Sense and Sensibility

A detailed Summary of Sense and Sensibility

In the novel, Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen writes about many different characters. The male characters in the novel are interesting. Some characters are meant to be liked and some are meant to be disliked. Austen even develops some male characters to be ridiculed. Characters such as John Dashwood and Robert Ferrars are meant to be disliked and characters such as Sir John Middleton and Colonel Brandon are meant to be liked. Characters such as Edward Ferrars and John Willoughby are meant to be ridiculed by the reader. There are many different ways in which Jane Austen shows each character's merits and faults.

Early on in the novel, Austen portrays John Dashwood as a passive man. At first, he is almost pitied by the reader; but this is not the portrayal Austen wants the reader to have of John Dashwood. His wife controls him and Austen makes that very clear from the very beginning. Even though his wife does the controlling, she is not the one we ultimately dislike; he is. The first time the reader is introduced to his "true colors" is in chapter 2. John Dashwood is talking to his wife, Fanny, about giving the sisters of the Dashwood household money after their father has passed away. She do

On the contrary, Sir John Middleton is meant to be liked, if not loved by the reader. The author makes him out to be nothing but wonderful from the very beginning. He is generous and kind. He extends his welcome to people he hardly knows and goes out of his way to make the Dashwood family more comfortable. Austen describes his manners as "friendly as the stile of his letter" in chapter 6 (Austen, page 26). Everyone loves Sir John Middleton and this is not a coincidence. Even the young ones like him. The author gives numerous examples of his unending kindness and generosity. Austen convinces the reader, without a doubt, that Sir John Middleton is a man of honor and kindness by using such words as "gentleman" and "friendly manners" to describe him.

The last male character Austen goes into in any detail is Colonel Brandon. His is a kind and quiet man. He treats the Dashwood household with respect throughout the novel. Austen describes the scene in which the girls first meet Colonel Brandon in chapter 7. She says, "his face was not handsome, (but) his countenance was sensible, and his address was particularly gentlemanlike" (Austen, page 30). He is hopelessly in love with Marianne Dashwood. Marianne likes him, but does not take a real interest in him at the beginning.

ese character flaws Austen has created.

Another male character in the novel, John Willoughby, is also meant to be ridiculed. John Willoughby appears, at first, to be a handsome gentleman, but his character flaws are soon revealed. He

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Approximate Word count = 1033
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English