Book Anatomy · Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice: Pace
16 lenses on pace for Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Count lenses are exact for our text. AI lenses are our reading and cite only quotes that passed a word for word check.
Jump to: D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 D10 D11 D12 D13 D14 D15 D16
D1. Chapter length in words, as a chart. Count
61 chapters, median 1,841 words. See the full lens on the book page.
D2. Mean sentence length per chapter. Count
Mean 17.3 words. See the full lens on the book page.
D3. Paragraph length per chapter. Count
Paragraphs average 55 words.
Mean paragraph words, chapter by chapter
D4. Scene against summary: how much is shown live? AI
The book is heavily scenic. Most chapters show dialogue and action live, especially the assembly ball (ch 3), Netherfield visits (chs 6 to 12), the proposal (ch 34), and Pemberley encounters (chs 43 to 45). Summary appears mainly in travel and time-passing chapters.
Chapters: Ch 3, Ch 6, Ch 7, Ch 8, Ch 10, Ch 11
She is tolerable: but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. (Ch 3, para 20)
I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow. (Ch 6, para 49)
In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you. (Ch 34, para 4)
D5. Action against reflection, per chapter. AI
Early chapters balance action with reflection. After the Netherfield section, reflection dominates: Elizabeth's internal struggle with Wickham's account (chs 15 to 18), her shame after Darcy's letter (chs 35 to 37), and her journey to self-knowledge (chs 40 to 45). Action returns with Lydia's crisis (chs 46 to 52).
Chapters: Ch 15, Ch 16, Ch 17, Ch 35, Ch 36, Ch 37
She grew absolutely ashamed of herself. Of neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think, without feeling that she had been blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd. (Ch 36, para 11)
Mr. Darcy’s letter she was in a fair way of soon knowing by heart. She studied every sentence; and her feelings towards its writer were at times widely different. (Ch 37, para 19)
D6. Tension score per chapter (1 to 5) as a curve. AI
Peak 5 of 5, mean 3.0. See the full lens on the book page.
D7. Emotional arc of the whole book, matched to the six shapes. Count
Riches to rags (fall). See the full lens on the book page.
D8. Chapter endings: cliffhanger, question, reveal or quiet close. AI
27 of 61 chapters end on a hook. See the full lens on the book page.
D9. Chapter openings: in scene, in summary, or after a time jump. AI
Most chapters open in scene or with immediate action. Time jumps are signalled by summary: 'The next morning' (ch 2), 'Some days passed' (ch 21), 'Elizabeth travelled to London' (ch 27). Chapter 42 opens with a summary of Elizabeth's improved spirits before the Derbyshire tour.
Chapters: Ch 2, Ch 21, Ch 27, Ch 42
D10. Do chapters and sentences get shorter near the climax? Count
In the last fifth, chapters run at 1.12 times the length of earlier ones, and sentences at 0.93 times. So things speed up near the end.
D11. Dialogue density against pace. Count
Link between dialogue share and chapter length: -0.07 (1 is a perfect match, 0 none). Between dialogue share and tension: 0.04.
Dialogue % per chapter, chapter by chapter
D12. Time jumps and how they are signalled. Both
49 time jump phrases in the narration, such as 'next morning' or 'years later'.
| Where | Phrase |
|---|---|
| c3p4 | the following day |
| c7p7 | next morning |
| c7p31 | next morning |
| c10p55 | next day |
| c12p1 | next morning |
| c12p2 | the following day |
| c13p1 | next morning |
| c15p3 | next morning |
Time jump phrases, chapter by chapter
Ch 3, para 4: An invitation to dinner was soon afterwards despatched; and already had Mrs. Bennet planned the courses that were to do credit to her housekeeping, when an answer arrived …
Ch 7, para 7: Catherine was disconcerted, and made no answer; but Lydia, with perfect indifference, continued to express her admiration of Captain Carter, and her hope of seeing him in the …
Ch 7, para 31: “This was a lucky idea of mine, indeed!” said Mrs. Bennet, more than once, as if the credit of making it rain were all her own. Till the …
Ch 10, para 55: “I hope,” said she, as they were walking together in the shrubbery the next day, “you will give your mother-in-law a few hints, when this desirable event takes …
Ch 12, para 1: In consequence of an agreement between the sisters, Elizabeth wrote the next morning to her mother, to beg that the carriage might be sent for them in the …
Ch 12, para 2: The communication excited many professions of concern; and enough was said of wishing them to stay at least till the following day to work on Jane; and till …
Time jumps are marked by explicit phrases: 'the next morning', 'some weeks later', 'the following day'. Longer gaps (weeks at Hunsford, the summer tour) are bridged by summary paragraphs. The Lydia crisis compresses time with express letters and urgent travel.
Chapters: Ch 27, Ch 38, Ch 42, Ch 46, Ch 47
D13. Info dump spots: long runs with no action or speech. Both
10 stretches of 900 words or more with no speech at all. These are where description, summary or backstory pile up.
| Starts at | Words | Paragraphs |
|---|---|---|
| c35p5 | 2488 | 1 |
| c52p4 | 1787 | 1 |
| c44p12 | 1359 | 11 |
| c45p19 | 1284 | 7 |
| c23p3 | 1187 | 14 |
| c43p46 | 1162 | 11 |
| c29p7 | 1084 | 9 |
| c43p77 | 1004 | 11 |
Info dumps are rare. Chapter 16 contains Wickham's long account of Darcy's wrongdoing, delivered as dialogue. Chapter 35 is Darcy's letter explaining his actions. Chapter 52 is Mrs. Gardiner's letter revealing Darcy's role in Lydia's marriage. These are functional revelations, not static exposition.
Chapters: Ch 16, Ch 35, Ch 52
His behaviour to myself has been scandalous; but I verily believe I could forgive him anything and everything, rather than his disappointing the hopes and disgracing the memory of his father (Ch 16, para 24)
Be not alarmed, madam, on receiving this letter, by the apprehension of its containing any repetition of those sentiments, or renewal of those offers, which were last night so disgusting to you. (Ch 35, para 4)
His debts are to be paid, amounting, I believe, to considerably more than a thousand pounds, another thousand in addition to her own settled upon her, and his commission purchased. (Ch 52, para 4)
D14. Reading time per chapter. Count
About 8.2 hours to read at 250 words a minute. The longest chapter takes 20.8 minutes.
Minutes per chapter, chapter by chapter
D15. Micro tension in quiet scenes. AI
Quiet scenes have tension through subtext and wit. Elizabeth and Darcy's conversation at Netherfield (ch 11) crackles with intellectual sparring. At Rosings (chs 31 to 32), tension comes from unspoken attraction and social awkwardness. Charlotte's contentment masks Elizabeth's discomfort (ch 28).
Chapters: Ch 11, Ch 28, Ch 31, Ch 32
My good opinion once lost is lost for ever. (Ch 11, para 28)
And yours,” he replied, with a smile, “is wilfully to misunderstand them. (Ch 11, para 32)
He began to feel the danger of paying Elizabeth too much attention. (Ch 11, para 34)
D16. Section breaks per chapter. Count
0 section breaks marked in the text, in 0 of 61 chapters.
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