How is Pride and Prejudice "realistic"? ?

Question: How is Pride and Prejudice "realistic"!? !?

I'm just doing a reading log for hw in English class, but I can't think of any logical answers for this question!?!? HELP!!!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Austen shows the class divide very clearly in the novel, which I would class as realistic!. She describes the upper classes (Darcy, Bingley, Lady Catherine) and the way they view the Bennett family, particularly Mrs Bennett, Mary, Kitty and Lydia!.

also, they're not a 'perfect' family!. Mr and Mrs Bennett clearly aren't the best parents, demonstrated when they allow Lydia to travel with the army regiment!. The characters aren't perfect, they have flaws!.

Austen writes a lot about marriage!. Austen herself was never married, but in the time the novel was written there was huge pressure on women to get married!. Lizzie and Charlotte have contrasting views on marriage, Lizzie thinks it should be for love, whereas Charlotte simply marries Mr Collins out of necessity, not wanting to remain unmarried!. It reflects the society at the time of writing!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It has social realism, describing the historical social merging of the aristocracy and the bourgeoisie!. More basically, it is realistic in that it presents a conflict between pragmatism and idealism!. For Austen the pragmatism is the need to be married!. And the idealism is her individualism and romanticism!. That idea of pragmatism vs!. idealism is something that we all face in life today!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Anything by Victor Hugo, or anything by John Keats and you will see what they mean!. Jane Austin was breaking a mold called Romanticism, in which the stories of books did not work like they do in real life, where there was always a happy ending, and the general stereotypes that come to mind today!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It's quite realistic!. Jane Austen was writing about a world she knew!. Perhaps if you saw the movie "Becoming Jane" you might have a better idea!. She knew a great deal about the pressure to marry well and the difficulties this created for girls from less well-off families!.Www@QuestionHome@Com