illustration of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood's faces

Sense and Sensibility

by Jane Austen

Start Free Trial

Student Question

How does the author reveal character information in Sense and Sensibility?

Quick answer:

In direct characterization, an author "tells" us about a character. In indirect characterization, the author "shows" what a character is like and keeps everyone else from doing the same. Indirect characterization is done through actions, thoughts, feelings, speech, etc. We can also see indirect characterization through how other characters react to and speak of one another. With this in mind, we can look at Marianne's reaction to Elinor's calmness in Ch. 37 as well as how other characters treat each other to help show both Elinor's and Marianne's characters in Sense and Sensibility.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

An author can create characterization through either direct or indirect characterization.

With direct characterization, the author comes right out and describes the character, usually in the narrative. We especially see an example of Austen using direct characterization in the opening chapter of Sense and Sensibility. Towards the end of the chapter, Austen devotes a few paragraphs to describing Elinor, Marianne, and even Mrs. Dashwood. She particularly describes Elinor as having "a strength of understanding, and coolness of judgement, which qualified her, though only nineteen, to be the counsellor of her mother" (Ch. 1). From this description, we see that Elinor is definitely the most sensible, most calm and collected character of the story.

An author can also create characterization through indirect characterization . Indirect characterization is when the author "shows" what a character is like rather than "tells" us about the character. An author can relay indirect...

Unlock
This Answer Now

Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.

Get 48 Hours Free Access

characterization through the things a character says and how the character speaks. Characterization can also be relayed through a character's thoughts, feelings, and actions. Also, even how other characters respond to the one character in question will tell us about the character. How the character effects other characters, what they think of that character, whether or not other characters like or dislike the character, all help show exactly what the character is like.
Austen's indirect characterization techniques are spread all throughout the book, but it can sometimes help to focus on one particular scene when analyzing characterization. One good scene for analyzing either Marianne's or Elinor's characterizations is the moment when Marianne learns of Edward's secret engagement. For example, we see that Marianne's response upon learning that Elinor has known of Edward's engagement for four months is to be absolutely shocked and bewildered by Elinor's actions. With her own broken heart, she absolutely cannot understand how Elinor could have been "so calm!--so cheerful!" and asks, "How have you been supported?" (Ch. 37). Marianne's initial reaction shows us that, despite their differences in philosophies, Marianne is capableofbeing influenced by her sister's actions. We also see in this scene that at first Marianne is incapable of believing that Elinor could have felt the same amount of love for Edward that she feels for Willoughby, but when Elinor explains her sense of duty, and that, had she not been sworn to secrecy, she could have shown just as much grief as Marianne is showing, Marianne feels absolutely ashamed, saying, "You have made me hate myself for ever.--How barbarous have I been to you!," showing us that Austen is characterizing Marianne as being capable of understanding, sense, reason, and selfless love, even though her drive to violently express her emotions makes her selfish at first.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

How do we learn about characters in Sense and Sensibility?

Sense and Sensibility is narrated by a third person omniscient narrator, but under the point of view of Elinor and how she would visualize the events in the story.

That being said, it is interesting to note how Austen has a penchant to always favor Elinor as her representative for "sense", while putting down Marianne and her tendency for being overly sensible.

Therefore, Austen is not impartial nor completely objective when it comes to describing her characters and their actions. There is indeed a partiality that tends to gear towards the character that mostly resembles Austen herself. In this case, it would be Elinor.

An example of this is the way in which Austen describes the sisters at the beginning of the novel. Notice how Marianne's youth and bubbly behavior are definitely brought up, only to be "toned down" by a more sophisticated and calibrated description of Elinor- even though Elinor is described first! That is how much more emphasis Austen placed on the character of Elinor.

  • Elinor, this eldest daughter whose advice was so effectual, possessed a strength of understanding, and coolness of judgment, which qualified her, though only nineteen, to be the counsellor of her mother, and enabled her frequently to counteract, to the advantage of them all, that eagerness of mind in Mrs. Dashwood which must generally have led to imprudence. She had an excellent heart; her disposition was affectionate, and her feelings were strong: but she knew how to govern them: it was a knowledge which her mother had yet to learn, and which one of her sisters had resolved never to be taught.

    Marianne's abilities were, in many respects, quite equal to Elinor's. She was sensible and clever; but eager in everything; her sorrows, her joys, could have no moderation. She was generous, amiable, interesting: she was everything but prudent. The resemblance between her and her mother was strikingly great.

  • Elinor saw, with concern, the excess of her sister's sensibility; but by Mrs. Dashwood it was valued and cherished.

In this example it is evident that Austen already has an issue with the character of Marianne ,who shines for its bright charisma, but is easily shut down and opaqued due to its lack of common sense.

Therefore, from the very beginning of the novel, we can actually see who is who: Those with sense will overcome all sensibilities.

Approved by eNotes Editorial