Place: the particular part of space occupied or allocated to a person or thing. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay It is interesting to look at Dictionary.com's definition of the word "place" in relation to "person." Especially when it comes to Pride and Prejudice, where Austen made great use of the correlative objective technique, in which many, if not all, of her settings significantly reflect the characteristics of their owners. She further uses several other techniques regarding sense of place in her novel, which are important not only in facilitating many plot points, but also in establishing and understanding her characters and their relationships. So, what are these techniques and why are they so effective? To find the answers to these questions, we should look closely at the methods Austen used to incorporate a sense of place into her novel. The objective correlative technique is often used to establish a character's qualities by reflecting them in their environment. These can be material objects, possessions, or in Austen's case, places. If one takes a look at the setting of Rosings, one finds that it is described as ostentatious, overwhelming and, compared to Pemberley, the other large country estate, rather garish: From the entrance hall , of which Mr. Collins pointed out, with an air of delight, the beautiful proportions and finished ornaments, they followed the servants.... Although he was at St. James's, Sir William was so completely impressed by the grandeur which surrounded him, that he had just enough courage to bow very low and sit down without saying a word; and her daughter, almost frightened, sat on the edge of her chair, not knowing which way to look. (p. 121) Sir William Lucas's intimidation at the enormity of his surroundings perfectly demonstrates Rosings' excessively extravagant nature, a description that is maintained throughout this chapter and even the rest of the novel. At the center of this fantasy, we find Lady Catherine de Bourgh, a creature perfectly adapted to the nature of her environment. She is tall, intimidating, and self-centered, and it is interesting to note that she and her estate arouse a sense of discomfort in those unfortunate enough to be near her. It arouses a feeling of unease in its visitors; During Elizabeth and Charlotte's first visit, it is described that "there was little to do except hear Lady Catherine speak, which she did without interruption until until the coffee arrived, giving her opinion on every subject in such a decisive manner as to prove that she was not accustomed to having her judgment challenged” (p. 122). It is also interesting to note that Darcy's first proposal to Elizabeth takes place against this backdrop of discomfort, and both characters feel worse afterwards than before. However, her second, returning to Longbourn, a place where Elizabeth felt comfortable, was more successful. The other famous estate in Pride and Prejudice would undoubtedly be Pemberley, Mr. Darcy's country estate. In comparison with Rosings, although it is also grand and majestic, there is no sense of discomfort in its visitors, nor any trace of brilliance: the rooms were high and beautiful, and their furniture was suited to the fortune of their owner; but Elizabeth saw, with admiration for his taste, that it was neither garish nor unnecessarily beautiful; with less splendor and more real elegance than the furniture of Rosings. (p. 182) A similar description can be applied to Mr. Darcyhimself. Although he appears proud and haughty at first glance, he is actually an honest man, well dressed (but not too flashy), and very down to earth. Through this description of Pemberley, we see Elizabeth's comfort in her surroundings (as opposed to her discomfort in Rosings), and again, through this technique, we can see (later in the book) that she will be at ease with Mr. Darcy himself. Almost all of the settings in Pride and Prejudice effectively reflect their owners, with Longbourn House being relatively plain and simple, similar to Mr. and Mrs. Bennet; Brighton, the loud and flashy seaside town where Lydia ends up with Wickham; and lesser known places such as Ramsgate, a quiet and isolated place in Kent, much like Georgiana Darcy herself. In addition to using the objective correlative, Austen creates a sense of balance in her story by having several notable events occur externally, while other, less significant events take place internally. Events such as Darcy's delivery of the letter to Elizabeth, numerous encounters, and his infamous second proposal occur during walks outside in the garden. This is very interesting, because it is the events taking place in the vast open spaces of the garden that build up to the important decisions regarding Elizabeth's future, while the less important events, such as Mr. Collins' proposal , occur within the boundaries of the garden. interior recesses. We could hypothesize that these important events take place outside, the garden being a place that everyone shares; a sort of middle ground where there are no advantages or disadvantages, and no influence. The openness of the wide open spaces fosters a sense of honesty in the characters within them, a feeling which consequently affects the importance of these events in Elizabeth's future with Mr. Darcy. While inside, confined within the confines of the house, Elizabeth finds herself surrounded by her giddy mother's influence and trapped with Mr. Collins. This environment, far from being open and honest, fosters quite the opposite feeling, which is why events such as his proposal have little effect on his life in general. A sense of place also serves to facilitate several plot points, such as Lydia's escape with Mr. Wickham, Elizabeth's trip to Netherfield (where she creates her first - and lasting - impression on Caroline Bingley), as well as than many others. Without these different locations, the characters would have no need to correspond through written communications, and the numerous letters found in Pride and Prejudice would have no reason to exist. These letters (there are twenty of them in the novel) allow for an enormous sense of personal understanding of the characters, and as it is through these means of communication that readers are able to discern one character's feelings for another, and, in the case of Elizabeth and Jane, it almost feels like reading notes in a journal, so close is their relationship. Interestingly, the original title of Pride and Prejudice was “First Impressions” and may have been written entirely in epistolic form. If there was no sense of place, there would be no letters at all and we would end up with a very bland story. It is also notable that with all this correspondence of important information, the characters' responses can never be spontaneous (except on Elizabeth's part; she is often heard responding to letters as if she were actually speaking to the 'writer). The very nature of a letter requires that feelings be thought through before being committed to paper, and therefore,.