Tuesday 18 September 2018

Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility & Persuasion



4.JANE AUSTEN’S Sense and Sensibility & Persuasion 










1.Work in groups of 6 students
2. There will be about 6 groups in total so 3 groups should work on Sense and Sensibility and the remaining 3 in Persuasion.
3. Find  2 instances of:
A) Free Indirect Discourse  
B) Irony & Understatement
C) a relevant theme explored in the novels

4. As a group, you must justify your choices of extracts, i.e., why you think the extracts chosen are examples of FID, etc.
5.After you’ve written your post, please write the list of the group members.


DEADLINE: SAT. 29TH, SEPTEMBER13.00  

19 comments:

  1. BANEGAS, KATERINA - BORDA, MAILEN - CORTI, CAROLINA - MALAGUEÑO, GABRIEL - SOLARI DAIANA - SULIGOY, LUDMILA
    PERSUASION
    Free Indirect discourse. Page 63
    “For while she considered Louisa to be rather the favourite.”
    The writer is showing the thoughts of Anne in which she thinks that Captain Wentworth prefer Louisa rather than her.

    Page 20
    “He thought it a very degrading alliance; and Lady Russell though with more tempered and pardonable pride, received it as most unfortunate one.”
    The writer describes the thoughts of two characters firstly Sir Walter Elliot and then the ones of Lady Russell.

    Irony. Page 121
    “- A Mrs Smith. A widow Mrs Smith- and who was her husband? One of the five thousand Mr Smith whose names are to be met with everywhere . And what’s her attraction? That she is old and sickly- Upon my word, Miss Anne Elliot, you have the most extraordinary taste!”
    The writer use irony with the state of Mrs Smith, in order to do that another character ( Sir Walter) degrades the social class of Mrs Smith and her place in society. He also criticises Anne’s idea of missing the opportunity to go to dine with the nobility, so as to visit Mrs Smith.
    Page 4
    “Few women could think more of their personal appearance than he did; nor could the valet of any new-made lord be more delighted with the place he held in society. He considered the blessing of beauty as inferior only to the blessing of a baronetcy; and the Sir Walter Elliot, who united these gifts, was the constant object of his warmest respect and devotion.”
    In this case, Austen depicts irony by highlighting Sir Walter Elliot´s vanity comparing his excessive interest on his personal appearance more than a woman could do. It is difficult to think in a man who worries more for his appearance than women do.

    Understatement. Page 19
    “Sir Walter was not very wise, but still he had experience enough of the world to feel that a more objectionable tenant, in all essentials, than Admiral Croft bid fair to be, could hardly offer.”
    Jane Austen minimise the fact that Sir Walter is not very wise by saying that he had experience enough to deal with the tenant.

    Page 20:
    “Captain Wentworth had no fortune. He had been lucky in his profession.”
    Austen underestimates that Captain Wentworth had no fortune by saying that he had luck in his job.


    Theme: Class Rigidity and Social Mobility.
    In Persuasion, there are only two ways by which a character may improve their social class. The first is the Navy, by which men who doesn’t belong to the nobility could made a fortune and also occupy official post. For that reason Sir Walter dislikes the Navy “ The profession has its utility, but I should be sorry to see any friend of mine belonging to it.”(Austen 14). “First, as being the means of bringing persons of obscure birth into unde distinction, and raising men to honours which their fathers and grandfathers never dreamt of; and secondly, as it cuts up a man’s youth and vigour most horribly; a sailor grows old sooner than any other man; I observed it all my life” (Austen 15) A good example of a character who join the Navy is Captain Wentworth, who through the navy make a fortune. “ Captain Wentworth had no fortune”.(Austen 20)
    Austen in the novel illustrates how marriage is an agent of social change for both men and women. A good example of this is the marriage of Mary Elliot and Charles Musgroves. Sir Walter allows the marriage because Charles’ family is the second more important after the Elliots in the county.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You should have written the quotes this way: (Austen 20), i.e., the same way you acknowledge authors in a paper or in any academic paper.

      Delete
    2. Your first example of FID is incorrect but your second (Austen 20) is OK.
      IRONY: The first extract doesn't show irony because the character, Sir Walter, actually feels what he says (he's not pretending to feel it).The second one (Austen 4) is correct since it is Austen herself who is using IRONy to criticise Sir Walter.
      None of your last two extracts show instances of UNDERSTATEMENT, I'm afraid.
      The examples on THEME are OK.
      You've obtained a passing mark but you should copy and paste the correct examples on FID & Irony and Understatements written by your partners so that you understand the concept well for the final exam.

      Delete
  2. Jane Austen’s Sense and sensibility

    A) Free Indirect Discourse

    Free Indirect Discourse is a narrative style which represents the characters thought. It is typical from a third person narrative.

    Chapter 20, page 86: “…Elinor was again obliged to decline her invitation; and by changing the subject, put a stop to her entreaties. She thought it probable that, as they lived in the same country, Mrs Palmer might be able to give some more particular at account of Willoughby’s general characters than could be gathering from the Middletons’ partial acquaintance with him …”

    Chapter 23, page 107: “the card-table was then placed, and Elinor begun to wonder at herself for having ever entertained a hope of finding time for conversation at the Park.”

    We have chosen this examples as instances of Free Indirect Discourse as there are verbs which demonstrate what is happening in the characters’ mind.

    B) Irony & Understatement

    Irony is a humorous literary style that Austen used in order to describe the characters she dislikes.

    Chapter 34, page 175: “John Dashwood had not much to say for himself that was worth hearing...”
    The Irony in this quote is that since John Dashwood really enjoys talking about himself, the fact that this time he talks about something different make his conversation interesting.

    Chapter 49, page 287: “…poor Fanny had suffered agonies of sensibility…”
    This is another example of irony in which Fanny who is a selfish and snobbish person, and quiet insensitive, the author by saying “poor Fanny” is ironically showing how she suffer from feelings.

    Understatement is a form of irony to express something which means less than what is expected.

    Chapter 21, page 90: “…she saw their sashes untied, their hear pulled above their ears, their work-bags searched, and their knives and scissors stoles away, and felt no doubt of its being a reciprocal enjoyment…”

    They are at Lady Middleton’s house while Miss Steeles’ children were behaving in an unsuitable way. Middleton considers the behaviour of the children quiet good according to their age. But in fact the children were chivalrously playing until one of them get injured later in the novel.

    Chapter 34, page 178: “Do you not think they are something in Miss Morton’ style of painting, ma’am? She does paint most delightfully. How beautifully her last landscape is done!”
    “Beautifully indeed. But she does everything well.”

    This example of understatement express how Fanny is amazed by Elinor’s painting but Mrs Ferrars take for granted the fact that Elinor’s picture is as good as others things that she can do.

    C) Relevant theme explored in the novels

    Love and marriage:

    In the novel of Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility, marriage is based on wealth and status rather than true love. Most of the time, the ones who make the engagements between the different characters are their parents. Those engagements are made accordingly to the social class they belong to, families’ inheritance and education. Some of this arrangements were typically used by the lower class in order to climb the social ladder. This is the reason why female characters on the novel find marriage as an essential issue in order to guarantee a prosperous future.
    Although the main purpose of many of the characters is marriage for convenience, like the marriage of Willoughby with Miss Grey, it is not the case of the Dashwood’s sisters. Elinor and Marianne both marry for love without caring the lack of fortune of their husbands. Elinor and Edward ”…were brought together by mutual affection…” (Sense and Sensibility, 285). “…Marianne could never love by halves; and her whole heart become, in time, as much devoted to her husband, as it had once been to Willoughby.” (Sense and Sensibility, 294)

    Source: LitCharts
    https://www.litcharts.com/lit/sense-and-sensibility/characters/colonel-brandon

    Aguirre, Mailen. Mandel, Luciana. Montini, Cecilia. Quatrin, Paula. Vittori, Giuliana. Valiente, Micaela.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The extracts you've chosen to illustrate the concept of FID are OK.
      IRONY & UNDERSTATEMENT: The second extract about IRONY is particulary well-chosen.
      As regards UNDERSTATEMENT, let me make a correction, if I may: They're Laddy Middleton's children the ones who go through the Steeles' things.
      Your second extract on UNDERSTATEMENT is wrong. (Austen 178)
      Your exploration of the theme of "Marriage" is OK.
      You've got a passing mark.

      Delete
  3. GROUP: LODI, Malena; Tourn, Luisina; AGUIRRE, Natalí; VELAZQUEZ, Lionela; ALTAMIRANO, Leandro; LÓPEZ, Rodrigo.
    Novel: PERSUASION
    FREE INDIRECT DISCOURSE
    “He thought it a very degrading alliance; and Lady Russell, though with more tempered and pardonable pride, received it as a most unfortunate one.” (Austen 20)
    First, we have Sir Walter’s reaction to Captain Wentworth’s proposal to Anne Elliot, using the word “degrading” as he is used to valuing people by their “grade” or position in society. Besides, we have Lady Russell’s thoughts about the proposal, too; considering it, more calmly, as the least appropriate.
    Both reactions are due to the fact that Captain Wentworth had no worth/fortune to offer to Anne.
    “For a few moments her imagination and her heart were bewitched. The idea of becoming her mother had been; of having the precious name of ‘Lady Elliot’ first revived in herself; of being restored to Kellynch, calling it her home again, her home forever, was a charm which she could not immediately resist.” (Austen 123)
    This extract is written in Free Indirect Discourse, as the key words “imagination” and “idea” presume that we are inside her mind and are able to know how Anne feels about marrying Mr Elliot and therefore become Lady Elliot, just like her mother had been.

    IRONY & UNDERSTATEMENT
    “Be it know, then, that Sir Walter, like a good father (having met with one or two private disappointments in very reasonable applications), prided himself on remaining single for is dear daughter's sake. For one daughter, the eldest, he would really have given up anything, which he had not been very much tempted to do.” (Austen 4)
    The author use irony in this extract when she refers to Sir Walter Elliot as ‘’a good father’’, when she demonstrate through all the novel that he isn’t a good father at all. It is also said that he is proud of not have married again for his daughter’s sake, but the truth is that he wasn’t lucky at love since Lady Elliot’s death.


    “The real circumstances of this pathetic piece of family history were, that the Musgroves had had the ill fortune of a very troublesome, hopeless son; and the good fortune to lose him before he reached his twentieth year; that he had been sent to sea because he was stupid and unmanageable on shore; that he had been very little cared for at any time by his family, though quite as much as he deserved; seldom heard of, and scarcely at all regretted, when the intelligence of his death abroad had worked its way to Uppercross, two years before.
    He had, in fact, though his sisters were now doing all they could for him, by calling him ‘poor Richard,’ been nothing better than a thick-headed, unfeeling, unprofitable Dick Musgrove, who had never done anything to entitle himself to more than the abbreviation of his name, living or dead.” (Austen 38)
    “‘My brother,’ whispered one of the girls; ‘mamma is thinking of poor Richard.’ ‘Poor dear fellow!’ continued Mrs Musgrove; ‘he was grown so steady, and such an excellent correspondent, while he was under your care!” (Austen 51)

    Richard Musgrove had not been appreciated by his own family and was sent abroad. But knowing he is now deceased, his mother and sisters mourn him as if he was a really loved family member.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RELEVANT THEME EXPLORED IN THE NOVEL PERSUASION
      “Young and gentle as she was, it might yet have been possible to withstand her father's ill-will, though unsoftened by one kind word or look on the part of her sister; but Lady Russell, whom she had always loved and relied on, could not, with such steadiness of opinion, and such tenderness of manner, be continually advising her in vain. She was persuaded to believe the engagement a wrong thing -- indiscreet, improper, and hardly capable of success and not deserving it” (Austen 21)
      - Persuasion is one of the theme of major importance in Jane Austen’s novel Persuasion. The extract above portrayed the situation in which Anne Elliot, who actually is the heroine of this story, is influenced by her best friend Lady Russells. She firmly believe that her beloved Anne not only deserved a man of good fortune but also someone of her same social status. Although Russell is a kind-hearted and sensible woman, she has her personal prejudice against the poor people. Consequently, she advice Anne to dissolve her engagement to Captain Wentworth as he is considered to be of a lower social rank.

      Gender Inequality
      “Miss Hamilton had left school, had married not long afterwards, was said to have married a man of fortune, and this was all that Anne had known of her, till now that their governess’s account brought her situation forward in a more decided but very different form.
      She was a widow, and poor. Her husband had been extravagant; and at his death, about two years before, had left his affairs dreadfully involved. She had had difficulties of every sort to contend with, and in addition to these distresses, had been afflicted with a severe rheumatic fever, which finally settling in her legs, had made her for the present a cripple. She had come to bath on that account, and was now in lodgings near the hot baths living in a very humble way, unable even to afford herself the comfort of a servant, and of course almost excluded from society” (Austen 117-118)
      Gender Inequality is a theme deeply explored throughout the novel. In this case, the past and present of Miss Hamilton, or now Mrs. Smith, is contrasted. Being married to a wealthy man allowed her some degree of movement and rank within society. She had doors open towards stability, well-being and a promising future. But after her husband passed, with great debts on his name, she became a pariah; a widow with no possibilities of improving her situation dramatically, where Austen cleverly describes her as a diseased cripple.
      However, it was easier for men, they did have a chance to reverse their situation, by joining the Navy and working their way to higher status, or by re-marrying a woman from a wealthy family. Nevertheless, men would not be held in disdain as women sharing the same odds.

      Delete
    2. FID: in your first extract, what tells us that it is an instance of FID is the verb "thought" rather than the adjective "degrading." Both extracts are OK.
      IRONY & UNDERSTATEMENT: correct extracts.
      THEME: correct analysis and extracts.
      Well done, guys!

      Delete
  4. SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
    FREE INDIRECT DISCOURSE.
    Free Indirect Discourse is a narrative technique. The most important characteristic of this technique is that expresses the character’s thoughts, feelings and emotions. However, they are not preceded by introductory expressions. Such as Markers of space and time. (novelguide)
    -“Elinor could not now be made unhappy by this behaviour. A few months ago, it would have hurt her exceedingly; but it was not in Mrs. Ferrars’s power to distress her by it now; and the difference of her manners to the Miss Steeles - a difference which seemed purposely made to humble her more - only amused her.” (Austen 175)
    “‘All this,’ thought Elinor, ‘is very pretty; but it can impose upon neither of us’” (Austen 110)
    These extracts have been chosen as an example of free indirect discourse because of the marker of time “NOW” and because of the expression “THOUGHT” as they not only express the characters´ feelings and emotions but also they intensify them.
    IRONY
    Irony is one of the major narrative devices that Jane Austen uses in her novels. Irony creates a contrast between appearance and reality or between what we expect and what happens, or between what is said and what is really intended to be said. For instance, she uses irony to highlight social hypocrisy as well as matrimony and dating. (bachelorandmaster)
    “She vowed at first she would never trim me up a new bonnet, nor do anything else for me again, so long as she lived; but now she is quite come to, and we are as good friends as ever” (Austen, 205).
    Austen's ironic mode in Sense and Sensibility can be seen in the extract of Robert's marriage, to Lucy Steel. Mrs. Ferrers who has been opposed to receiving Lucy as a daughter-in-law. Robert, because of his concern about his family prestige, has been pleading with Lucy to withdraw her claim to marry Edward:-
    "Perhaps you mean - my brother - you mean Mrs. - Mrs. Robert Ferrars'.
    "Mrs. Robert Ferrars!' - was repeated by Marianne and her mother, in an accent of the utmost amazement; - and though Elinor could not speak, even her eyes were fixed on him with the same impatient wonder. He rose from his seat and walked to the window, apparently from not knowing what to do; took up a pair of scissors that lay there, and while spoiling both them and their sheath by cutting the latter to pieces as he spoke, said, in a hurried voice'. (Austen 278).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. FID: the extracts are correct.
      IRONY: None of the extracts chosen are instances of IRONY.

      Delete
  5. UNDERSTANDMENT.
    Understatement is a kind of irony in which what is stated is represented as less intense so that it sounds less important than it really is. (merriam-webster)
    “Then I rather suspect that my interest would do very little” (Austen 112)
    “She will be hardly be less hurt, I suppose, by Robert’s marrying Lucy than she would have been by marrying her” (Austen 283).
    THEMES
    Marriage
    Marriage place a key role throughout the novel. As it is known those women who remain single, occupy a lower position in society rather than men. That is to say, men were the ones who would inherit properties, titles, etc. it is believed that people not only married for love but also for money and social stability. However, this is not the case with the heroines of the novel, as they married for love. Nevertheless, Willoughby marries Miss Grey just for money.
    “Edward had two thousand pounds, and Elinor one, which, with Delaford living, was all that they could call their own; for it was impossible that Mrs. Dashwood should advance anything, and they were neither of them quite enough in love to think that three hundred and fifty pounds a year would supply them with the comforts of life (Austen 285, 286)”.
    Society and Strategy.
    Austen illustrates comedies of manner among her novels, by showing their usual commons, habits and manners of the English society in the 18th and 19th century. These manners can be seen in dances, dinners and different social meetings, in which all of them are governed by codes of behaviour, manners, and proper speaking. Such as the case of our heroine Elinor, who is constantly restraining her emotions such as the words she uses.
    “Elinor, the eldest daughter whose advice was so effectual, possessed a strength of understanding, and coolness of judgement, which qualify her, though only nineteen, to be the counsellor of her mother, and enable her infrequently to counteract, to the advantage of them all, that eagerness of mind ins Mrs Dashwood which must generally have left to imprudence” (Austen 4).


    Members: Ramirez, Micaela
    Segovia, Brian
    Ledesma, Emanuel
    Massin, Emanuel
    Moschen, Yamila
    Spesot, Mariel

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UNDERSTATEMENT: none of the extracts are correct.
      THEMES: correct.

      Delete
    2. You've obtained only a passing mark.

      Delete
  6. Members: Altamirano, Rocío; Bogado, Diego; Gómez, Paulina; Gómez; Laura; Mathieu, Giuliana.
    Novel: Persuasion.

    A) Free Indirect Discourse
    - "She would have liked to know how he felt as to a meeting. Perhaps indifference could exist under such circumstances. He must be either indifferent or unwilling. Had he wished ever to see her again, he need not to have waited till this time; he would have done what she could not but believe that in his place she should have done long ago, when events had been early giving him the independence which alone had been waiting." ( 44, 45)
    - "Lady Russell had only to listen composedly, and wish them happy; but internally her heart revelled in angry pleasure, in pleased contempt, that the man who at twenty-three had seemed to understand somewhat of the value of Anne Elliot, should, eight years afterwards, be charmed by Louisa Musgrove." (96)

    These two quotes from Persuasion are examples of Free Indirect Discourse because both make reference to the characters' thoughts and feelings. The use of expressions such as “she would have liked to know” in the first one and then “internally” in the second one indicate the internal process of the characters.

    B) Irony & Understatement
    - “The disgrace of his first marriage might, perhaps, as there was no reason to suppose it perpetuated by offspring, have been got over, had he not done worse; but he had, as by the accustomary intervention of kind friends they had been informed, spoken most disrespectfully of them all, most slightly and contemptuously of the very blood he belonged to, and the honorous which were hereafter to be his own”. (7)

    This quote of Persuasion is an example of irony, as Austen depicts the hypocrisy of Mr. Elliot. Austen starts by mentioning kind friends, so the reader would expect to find an example of Mr. Elliot’s good-nature, but instead she proceeds to talk about his unpleasant behavior, and the fact that he doesn’t mind gossiping about Sir Walter and Elizabeth.

    - “In the name of heaven, who is that old fellow?” said I, to a friend of mine who was standing near (Sir Basil Moreley). “Old fellow!” cried Sir Basil, “it is Admiral Baldwin.
    What do you take his age to be?” “ Sixty”, said I, “or perhaps sixty-two.”
    “Forty”, replied Sir Basil, “forty and no more.” Picture to yourselves my amazement; I shall not easily forget Admiral Baldwin. I’ve never saw quite so wretched and example of what a sea-faring life can do; but to a degree, I know it is the same with them all: they are all knocked about, and exposed to every climate, and every weather, till they are not fit to be seen. It is a pity they are not knocked on the head at once, before they reach Admiral Baldwin’s age”. (15)

    This extract is a clear example of both, understatement and irony. The former can be understood in the way Sir Walter makes Admiral Baldwin’s appearance seem less severe than it really is, arguing that the same happen to every sailor during sea-faring life. The latter is shown by Sir Walter´s obsessive concern about good-looks with the question: “In the name of heaven, who is that old fellow?”, also when he refers to Admiral Baldwin’s age by saying “sixty” “or perhaps sixty-two” and by using the phrase, “Picture to yourselves my amazement; I shall not easily forget Admiral Baldwin”. Through this example, Austen emphasises Sir Walter’s vanity making him appear ridiculous.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. C) a relevant theme explored in the novels: The Navy

      - “Yes; it is in two points offensive to me; I have two strong grounds of objection to it. First, as being the means of bringing persons of obscure birth into undue distinction, and raising men to honours which their fathers and grandfathers never dreamt of; and secondly, as it cuts up a man's youth and vigour most horribly; a sailor grows old sooner than any other man; I have observed it all my life. A man is in greater danger in the navy of being insulted by the rise of one whose father, his father might have disdained to speak to, and of becoming prematurely an object of disgust himself, than in any other line" (13)

      In Persuasion, Austen presents the navy as a mean of gaining distinction and fortune, allowing men of lower classes to climb the social ladder. Naval officers, through their hard work and dedication, excite admiration from most of the characters, particularly from women as they're considered desirable husbands. However, Sir Walter Elliot clearly feels threatened by their rise in society. His distinguished position stems from lineage and so he wishes to maintain the natural order of things.

      - "And I do assure you, ma'am," pursued Mrs Croft, "that nothing can exceed the accommodations of a man of war; I speak, you know, of the higher rates. When you come to a frigate, of course, you are more confined - though any reasonable woman may be perfectly happy in one of them; and I can safely say, that the happiest part of my life has been spent on board a ship. While we were together, you know, there was nothing to be feared. Thank God! I have always been blessed with excellent health, and no climate disagrees with me. A little disordered always the first twenty-four hours of going to sea, but never knew what sickness was afterwards. (...) as long as we could be together, nothing ever ailed me, and I never met with the smallest inconvenience." (51-52)

      Mrs. Croft depicts a contrast with the rest of the women in Persuasion and adds to the idea of domesticity in the Navy. She can’t bear being apart from her husband and so, has decided to take part in his lifestyle. Her praises of life on board and foreign countries offer a different, exciting perspective and place the profession in a new light, in comparison with Sir Walter’s declarations.

      Delete
    2. FID: correct examples.
      IRONY: the first example about Mr Elliot is correct, but not the second (Sir Walter).Sir Walter is not minimising the Admiral's appearance. On the contray, he actually believes this Admiral to be older than he really is because he DOES look old due to his exposure to the elements on the ship.
      THEME: correct analysis.
      You've obtained a passing mark.

      Delete
  7. SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

    Free Indirect Discourse (FDI): It is a narrative style used for the representation of spoken words or thoughts. It is used as a means of blurring the distinction between the voice and thoughts of the narrator and the vice and thoughts of their characters.
    “…while Marianne was looking with the most speaking tenderness, sometimes at Edward and sometimes at Elinor, regretting only that their delight in each other should be checked by Lucy's unwelcome presence…” (Austen 114)

    This example let us to know what is the wish of Marianne at that moment, whitout any words and just through her view.
    “This speech at first puzzled Mrs. Jennings exceedingly. Why Mr. Ferrars was to have been written to about it in such a hurry, she could not immediately comprehend. A few moments' reflection, however, produced a very happy idea, and she exclaimed;—“ (Austen 133)

    The second example depict the thoughts of Mrs. Jennings during the dialogue with Elinor, the things she wonder before she reply.

    Irony: is a literary technique that involves humour. Austen uses it to critique character or situation she dislike.
    “Elinor son allowed them credit for some kind of sense, when she saw with what constant and judicious attention they were making themselves agreeable to Lady Middleton. With her children they were in continual raptures, extolling their beauty, courting their notice, and humouring their whims; and such of their time as could be spared from the importunate demands which this politeness made on it, was spent in admiration of whatever her ladyship was doing, if she happened to be doing anything, or in taking patterns of some elegant new dress, in which her appearance the day before had thrown them into unceasing delight.” (Austen 58)

    The whole description of the behaviour of the young ladies is with irony, since Austen puts in evidence they are overacting and flattering to seem agreeable.

    "I certainly did not seek your confidence," said Elinor; "but you do me no more than justice in imagining that I may be depended on. Your secret is safe with me; but pardon me if I express some surprise at so unnecessary a communication. You must at least have felt that my being acquainted with it could not add to its safety." (Austen 63)

    Elinor’s comment is narrated with irony. By “so unnecessary a communication” Elinor shows us that what Lucy has said was just to annoy her instead of an act of confidence.



    Understatement: It is a figure of speech employed by writers or speakers to intentionally make a situation seem less important than it really is.

    “..Elinor well knew that the sweetest girls in the world were to be met with in every part of England, under every possible variation of form, face, temper and understanding.” (Austen 57)
    Elinor minimise the title of the sweetest girls in the world by saying that what made them special could be found in any girl in England.
    “..but in the other, who was not more than two or three and twenty, they acknowledged considerable beauty; her features were pretty, and she had a sharp quick eye, and a smartness of air, which though it did not give actual elegance or grace, gave distinction to her person.” (Austen 57)

    Lucy is pretty for Elinor and Marianne, but not “monstrous pretty” as John’s description.


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Theme: Sense and Sensibility

      In the novel of Jane Austen, one of the main theme is the contrast between the two sister’s personalities. As the title says, Elinor is Sense while Marianne is Sensibility. During the novel we see the different reactions both have in each situation, for Marianne it is impossible to control her feelings even if it plays against her and often exposes or leaves her in ridicule, ate the same time Elinor is very thoughtful and has control over her emotions, because for her reasoning is the most important thing. Finally we discover that both must learn to balance the “Sense” and the “Sensibility” of their lives to be happy and to triumph with true love. It Is good for the reader to reflect about his/her behaviour since everybody has a bit of Marianne and a bit of Elinor and to be able to bring out the best of both parts will lead us to a balanced, calm and successful life.

      Martinez Leisa.

      Delete
    2. FID: both examples are correct.
      IRONY & UNDERSTATEMENT: the first example is OK but not the second, which is just an instance of Elinor's sincerity: she actually feels what she says,namely, that Lucy needn't tell her those secrets since they're only acquaintances, they've just met ( and they're not best friends).
      Your example UNDERSTATEMENT is incorrect as well.
      THEME:correct analysis.
      You've got a passing mark.

      Delete

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