D.W. Harding--Is Collins funny or a nightmare?

          Although Harding finds Mr. Collins's caricature funny and entertaining, I agree more with Elizabeth Bennet in that he is a nightmare. I realize, as does Harding, that Austen meant to make fun of the people who resembled Mr. Collins in her society, but he, along with Mrs. Bennet, just becomes irritating and ridiculous. Making Mr. Collins so unlikeable actually does accomplish Austen's goal of mocking the people in real society, but the character does not qualify as comedic. Instead, Mr. Collins serves as an unfriendly reminder of those in society one would prefer to avoid.

Pride and Prejudice Essay Improvements

I need to work on making my thesis, arguments, introduction, and conclusion more specific. I also need to avoid the word "you", include headers, and a works cited page.

Most Important Aspect of an Essay

The most important aspect of a strong essay is deep analysis. In The Ball's Latest Gossip (18), the best essay that I read, the author goes beyond the typical arguments by examining the precise language that Austen uses in Pride and Prejudice.

3 more sample essays

I read Faulty First Impressions (4), Precise Introductions for Intdividual Interpretations (5), and First Impression (19). The introduction to the first essay was pretty good, but too many quotes were used in the body paragraphs and the author absolutely should not have quoted dialogue between multiple people. The introduction to the second essay used an example in the introduction paragraph, which is a major errror. Also, some of the quotes, the first one for example, didn't seem to have anything to do with the analysis that follows them. The third essay is written the best, although there are no ground-breaking points.

3 more sample essays

I read Characters in Collaboration, Mrs. Bennet, and An Examination of Class and Economy. The first essay was by far the worst. In the introduction, the author claims that Caroline Bingley continually judges Mr. Darcy, but there is no indication of her judgement in the novel. Furthermore, the author never goes on to explain how she judges him, only how she helps reveal his character. Also, the author refers to Caroline as Darcy's lover, which she is not; she is only interested in Darcy, but nothing ever happens between them. Another fault that I found with the essay is in the first quote. When I read it, it seemed like the quote disproved the author's claim that Elizabeth dislikes Mr. Darcy. Although the author goes on to explain that Elizabeth is using sarcasm in the quote, the author could and should have chosen a quote that better demonstrated Elizabeth's true feelings about Darcy. The second essay was the second best. I found the introduction to be my least favorite part because the author makes claims that Mrs. Bennet is represented more than the other characters, which I do not agree with. However, the author goes continues on to make valid points and analysis, which make up for the introduction. The third essay was the best because the author uses a very minor character to make very bold, valid claims. This unconventional approach provides allows for interesting, and seemingly accurate analysis.

Rank 3 Sample Essays from Red Reader

I read Actions Speak Louder than Words, The Ball's Latest Gossip, and Austen Teaches Every Reader, Don't Judge Others. The paragraphs in the first essay were dominated by quotes an contained only a few sentences of analysis. Furthermore, it seemed to me that the author actually disproved his/her thesis that society's opinion differed from the behavior of characters; in each example given, it seems like the character's actions reflected society's opinions. The second essay is the best of the three because, although the thesis is a little wordy, each paragraph is very focused on a specific point, yet all are related to prove the author's thesis. Also, the second essay pays close attention to specific words used by Austen, which a a different, deeper approach. The third essay is the second best because, although the author does a good job of proving his/her point, the overall essay is not as deep and complex as the second essay.