Relationships Between Parents and Children in Pride and Prejudice

How do the writers present the relationship between parents and

children? What issues do they deal with and what do they seem to

expose?

Introduction

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''Pride and Prejudice'' was written by the English author Jane Austen

and was published in 1913. In this novel Jane Austen portrays the

quiet, day-to-day life of members of the upper middle class. Her works

combine romantic comedy with social satire and psychological insight.

'Your Shoes' is set in a modern day society and is written by the

Author Michele Roberts. 'Your Shoes' is a poem about a daughter who

has run away from home. In this poem the shoes symbolise the narrators

daughter, because as long as she can see and fell the shoes then she

feels a connection to her daughter.

The key theme in both these stories is the theme of parental

relationship, as they both differ in social class systems, as with

'Pride and Prejudice' the social class system was well-versed in the

intricacies of class behavior. In those days face to face exchange

among the elite was not random utterance but virtuoso exercise.

Whereas in 'Your Shoes', social class systems are not considered as

highly and much more freedom is given, than in the Victorian times.

The writer in 'Pride and Prejudice' presents the relationship between

the parents and daughter as some what crude, as the mother seems to

more interested in marrying off her daughters and materialistic wealth

and happiness than her own daughters blissfulness. The conversation

between the mother and daughters is lively but she is not really

interested in what the daughters have got to say. The mother always

seems to answer for her daughter, " Yes, certainly. I am sure Lizzy

will be very happy, I am sur...

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...felt as though I sympathised with the mother but

also felt that she was also confused as she contradicted herself a

lot. This has shown me that insecurity is really needed in life for a

person to feel safe and secure, and in 'Your Shoes' the mother feels

as if she has no security at all.

It addresses the matter of running away, and in away is like a 'think

before you act' advertisement/campaign as it clearly shows how the

people you leave behind suffer and how their lives are affected due to

the fact of your departure. 'Your Shoes' is a story that makes people

realise how precious families are. There is no comedy in this story as

it is based on a very serious note. I have enjoyed reading this story

as it made me think about situations in life.

I really enjoyed comparing 'Pride and Prejudice' and 'Your Shoes' and

looking at them in a different context.