Pride & Prejudice Ch 11-16

"Mr. Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth- and it was soon done- done while Mrs. Bennet was stirring the fire." (Pg. 60) It's sad how little insignificance these people believe marriage to be. They take so little time deciding the person they're going to spend the rest of their lives with. When Mr. Collins learns of Jane's soon-to-be engagement, he simply switches to Lizzy. The comparison to "stirring the fire" is used, I believe, to emphasize the swiftness of action in this situation which should take much more thought than, "Elizabeth, equally next to Jane in birth and beauty, succeeded [Jane] of course."