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Reading schedule · Grades 9–12

Pride and Prejudice in 5 Weeks: A Reading Schedule

A five-week plan for reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, one section a week. Each week gives the reading, a short summary of what happens, three discussion questions and the escape room that goes with it. For grades 9–12, in class or at home.

Pacing

Rhetoric-stage students (grades 9–12) can read a section a week independently, with time to annotate and to write. The questions suit seminar discussion or short written responses, and the escape room makes a quick check on the reading before the conversation or the essay. Some sections are much longer than others, so look ahead and give the heaviest weeks extra time.

Each week ends with an escape room on that week's reading: seven self-checking locks that run in any browser, with no logins, and progress is saved, so a room can be finished another day. Every room has free taster locks to try, and members can open them all.

Print this schedule Escape rooms on Pride and Prejudice

Week 1: Chapters 1–12

Read: Chapters 1–12

Mr Bingley takes Netherfield, and at the Meryton assembly his friend Mr Darcy slights Elizabeth Bennet. Officers arrive in Meryton, Jane is soaked riding to Netherfield and falls ill, and Elizabeth walks through the mud to nurse her, leading to evenings of talk and sparring with Darcy.

Discussion questions

1. How does Mrs Bennet's plan for Jane's ride work out?
2. Why does Elizabeth dislike Darcy, and is she fair?
3. What do the Bingley sisters reveal about class?

Escape room: First Impressions (lockedlessons.com/rooms/pride-and-prejudice-chapters-1-12/)

Week 2: Chapters 13–24

Read: Chapters 13–24

Mr Collins writes and visits, and the charming Mr Wickham tells Elizabeth a tale against Darcy. After the Netherfield ball Elizabeth refuses Mr Collins, who becomes engaged to her friend Charlotte Lucas, and Bingley leaves for London.

Discussion questions

1. Why does Elizabeth believe Wickham so readily?
2. Why does Charlotte accept Mr Collins?
3. Why does Bingley leave, and who might be behind it?

Escape room: An Unwelcome Proposal (lockedlessons.com/rooms/pride-and-prejudice-chapters-13-24/)

Week 3: Chapters 25–36

Read: Chapters 25–36

The Gardiners visit at Christmas, Jane goes to London and Charlotte marries. Elizabeth stays at Hunsford and dines at Rosings with Lady Catherine, Colonel Fitzwilliam lets slip some news, Darcy proposes and Elizabeth refuses him, and his letter follows.

Discussion questions

1. What is wrong with Darcy's first proposal?
2. How does the letter change Elizabeth's view of Wickham and of herself?
3. What does Lady Catherine show about rank and manners?

Escape room: The Letter in the Grove (lockedlessons.com/rooms/pride-and-prejudice-chapters-25-36/)

Week 4: Chapters 37–48

Read: Chapters 37–48

Elizabeth returns home and Lydia is invited to Brighton. Touring with the Gardiners, Elizabeth visits Pemberley, where Darcy is surprisingly civil and introduces his sister Georgiana; then Jane's letters bring news of Lydia and Wickham, and the anxious search begins.

Discussion questions

1. Why does Darcy seem so different at Pemberley?
2. Why should Lydia never have gone to Brighton?
3. What does the news about Lydia threaten for the whole family?

Escape room: A Visit to Derbyshire (lockedlessons.com/rooms/pride-and-prejudice-chapters-37-48/)

Week 5: Chapters 49–61

Read: Chapters 49–61

Mr Gardiner sends news, Lydia marries and visits home, and Mrs Gardiner's letter reveals Darcy's part. Bingley returns and proposes to Jane, Lady Catherine visits Longbourn, Darcy proposes a second time, and the families react as everyone is settled.

Discussion questions

1. Why does Darcy help in secret?
2. How does Lady Catherine's visit backfire?
3. Which marriage in the novel seems happiest, and why?

Escape room: A Second Proposal (lockedlessons.com/rooms/pride-and-prejudice-chapters-49-61/)