The pressure society puts on its members to behave a certain way appears constantly in the book. In this case, it tries to force the characters to fit into their respective social classes and behave as exemplary members of each. This control extends through the entire being: from their actions, to their thoughts and aspirations. The mother’s desire to marry her daughters’ to a member of a higher social stratus proves this. Still, although all of these examples of societal pressure appear consistently in the book, the moment Lydia breaks social protocol shows the true extent this pressure. Its cruelty and power appear in a single quote: “All that is required of you is to assure your daughter, by settlement, her equal share of five thousand pounds, secured among your children after the decease of yourself and my sister; and moreover, to enter into an engagement of allowing her during your life one hundred pounds per annum”. (224)
Wickham cunningly manipulated the family’s situation to his favor. Their fear of rejection and isolation caused by such a dishonorable circumstances forced the father to accept his requests. This shows how an entire family would suffer for an individual’s actions. Normally the entire family would stop such actions from happening. Unfortunately for the Bennet’s, when preventive measures no longer have a place the entire family endure the punishment. In this case, the punishment was only monetary but it could have easily been their social status. Austen conveys that fear effectively throughout her book.
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