Thursday, March 8, 2007
Pride and Prejudice Question #5
After Jane becomes engaged to Bingley, she says she wishes Elizabeth could be as happy as she is. Elizabeth replies, "If you were to give me forty such men, I never could be so happy as you. Till I have your disposition, your goodness, I never can have your happiness." Do you think Elizabeth's statement is true? Is it better to be good, to think the best of people, and be happy? Or is it better to see the world accurately, and feel less happiness?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
13 comments:
I think it would be wonderful to think highly of everything in the world...and I think that everyone would agree that our lives would be fuller and much happier. However, for myself, this attitude is not realistic. I have friends who have this attitude and I love being around them and sharing in their positive aura, and sometimes I wish I could be like them - to see good in everything. I think that this attitude is also evident in Jane Eyre's - Helen Burns - she represents everything that as people we wish we could be. However, I just think it's too unrealistic. I, like Elizabeth, find it hard to see everything through rosy colored glasses. But I think it's important to understand that just because you can't see good in everything doesn't mean that you won't live a happy and full life, it just means you have a slightly more pessimistic and realistic view of the world around you.
Like Erin...for me this simply is a matter of being optimistic or realistic. I personally would love to be an optimist, but I am always realistic. Some might confuse this trait with being pessimistic...which quite frankly I can be sometimes...but I feel that it is to one's greater advantage to be realistic in life. Just like the common phrase, "Don't get your hopes up", we shouldn't always assume that everything in our life will be good. Yes, everything is a blessing in its own way, but that doesn't necessarily mean that our lives are perfect. We all face struggles and challenges in our lives and I just think it's best to realize that and have a realistic outlife on life. With this being said, it is very kind of Jane to wish that Elizabeth could be as happy as she is, but in Elizabeth's mind she sees herself as never being that happy unless she were to somehow adopt Jane's optimistic outlook. So yes, Elizabeth's statement is true, she can never have happiness until she thinks she has happiness, but I also still feel that a realistic outlook is much better. BUT, I do disagree with the last question...just because one sees the world accurately doesn't mean that they'll feel less happiness. I for one find comfort in knowing before hand if something is going to be able to happen or not. That way, if you're upset with the outcome, you'll have a little more time to deal with that outcome and be secure with it.
call me what you will, anal, pessimistic, debbie downer if you'd like...but I am very comforted in the fact that I am a realistic person...
Okay so I don't know how we really have to have a quote for this one? So if I need one, just let me know.
But in all honesty, I can see this point of view in two different perspectives. Now, I wouldn't now from personal experience, but I believe true love is true happiness. And that is why Jane is so happy. Once you're in love, you see the good in everyone, and you're basically in a trance. And yes, I know Mr. Connelly teaches us that when it's "true love," we should see faults in others, otherwise it's just infatuation, but I think for the first year or so you're "in love," you're completely mezmorized by that person, and your heart is filled with happiness.
Now people like this kind of bug me. Because they are so naïve and basically so ignorant about the world around them, that they see everything through the eyes of love. I know many people who are always cheery and happy and never have a serious, down-to-earth conversation. Sometimes it makes me want to slap them in the forehead and tell them to grasp ahold of reality. Not everyone is perfect, and not everyone should be happy 24/7. *Stuff* happens, and we can't see everything through sheer happiness. Props to Jane for being so oblivious to all the hate in the world, more power to her. But I am not like that at all. Yeah, I'm a very happy person. But I'm also not an idiot. I can see what's going on around me. It's just whether or not you choose to act upon the hate, or ignore it and pretend like everything is okay like Jane...
Ok, this is probably extremely unrealistic, becuase I know it is a lot easier to say you want to be happy, and to actually acchomplish it, but I think that it is better to be good, to think the best of people, and to just be happy even if it is a tad bit optimistic and not so much realistic. Life is too short to worry to much. If you want to look into the world through rosy glasses, by galley you should be able to. Worrying is so over-rated. I say if you want to be oblivious to the horrors of the world, go ahead. As Mr. Darcy says in the book “think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure." He is right. What is the point of remembering the bad things if they are just going to give you pain? So, look on the bright side of things, look for the best in people, and just be happy. :)
Although living life like everything is all peachy is unrealistic, I think it is better to think better of people and the world, therefore being happier than being pessimistic and depressed. If one were to take in all the harshness of the world, and never look on the bright side, they would never truly enjoy the short life that they have. What is the point of living if you can't enjoy life? I see Elizabeth's point and agree with her, however I would like to think to have faith in people and seening the rosy side is an okay way to live. While we're young anyway .
I have considered Elizabeth's comment thoroughly, and one quote that comes to mind when thinking of this is, 'Ignorance is bliss.'
It's a quote that is highly controversial. I find it to be true.
There is a value in not being able to constantly see the wrong in the world, rather than seeing the negative and unattractive parts of our society. If I were able to 'see the world with rose colored glasses' (I believe thats the right saying) I would be much, much happier. Instead, I am constantly thinking of the wrong-doings and unfortunate events that happen in the world. I would be more happy if I just had no idea they were going on!
I guess I would LOVE to revert to childhood sometimes.
Jane and Elizabeth certainly have very different views of life. Jane, always thinking the best of people, is said to be happier. However, I don't agree that this is the only way to make you happy. I feel like I can relate to Jane in her way of thinking, so I will tell you why this is not always a good thing. Sometimes in order to be happy you need to see the worst of things, such as in the Count of Monte Cristo. The Count says, "Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss."
However, Elizabeth's way of thinking is not entirely the way to happiness either. Elizabeth is ready to judge a person, and later finds out that this is a mistake, such in Darcy's case. So is it better to be happy without seeing everyone's bad side? I would say to a certain degree yes. But also it is important to realize when someone is up to no good.
From my perspective, both points of view could lead to everlasting happiness. To be optimistic about situations life gives you lets you be happy more often, but it could also end up leading to disappointment. When you put such high expectations on life, one thing that lets you down could end up ruining your whole optimistic perspective. On the other hand, by having a realistic view, you expect that sometimes you are going to be let down, so you are not as disappointed. Both outlooks on life can provide happiness; it just depends on the type of person you are.
I think that it is very important to be optimistic. I agree with Ein I think if you are one of those people that is never dissapointed by anything, and you are always happy then good for you. I also think, however, that is unrealistic. Someone once told meand I dont know if its scientifically proven or just a saying but someone told me that people who are happy live 7 years longer than hose who arent happy. I think if you are always happy you dont have to worry about dissapointments because when those dissapointments come you will have a positive outlook. If i could be like this, I would but I can't. I am too realistic.
I personally think that you should see the good in people and be happy. If you constantly surround yourself with negative images and ideas than you will be negative too. It is all about the mind set. It is good to know the flaws of others but at the same time why focus on those flaws. Why be realistic and less happy when happiness is what humans desire. It’s engraved in us. If you want to live life to the fullest you need to look for the best in people and be happy. So I somewhat disagree with Elizabeth’s statement.
I think it is much better to be realistic than perpetually optimistic. If you constantly see the world through rose colored glasses and try to see the good in everyone, then you can be blindsided by the bad. Everyone has inherent good in, but there are a lot of people in this world who choose to ignore that and hurt other people.
People like Jane may be happy to begin with, but I know from experience that when someone with this kind disposition eventually get duped and when they get hurt, they get crushed hard. The world is a tough place and to get through it, sometimes you have to have a realistic point of view, otherwise you will be constantly disappointed.
Elizabeth would be a much weaker heroine if she were like Jane because good novels thrive on conflict and with someone who tries to see the best in people as a heroine, their would be very little conflict.
I do think that what Elizabeth says is true. Unless someone thinks the best of everything and everyone in the world they can’t have the same happiness as someone who does. I think that people should find the balance between blind happiness and accurate depression. People who are just looking out for the best in everything tend to get hurt more often than not. It’s just so easy for some people to take advantage of them. Jane even got hurt when she thought that Bingley didn’t like her anymore. And even after his sisters tried to do all they could to ostracize her, she still thought the best of them in the end. On the other hand, people who always see the world how it is lose some kind of innocence that everyone should have. They go through life never knowing some kind of blissful happiness. So I think that a balance is the best, that way someone can see the good in people but aren’t gullible.
I honestly wish I was like Jane, but in reality I'm definitely more like Elizabeth. I think Elizabeth's statement is somewhat true, in that in order to be happy - you must have a positive dispotion and a optimistic outlook on life. However, I don't think that just because Elizabeth is a more realistic person that she is necessarily "depressed". I think it's wise to find a happy medium between these two ideas, and have a positive outlook on life, yet still have a realistic view as well. Like Sara said, life is much too short to take everything so seriously and let every bad thing that happens to you ruin your life. But life is also full of things that are going to lower your spirits, and we just have to take them with stride.
Post a Comment