Escaping the Fog of Pride and Prejudice
             The words of the title of Jane Austen's novel, Pride and Prejudice,
             shroud the main characters, Elizabeth and Darcy in a fog. The plot of the novel
             focuses on how Elizabeth and Darcy escape the fog and find each other. Both
             characters must individually recognize their faults and purge them. At the
             beginning of the novel, it seems as if the two will never be able to escape the
             thick fog. The scene at the Netherfield ball makes the marriage of Elizabeth
             and Darcy much more climactic because the pride and prejudice of both increases
             The Netherfield ball is the first time Darcy and Elizabeth dance. When
             Darcy asks Elizabeth she is so surprised and confused that she says yes to a man
             who she is determined to hate. At the Meryton ball she had quickly made a
             sketch of Darcy's character. Compared to Jane who "never [sees] a fault in any
             body" (11), she doesn't believe only the best in everyone. She is usually right
             about people. From simply hearing Mr. Collins' letter, she asks if he is a
             sensible man, which he proves not to be. She is precisely perceptive of
             At the Meryton ball, Darcy is very reserved. He refuses to dance with
             Elizabeth when Bingley asks him to, saying that Elizabeth is not handsome enough
             to tempt him. Elizabeth's pride is hurt and she characterizes Darcy as
             disagreeable and proud. When Elizabeth first meets Wikham, she is blinded by
             her prejudice of Darcy as she accepts everything harmful Wikham has to say of
             Darcy. The plot of the rest of the book revolves around Elizabeth discovering
             the true nature of both Darcy and Wikham. At the Netherfield ball, it seems
             this will never happen. From the beginning of the night, when Elizabeth
             discovers Wikham didn't attend the ball in order to avoid Darcy she "was
             resolved against any sort of conversation with him" (60). Her hate of Da
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