Chapters 23-36
1) I found Chapter 23 to be very interesting – what did you think of Elinor’s reaction to Lucy’s announcement? Did you find that her need to hear all the details to be believable and an appropriate reaction?
2) What did you think of Chapter 28’s story of the ill-fated party and the subsequent story of Marianne’s heartbreak?
3)What do you think of the character of Willoughby, and of his marriage decision?
4 Elinor’s chance meeting with her brother, John, raised several issues – her brother’s relationship with his wife, his thoughts on Colonel Brandon, and rumors of an engagement for Edward? What do you think of these issues?
5) Discuss the treatment of Elinor and Marianne by their sister-in-law, Fanny, and her mother, Mrs. Ferrars. Contrast it with their treatment of Lucy.
6) Anything that I’ve missed?
posted by Mimi @ 12/09/2010 11:57:00 AM
3 Comments
3 Comments:
1) In many ways, I think that Austen wrote Elinor to be a reflection of herself, and sort of the “everywoman” of her time (and of ours) – and one of the very real parts of her character is this need to know all the details. Maybe that’s just me, though, because I do identify with Elinor.
2) I thought that Marianne’s heartbreak was very, very realistic and was truly heartbreaking. The complete devastation that she felt was very realistic, although I know that others have mentioned that it went on a bit long, and I do agree with it. Having said that, the rawness of the original scene is really when Austen’s writing shines in this book.
3) Willoughby just kept getting worse. You could tell he was a rogue, but to add the way he treated Brandon’s ward, and then married for money was a bit overdone. Having said that, I do think that Marianne dodged a bullet by not marrying him.
4) I agree with others who indicate that Colonel Brandon would not have been a bad match for Elinor, but of course the love of her life is Edward. I think that John is definitely drawn as a weak man who cannot stand up to his wife, who increasingly dislikes Marianne and Elinor. I did laugh at the “bumping into” scene, though.
5) I thought that the increasing of affection between Fanny, Mrs. Ferrars, and Lucy was an interesting contrast to the decreasing of affection between the two Ferrars women and the the older two Dashwood girls. What I found interesting (spoiler alert) was that this affection was quickly dropped when they learned of Lucy’s engagement to Edward.
6) One thing that I found interesting in this novel was the frankness that Austen treated pregnancy - it seems that it was more directly addressed than any other novel of this era I’ve read.
Mimi, your response to 1 is very interesting - I identify with Elinor too, and would want to know the whole story however painful, but my first reaction would be much more like Marianne's! maybe not quite as noisy... and i certainly wouldn't have been able to sit there and analyze the situation while still carrying on a conversation. I admire Elinor but her self-control seems a little superhuman - I see her as more of an ideal than everywoman. I've posted answers again at http://pikku-myy.blogspot.com/2010/12/sense-and-sensibility-2.html
and Happy Jane Austen's 235th Birthday!
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