Jane Austen the author of Pride and Prejudice, a novel where irony is considered the foundation of this novel. The irony, humor, and extensive use of dialogue complement each other to create an inviting novel in which potential readers can get lost. Irony is used to show the difference between the truth and the way things may seem. Austen uses irony to create deeper emotions, laughter, and perceptions of the characters in the novel. Humor is also used to show relationships, but also to guide the reader to understand social status and status interactions and how this can cause many characters to become inept. Jane Austen introduced a novel in the 19th century that aimed to change the way society responded to novels. Pride and Prejudice was a novel created around a realistic plot highlighted by humor and irony to maintain the reader's interest in this entertaining and playful novel. Humor is used in several styles throughout the novel. Most of the humor is more dramatic and reveals the instability of the characters; especially Mrs. Bennet. Humor develops the way Austen presents her characters. Humor allows the reader to understand what the characters are feeling internally through subtext; while keeping them interested in the novel. It is widely acknowledged that some people do not find Pride and Prejudice funny and this may be because of the serious nature of many situations that are highly debated on serious themes such as pride. Pride is a commonly debated topic and each character seems to have an individual opinion on the theme. “His pride,” said Miss Lucas, “does not offend me as much as pride often does, for he has an excuse. We can't be surprised that such a handsome young man, with a family, a fortune, everything... middle of paper... a plot in a novel. Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice is certainly a novel with serious themes but these themes are combined with the lightness of everyday conversations full of humor, ironic dialogues and events developed by the three different types of narration present in the novel. It is understandable that some people do not understand the wit and humor of Austen's writings, but only a small minority of the population will read Pride and Prejudice. The letter that Austen wrote to her sister was definitely another case of verbal irony in the novel. Pride and Prejudice is an entertaining novel because of its realistic storyline. It is also a cultural phenomenon that manifests itself through the adaptation that still occurs today to the novel. Works Cited Austen, Jane. 2004. Pride and Prejudice. New York: Oxford University Press.