A student in need of dire help.

Hi there, I'm new to these forums as it is my first post. I am a student in high school and school starts tomorrow. I am finishing up my summer reading and having a bit of trouble on this particular novel.

The assignment is to write a "reader's journal" on Pride and Prejudice. It is supposed to be written in 4-6 "episodes", which are supposedly increments of related material. However, even with reading the novel, I can't seem to follow it all that well.

I would really appreciate it, if someone who has a strong grasp of the novel, can point me in the right direction as to how I should divide this up. I suppose every episode would be around 10-12 chapters if divided up evenly, but I wouldn't imagine that would would work too well in dividing up scenes or even themes.

Again, I would really appreciate any input. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by amk0713

Hi there, I'm new to these forums as it is my first post. I am a student in high school and school starts tomorrow. I am finishing up my summer reading and having a bit of trouble on this particular novel.

The assignment is to write a "reader's journal" on Pride and Prejudice. It is supposed to be written in 4-6 "episodes", which are supposedly increments of related material. However, even with reading the novel, I can't seem to follow it all that well.

I would really appreciate it, if someone who has a strong grasp of the novel, can point me in the right direction as to how I should divide this up. I suppose every episode would be around 10-12 chapters if divided up evenly, but I wouldn't imagine that would would work too well in dividing up scenes or even themes.

Again, I would really appreciate any input. :)

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Apparently, it was originally published in three volumes:
Volume I (Chapters 1-23)
Volume II (Chapters 24-42)
Volume III (Chapters 43-61)

http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/pridprej.html

VOLUME I
Chapter I (1) (The Bennets at home.)
Chapter II (2) (The Bennets at home.)
Chapter III (3) (Meryton assembly.)
Illustration <JPEG>
Chapter IV (4) (Meryton assembly post-mortem.)
Chapter V (5) (Meryton assembly post-mortem.)
Chapter VI (6) (Charlotte; evening at Sir William's.)
Illustration <JPEG>
Chapter VII (7) (Jane to Netherfield.)
Chapter VIII (8) (Elizabeth and Jane at Netherfield.)
Chapter IX (9) (Mrs. Bennet visits Netherfield.)
Chapter X (10) (Elizabeth and Jane at Netherfield.)
Chapter XI (11) (Elizabeth and Jane at Netherfield.)
Chapter XII (12) (Elizabeth and Jane to home.)
Chapter XIII (13) (Arrival of Mr. Collins.)
Illustration <JPEG>
Chapter XIV (14) (Mr. Collins at Longbourn.)
Chapter XV (15) (Excursion to Meryton.)
Illustration <JPEG>
Chapter XVI (16) (Elizabeth and Wickham.)
Chapter XVII (17) (The Netherfield ball impends.)
Chapter XVIII (18) (Netherfield ball.)
Illustration <JPEG>
Chapter XIX (19) (Mr. Collins proposes.)
Illustration <JPEG>
Chapter XX (20) (Proposal aftermath.)
Chapter XXI (21) (The Bingleys leave Netherfield.)
Chapter XXII (22) (Mr. Collins and Charlotte.)
Chapter XXIII (23) (Mr. Collins returns.)
VOLUME II
Chapter I (24) (Elizabeth and Jane.)
Chapter II (25) (The Gardiners at Longbourn.)
Chapter III (26) (Jane to London.)
Chapter IV (27) (Elizabeth to London.)
Chapter V (28) (Elizabeth to Kent.)
Illustration <JPEG>
Chapter VI (29) (Elizabeth at Rosings.)
Chapter VII (30) (Darcy to Rosings.)
Illustration <JPEG>
Chapter VIII (31) (Elizabeth and Darcy at Rosings.)
Illustration <JPEG>
Chapter IX (32) (Darcy calls on Elizabeth.)
Chapter X (33) (Elizabeth and Colonel Fitzwilliam.)
Chapter XI (34) (Darcy's proposal.)
Chapter XII (35) (Darcy's letter.)
Chapter XIII (36) (Letter post-mortem.)
Chapter XIV (37) (Rosings after Darcy's departure.)
Illustration <JPEG>
Chapter XV (38) (Elizabeth to London.)
Chapter XVI (39) (Elizabeth and Jane to home.)
Chapter XVII (40) (Elizabeth and Jane.)
Chapter XVIII (41) (Lydia's Brighton scheme.)
Chapter XIX (42) (Elizabeth and the Gardiners to Derbyshire.)
VOLUME III
Chapter I (43) (Elizabeth and the Gardiners at Pemberley.)
Illustration <JPEG>
Chapter II (44) (The Darcys call on Elizabeth at Lambton.)
Chapter III (45) (Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner at Pemberley.)
Chapter IV (46) (Letters from Jane.)
Chapter V (47) (Elizabeth and the Gardiners to Longbourn.)
Illustration <JPEG>
Chapter VI (48) (Mr. Gardiner to London; Mr. Bennet to Longbourn.)
Chapter VII (49) (Letter from Mr. Gardiner.)
Chapter VIII (50) (Lydia's wedding impends.)
Chapter IX (51) (Lydia and Wickham at Longbourn.)
Illustration <JPEG>
Chapter X (52) (Letter from Mrs. Gardiner to Elizabeth.)
Chapter XI (53) (Darcy and Bingley return to Netherfield.)
Chapter XII (54) (Darcy and Bingley at Longbourn.)
Chapter XIII (55) (Jane's engagement.)
Illustration <JPEG>
Chapter XIV (56) (Lady Catherine's visit.)
Illustration <JPEG>
Chapter XV (57) (Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth.)
Chapter XVI (58) (Elizabeth and Darcy.)
Chapter XVII (59) (Familial approbation.)
Chapter XVIII (60) (Wrap-up.)
Illustration <JPEG>
Chapter XIX (61) (The weddings, and conclusion.)

I think it is most simple and straightforward to divide the book up into sections based on where the events were taking place.

Longbourn/Meryton 1-6
Netherfield 7-12
Longbourn/Meryton (Netherfield Ball) 13-23
Elizabeth and Jane go off to Rosings and London respectively 24-38
Elizabeth and Jane return 39-41
Elizabeth and the Gardiners vacation together 42-46
Crisis at Longbourn 47-52
Darcy and Bingley return to Netherfield/Longbourn and everyone lives happily ever after 53-61

So, that's 8 divisions.
Those make the most sense to me.
Perhaps from here, you can get it down to 4-6 divisions.

Your assignment is quite time consuming.
I wish you good success.

Ah, thank you very much. I really appreciate it. :)

I wish that I saw this in Aug, but to anyone who has a simular question, I post this reply. Use the seasons, spring, summer, fall, winter and spring again, ie: second proposal by Darcy was in April.