Elizabeth mentioned Lydia being 'without any attraction beyond youth and a tolerable person', and Author Austen describes Mr. Bennett's initial attraction to Mrs. Bennett as being 'captivated by youth and beauty, and that appearance of good-humour which youth and beauty generally give'.

I believe Lydia is actually good-humoured, but I wonder if any parallels between her youth and Mrs. Bennett's can be fairly drawn. Does it mean anything that Mrs. Bennett is apparently encouraging Lydia down the path her own feet trod two and a half decades ago? Will Lydia end up fancying herself nervous when discontented? How much of her ignorance is inborn, and how much cultivated by the ignorance and frivolous pursuits of her mother?