Which lines in these excerpts from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice are examples of free indirect speech?

1. Within a short walk of Longbourn lived a family with whom the Bennets were particularly intimate. Sir William Lucas had been formerly in trade in Meryton, where he had made a tolerable fortune, and risen to the honour of knighthood by an address to the king during his mayoralty. The distinction had perhaps been felt too strongly. It had given him a disgust to his business, and to his residence in a small market town; and, in quitting them both, he had removed with his family to a house about a mile from Meryton, denominated from that period Lucas Lodge, where he could think with pleasure of his own importance, and, unshackled by business, occupy himself solely in being civil to all the world. For, though elated by his rank, it did not render him supercilious; on the contrary, he was all attention to everybody. By nature inoffensive, friendly, and obliging, his presentation at St. James's had made him courteous.

2. He was quite young, wonderfully handsome, extremely agreeable, and, to crown the whole, he meant to be at the next assembly with a large party. Nothing could be more delightful! To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love; and very lively hopes of Mr. Bingley's heart were entertained. "If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled at Netherfield," said Mrs. Bennet to her husband, "and all the others equally well married, I shall have nothing to wish for."

Respuesta :

When looking at literature, direct speech is easily discernible because of the quotation marks seen before the quotation.  Indirect speech, however, is not so easily discernible because there are no quotation marks that make it easy for readers to see where the speech is.  There are, however, ques that clue readers in on where indirect speech begins as indirect speech in literature is where what someone said is being discussed, described, or reiterated.  Words to look out for could be “he said,” “she tells,” “all chanted,” “most talked about.”  While there are descriptions of what someone was thinking, there are no descriptions of speech.  As such, and with this in mind, there does not appear to be any sort of indirect speech included in the excerpts provided. 


Answer: Nothing could be more delightful! To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love; and very lively hopes of Mr. Bingley's heart were entertained.

Explanation: i got it correct on edmentum