Sense And Sensibility Essay, Research Paper

In Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility

the title is a metaphor for the two main characters. Marianne who represents

Sensibility, and Elinor who represents Sense.

We find out early on that Elinor does not

share her feelings. When Edward comes into the story there is an immediate

attraction. Elinor tells no one of her feelings. It is just assumed that

they are meant for each other. When Edward has to leave Elinor does not

say anything. Edward does promise he will come down to there cottage and

deliver an atlas for Margaret. When the atlas comes and not Edward, the

only one who ends up crying is Margaret and not Elinor. We do learn however

that Elinor can get emotional. While Marianne was playing the piano after

they had moved to the cottage, Elinor starts to cry as she listens. She

said the song was her late fathers favorite. Later on in the story when

Elinor and Marianne are in London, Marianne continually gets on to Elinor

for not sharing her feelings. Elinor finally shows her emotions when she

tells Marianne she did have a broken heart, after she found out Edward

had a fiancé. When Elinor did find out about Lucy Steele she did

not even tell lucy of her feelings to try to break them up. That is what

I would have done. Elinor would definitely represent sense. She keeps things

to herself. I think because she thinks if she does she will not end up

getting hurt to bad, like Marianne ends up doing.

Marianne on the other hand is Sensibility.

She follows her heart. She does not let anything come in her way of showing

her emotions. When she first meet Colonel Brandon, you could tell the Colonel

was in love at first sight. Marianne showed very easily that she was not

interested. However, when Marianne meets Willoughby it was like a hero

rescuing his princess. They fall in love with each other. Marianne does

not hide her emotions to anyone about Willoughby. However in the society

that they were in Willoughby did not think he could marry Marianne because

of the society class. In the end this almost kills Marianne. As Marianne

realizes that the Colonel has always been there she falls in love with

him.

The story ends with Elinor marring Edward,

and Marianne marring The Colonel. I do not think there is anything wrong

with there personalities. Some people hide there feelings, and so make

it easy to know how they feel. I do not fault either character for there

personality, both are unique.