Elizabeth has been through turmoil of emotions while she stayed with the Collins's but now it is time for her to leave. So Elizabeth returns home knowing reality a little better. This is all unknown to Mr. Collins whose parting words to Elizabeth are funny. He married Charlotte thinking she loved him but when he is sending Elizabeth off, you can see how little he knows about his wife's unaffectionate love towards him by saying "My dear Charlotte and I have but one mind and one way of thinking. There is in everything a most remarkable resemblance of character and ideas between us. We seem to have been designed for each other.'' (pg 161). I really am not a person that laughs at these things but it is just humorous how blind Mr. Collins is. Here he is thinking he is in the marriage of his dreams when really he is but a pawn being used by those around him. Even Charlotte is using him to get the life she wants and I am pretty sure Lady De Bough only wants him around for the flattery he gives to her.
To truly see what is before you is when a person begins to fall in love. Elizabeth practically massacred the letter Darcy gave her by reading it so much and in those moments when we got to read what she was thinking. It became obvious that she is beginning to fall for Mr. Darcy. When Wickham was revealed to her for what he truly is, Elizabeth began to see Mr. Darcy for who he is himself. Along with feeling stupid and blind she also begins to show how her trust in Darcy is unconditional when conferring with Jane: "This will not do,'' said Elizabeth. ``You never will be able to make both of them good for any thing. Take your choice, but you must be satisfied with only one. There is but such a quantity of merit between them; just enough to make one good sort of man; and of late it has been shifting about pretty much. For my part, I am inclined to believe it all Mr. Darcy's, but you shall do as you choose.'' (pg 168).
As a reader I must say that Mr. Darcy's reasons for not liking the Bennet family are not so farfetched. Kitty and Lydia annoy me a lot. Their complete oblivion to what life is really like is much like their mothers but their mothers only care is to get them all married. Lydia is by far the most oblivious. In chapter 41 it is decided she will go to Brighton to follow the militia so that somehow she will grow tiered of them. The only good thing to come of this was a small moment of satisfaction in which Elizabeth got to confront Wickham about what was said to her by Darcy:
"she mentioned Colonel Fitzwilliam's and Mr. Darcy's having both spent three weeks at Rosings, and asked him if he were acquainted with the former.
He looked surprised, displeased, alarmed; but with a moment's recollection and a returning smile, replied that he had formerly seen him often; and after observing that he was a very gentlemanlike man, asked her how she had liked him. Her answer was warmly in his favour. With an air of indifference he soon afterwards added, ``How long did you say that he was at Rosings?''
``Nearly three weeks.''
``And you saw him frequently?''
``Yes, almost every day.''
``His manners are very different from his cousin's.''
``Yes, very different. But I think Mr. Darcy improves on acquaintance.''
``Indeed!'' cried Wickham with a look which did not escape her. ``And pray may I ask -- ?'' but checking himself, he added in a gayer tone, ``Is it in address that he improves? Has he deigned to add ought of civility to his ordinary style? for I dare not hope,'' he continued in a lower and more serious tone, ``that he is improved in essentials.''
``Oh, no!'' said Elizabeth. ``In essentials, I believe, he is very much what he ever was.''(pg 175)
From this passage one could say Elizabeth's mind has completely switched gears. This is also one of those moments where, in the movies, you pumped your fist in the air because you achieved what you wanted and in this case I wanted Elizabeth to figuratively slap the beegesus out of Wickham.
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