Pride & Prejudice Close Reading

The passage to the right is an excerpt from chapter 47 (Part III, ch 5).

Step 1: Read the passage carefully.

Step 2: Highlight words or short passages that reveal information about Lydia’s character.  

Step 3: In the margins, write why each word is important, or what each suggests.

Step 4: Formulate a thesis about Austen’s portrayal of Lydia.  What is she revealing or emphasizing through this letter?

Step 5:On the back, write a paragraph that begins with your thesis.  Discuss the phrases you highlighted and explain how they support your thesis. 

“MY DEAR HARRIET,

You will laugh when you know where I am gone, and I cannot help laughing myself at your surprise to-morrow morning, as soon as I am missed. I am going to Gretna Green, and if you cannot guess with who, I shall think you a simpleton, for there is but one man in the world I love, and he is an angel. I should never be happy without him, so think it no harm to be off. You need not send them word at Longbourn of my going, if you do not like it, for it will make the surprise the greater, when I write to them and sign my name 'Lydia Wickham.' What a good joke it will be! I can hardly write for laughing. Pray make my excuses to Pratt for not keeping my engagement, and dancing with him to-night. Tell him I hope he will excuse me when he knows all; and tell him I will dance with him at the next ball we meet, with great pleasure. I shall send for my clothes when I get to Longbourn; but I wish you would tell Sally to mend a great slit in my worked muslin gown before they are packed up. Good-bye. Give my love to Colonel Forster. I hope you will drink to our good journey.

Your affectionate friend,

LYDIA BENNET” (195).

Thesis: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Close Reading: Writing Reminders

• Do not use I, Me or My in formal analytical writing!
• Be sure to clearly state your thesis in the 1^st sentence!
• Explicitly prove your thesis using evidence from the excerpt!
• Use quotes as evidence! (Don’t worry about citing here.)
• Weave partial quotes into original sentences!