Student Question
What are the narrative structural elements in chapters 11 and 12 of Sense and Sensibility?
Quick answer:
Chapters 11 and 12 of Sense and Sensibility employ several narrative structural elements. First, the third-person limited narration focuses on Elinor, providing insight into her thoughts and conversations. Second, analepsis, or flashbacks, foreshadow future events, such as Colonel Brandon's warning about romantic ideals and Margaret's story of Willoughby taking Marianne's hair. Lastly, the hermeneutic code raises questions about characters' futures and relationships, enhancing suspense and thematic depth.
There are three narrative structural elements that we find in Jane Austen's
Chapter 11 and 12 of Sense and Sensibility. The first is one we find
all throughout the book and that is Austen's chosen narration style of
third-person limited. The narrator is omniscient, seeing and
knowing all, and therefore able to philosophize about all, however, it is
Elinor that the narration focuses on. We witness all of Elinor's scenes and
private conversations; we do not witness Marianne's. In Chapter 11, the
narration focuses on a conversation between Elinor and Colonel Brandon that
expresses one of the novel's central themes.
A second narration element Austen employs is analepsis , which refers to flashbacks to earlier points in the story. Although Austen uses analepses in a much more profound manner later on in the story, specifically when Colonel Brandon relays his story about his love Eliza and about...
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Willoughby seducing his charge, and again when Willoughby relays his own story pertaining to his feelings and other events, we do have a small analepsis in Chapter 11 and it foreshadows darker events to come. The analepsis takes place when Elinor and Colonel Brandon are conversing about Marianne's philosophies and lack of understanding. Colonel Brandon advises:
"when the romantic refinements of a young mind are obliged to give way, how frequently are they succeeded by such opinions as are but too common and too dangerous!"
He further explains:
"I speak from experience. I once knew a lady who in temper and mind greatly resembled your sister, who thought and judged like her, but who from an enforced change--from a series of unfortunate circumstances--."
All of his statements refer to Eliza and his story about loosing her and her
eventual fallen state, hence his statements are the beginning of a flashback.
Furthermore, since he is drawing a parallel between Eliza and Marianne, we can
sense that his statements foreshadow upcoming difficult times for
Marianne.
We see another analepsis in Chapter 12 when Margaret relays to Elinor the story
of her having witnessed Willoughby cut off a lock of Marianne's hair, kiss it,
and put it in his pocketbook. Again this flashback serves to foreshadow future
doom because if our heroine is guessing now about whether or not Marianne is
truly engaged to Willoughby, then surely everyone is being set up for a major
disappointment.
A third narration element Austen uses in Chapter 11 and 12 is referred to as
the hermeneutic code. It refers to plot elements that raise
questions for the reader. For instance, this serious conversation Elinor has
with Colonel Brandon raises questions. Since Marianne is so opposed to second
marriages, we wonder if Colonel Brandon will ever have a chance with her. We
also wonder if Marianne's philosophies are wrong. We also wonder if Colonel
Brandon may wind up with Elinor. Plus, by the time Colonel Brandon parallels
Marianne with his fallen Eliza, we wonder what will become of Marianne.