What role does prejudice play in the novel?
Ans. Repeatedly, the novel warns against trusting one's first impressions or prejudices. Elizabeth's first impression of Mr. Darcy is that he is arrogant and aloof, but in the end, she loves him deeply. Conversely, her first impression of Wickham is that he is charming and good-looking, but he turns out to be a liar and a cheat. The Bennets' first impression of Lady Catherine is admiration for her great wealth and status, but they eventually despise her and her outdated attitudes. Over the course of the novel, several characters revise their prejudices as loathing turns to admiration and vice versa.
