Parenting

"Mr. Collins was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had been but little assisted by education or society- the greatest part of his life having been spent under the guidance of an illiterate and miserly father," (52).

This small description of Mr. Collins lends insight into how one's childhood upbringing shapes their identity in adulthood. While Collins' upbringing was one of humility and reserve, he quickly turns self-righteous and oblivious to his surroundings. Collins watched the mistakes that his father made as he grew up, and over-compensated for them in his own adult life. He has clearly never worked for anything as his father did and is completely unaware of the feelings and beliefs of the people he surrounds himself with. This scene provides an interesting insight into how a parents actions effect their children. It seems the general sentiment is that children often act in ways similar to their parents, however here we see Collins deliberately choosing a life completely opposite that which his father provided for him.