Coming Of Age Quotes

Coming of age
While growing up, there is a time when you mature and make the transition from being a child to being an adult. Growing up, everyone has their own tribulations or events in life that prepares them to become adults. Events like babysitting, learning to drive, and working at a job are all things that aid to one’s coming of age. In Pride and Prejudice coming of age is a prominent topic. As the Bennet sisters grow up, if they don’t find husbands they will be left with nothing when their father dies. In Pride and Prejudice the book has many issues that make it a “coming-of-age” novel like prejudice, pride, and marriage.
The first impression of Darcy was harsh through the start of the book. At Meryton ball many people like Elizabeth think of him as rude and arrogant. His close friend Bingley sees Elizabeth sitting down and asks Darcy to go ask her to dance. Darcy responds loud enough for others to hear that he feels she isn’t worth his time. Later on in the book after the rude event she responds stating, “That is very true,’ replied Elizabeth, ’and I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine” (Austen 12). Elizabeth did not feel kind about Darcy publicly disrespecting her and ends up making prejudice opinions of Darcy. But eventually, she matures and gets over her prejudice and Darcy proves he is

actually caring and noble. Darcy displays these characteristics when he pays Wickham to marry Lydia after she runs away. Without Darcy’s help the Bennet sister’s reputation would be tarnished and no one would think of marrying one of them.
Mr. Darcy is a very wealthy gentleman in upper class. His pride of being wealthy and upper class makes him flout any one that isn’t in his social class. When Darcy goes to a party at Meryton Hall, he only talks to Bingley and his sisters because of their social status. At the party Bingley asks him to dance with Elizabeth and he states, “She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men” (Austen 7). He disrespects Elizabeth solely because she was a lower class than him. Later on Darcy matures and admits to his pride. To show Elizabeth that he has matured he declares, “I was given good principles, but left to follow them in pride and conceit” (Austen 248). Also to add on to his change of heart, he gives Mr. Wickham money to marry Lydia saving the Bennet’s reputation and showing the kind side of him. Overcoming his previous pride, he asks Elizabeth to marriage for the second time and she accepts the proposal.
Marriage is seen as coming of age because as one grows up they tend to find a significant other and eventually marry.

As the Bennet sisters grow up, Mrs. Bennet forcefully pushes them toward future husbands which are mostly rich. During this time period, if there was no son of the father the estate and property would be given to a relative. This issue puts stress on the family because the Bennet’s have 5 daughters and no son. So, Mrs. Bennet pursues a mission to get her daughters married to well off men. Ultimately, Elizabeth, Jane, and Lydia Bennet get married by the end of the book, two of which are very wealthy men Mr. Bennet and Mr.

Bingley.
In conclusion the issues of prejudice, pride, and marriage make Pride and Prejudice a perfect coming-of-age novel. If Elizabeth did not overcome her prejudice while coming of age she would probably never find another man to marry. Also she might have to result to selling herself to survive with no male provider during this time period. If Darcy did not overcome his pride while coming of age he would never got to marry Elizabeth. All together once Darcy breaks through Elizabeth’s prejudice and Elizabeth through Darcy’s pride they find out they are actually a perfect match.