The tone of many novels is set within the first few lines or pages; the readercan also tell the author’s style through diction detail, and syntax. JaneAustin’s Pride and Prejudice is a novel such as this- Austin’s opening sentencesets the tome for the rest of the book preparing the reader for her satiricaltreatment of regency manners and morals, the novel will become, learns her styleof the novel, and it also sets up foreshadowing for the novel. “It is trueuniversally acknowledge, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, mustbe in want of a wife,” is the first sentence of the novel, it sets the toneand explains to the reader the plot of the story. She tells how she wants herdaughters married-no matter the circumstances. The sentence tells about thesocial standings, to marry a man with high social status when the women arelower/middle class, the girl’s beauty must be amazing and visa versa -the lowerclass of the gentleman the less beauty counts for the female if they are highclass. Her tone is disparity, impatient, yet sophisticated. The mother isdesperate trying to get her daughters married- she will do anything “thebusiness of her life was to get her daughters married” of them. She doesnot care to whom just as long as she he has money. Impatient, she is so mind seton having her daughters married she forgets how important it is to let it happenrather than forcing it so harshly. Lastly while all of this is going through hermind she is still on the outside presenting herself in such a disposition thather manners and movements are well respected. These three things set the tonefor this whole novel and are found right in the first sentence if one looksclosely. Jane Austin is ironic in the beginning sentence, yet it is barelynoticeable. She gives facts, truths, and even philosophy making the reader thinkthis is what the novel is to be about- then proceeds to tell the reader how theonly truths one will find is in society and their standings. She brings up that,”he has servantshe was lively and unreserved,” and how sociallythat’s a must when really it is only a plus. Austin does a very good job ofplacing us in the time period; the truths and socialistic truths althoughcontradicts each other; it is what was actually true for the tome and she setsus there very well. “____,” tells the reader about a normal way to actthen. Jane Austin has a style like non-other, “___________,” sheexpresses her felling in a way like nobody else. In her opening sentence one canjust see she gets the point across yet it is in a way that makes the readerthink. These three things are what make up Pride and Prejudice-ironically enoughthe first sentence reveals them all.
English Essays
