This type of discourse also diverges from typical indirect speech: expressions of a character's inner thoughts are not preceded by "he said" or "she said" introductory phrases. Let us discuss the letter from Darcy inchapter 35.

First, however, here is a quote from chapter 34 that demonstrates how Mr. Darcy's pride comes in conflict with Elizabeth's:

"My faults, according to this calculation, are heavy indeed! But perhaps,” added he, stopping in his walk, and turning towards her, “these offenses might have been overlooked, had not your pride been hurt by my honest confession of the scruples that had long prevented my forming any serious design. . . . Nor am I ashamed of the feelings I related. They were natural and just. Could you expect me to rejoice in the inferiority of your connections?—to congratulate myself on the hope of relations, whose condition in life is so decidedly beneath my own?”

Here, Darcy admits that he fought hard against his attraction to Elizabeth, citing the inferiority of her connections as a major reason for his position. His rationale, however, is interpreted as "abominable pride" by Elizabeth. After all, she has her own pride.

In chapter 35, Elizabeth reads Darcy's letter. When he reminds her of her mother and three younger sisters' "want of propriety," she burns with shame and humiliation. Her pride rears up, and she becomes angry at Darcy's lack of sensitivity. We must also recognize that Darcy's letter reveals much of his true character to us. Until this point, Darcy's character has hardly been developed by Austen. With the letter, we begin to see Darcy as more than a prideful and arrogant elitist.

In fact, he is shown to be an honorable protector, saving Georgiana (his sister) from Mr. Wickham's avaricious schemes. At this point, Elizabeth must admit her feelings of defeat and shame. Austen portrays Elizabeth's emotional disequilibrium perfectly through the vehicle of ironic distance:

But when this subject was succeeded by his account of Mr. Wickham—when she read with somewhat clearer attention a relation of events which, if true, must overthrow every cherished opinion of his worth, and which bore so alarming an affinity to his own history of himself—her feelings were yet more acutely painful and more difficult of definition. Astonishment, apprehension, and even horror, oppressed her. She wished to discredit it entirely, repeatedly exclaiming, “This must be false! This cannot be! This must be the grossest falsehood!”

Here Austen uses free indirect discourse to inspire what is called ironic distance in readers. We have, until this moment in the story, supported Elizabeth. But now, with Wickham's true character revealed, a seed of doubt is planted in our minds regarding Elizabeth's judgment. By using free indirect discourse throughout the novel, Austen is able to manipulate our feelings for Elizabeth. We veer between supporting her and, now, questioning her lack of discernment.

In the end, it is Darcy's honorable conduct that saves the day. He arranges Wickham and Lydia's marriage in order to preserve the Bennet familiy honor. Later, when Elizabeth's mother boasts about Lydia's marriage and ignores Darcy, Elizabeth is racked with shame, "misery," and "wretchedness." It is Darcy who saves the day, however, when he renews his marriage proposal to Elizabeth. Despite his pride, Darcy understands all that has actuated Elizabeth's own pride. Darcy's actions and Elizabeth's acceptance of his proposal demonstrates that pride and shame are two sides of the same coin and that honor is the only remedy for both.

For more, please refer to the link below and the source quoted. Hopefully, this helps you get started on discussing shame, honor, and pride in the story!

Source:

1) Shame, Pride and Prejudice: Jane Austen's Psychological Sophistication by Gordon Hirsch, Mosaic: An Interdisciplinary Critical Journal, Vol. 25, No. 1 (Winter 1992), pp. 63-78.