So Janie's expectant thought is basically she is punished for trying to have her own life.  She describes trying to love him but it never happens.

Jody Stark:  In a way Jody presents himself that is to good to be true.  All he can do is describe how beautiful Janie is, and how she should be treated so royally, and how if she was his she could do whatever she wanted.  This flips Janie's life around thinking she has someone who is the man of her dreams.  Yet the true Jody comes out when they run away together and essentially Jody takes over his own town and doesn't allow Janie to participate in any form of society.  As a result, to her, he is just as bad as Logan.

Tea Cake: Tea Cake is essentially a poor, uneducated fool who in the eyes of everyone else can be a no one in Janie's life, at most a servant or a door mat along the path of life.  But ironically enough he is the one who interacts with Janie, he is the one that takes her out, and although he takes her money, surely enough he is the one that actually provides for her with care.  So as Janie spends time with him her thoughts of nothing about him change to the greatest man she's ever been with because he treats her as his equal.