Reader’s Reflections: The idea of a family home being entailed on, or inherited by, a cousin who was male, instead of the owner’s own children, because they are female, was completely new to me before reading this book. It is such a beastly aspect of Great Britain in the early 1800s, one that, thankfully, wouldn’t even occur to me now. Though Mrs. Bennett tends to be a bit of a drama queen, it’s a little easier to understand that her obsession with getting her daughters married, to men who are well-off, is fueled by fear that, if anything happens to Mr. Bennett, she and her five daughters will instantly become destitute. For me, the plot takes on a whole new meaning now that I understand what’s at stake. And yet, with the introduction of the ‘villain’ who will inherit Longbourn, we meet a ridiculous clown. Mr. Collins is the perfect personification of the idea that, if you’re amazing, you don’t need to tell everyone, they’ll know. He is another character who’s amusing and vexing at the same time – at first, the realization that his opinion of himself so far outweighs what he deserves, is quite funny, and Mr. Bennett & Elizabeth enjoy the ridiculousness of his monologues; but his professions go on so long that even the humor evaporates and I feel for their annoyance! Is whatever “help” he’s planning to give the family going to repay them for the inconvenience of his presence at their dinner table?!