In my opinion, Pride comes as a replacement for Austen's harsher criticisms. She chose to personify this trait in several characters in "Pride and Prejudice", although it is difficult to find a single character who represents prejudice alone, throughout the novel. When prejudice arises in this novel, Jane Austen shows it in the hands of a notoriously proud character. Because prejudice is not personified (e.g. depicted as a major characteristic flaw), I believe it should not have been subject to harsher criticism from Jane Austen. Jane Austen depicted pride in her minor (functional) characters as a way to demonstrate its importance as a theme of this novel. Lady Catherine is one of the main offenders, her airs, arrogance and pride are fueled by other characters like Mr. Collins who is put there to satirize proud people and their supporters. Another important character to note is Mr. Darcy. He's an extremely important character in this novel, a major character, and I think the fact that he was seen as "proud" at the beginning of the novel by the reader, Elizabeth, and the county community, and our perception , with her character Elizabeth, changed throughout the novel, showing Jane Austen's criticism of pride and snobbery (insinuating that once pride is removed (and with it, prejudice ), a character becomes much more supportive (Note that Lady Catherine does not deviate from her proud, arrogant stance from the beginning to the end of the novel, this in part to provide a contrast between Mr. Darcy's supposed arrogance in the novel. beginning of the novel and his behavior at the end.) Throughout this novel we are shown the arrogant and haughty dispositions of the upper class of this society (we are also shown the exceptions to the rule, namely Mr. Bingley and Miss Darcy.) These people are extremely proud of their great wealth and estates. and because of the emphasis in this era on monetary matters, they are prejudiced (and commit acts of prejudice) toward their financial and social "inferiors." An example of this is the beginning of the novel, the ball, when Mr. Darcy snubs Elizabeth Bennet in an act of prejudice. He refuses to dance with her because she is not "beautiful enough to tempt me »..