What is the purpose of pride?

In life, as in literature, the emotion of pride can be positive-- we have all achieved something and been proud of what we accomplished. But it can also be negative, causing a person to think they are superior to others, or causing that person to act in ways that demean, or making it difficult for the person to admit a fault or a mistake for fear of looking foolish. The old proverb about "pride goes before a fall" means that if we are too proud and refuse to acknowledge and correct our mistakes, it will have bad consequences. It is a common plot in literature that a character's pride causes them to suffer a downfall, such as losing the person they love or losing social standing.