Discussion Topic
Major Themes and Conflicts in Sense and Sensibility
Summary:
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen explores the central conflict between sense (reason and self-control) and sensibility (emotion and passion). This conflict is embodied in the contrasting characters of Elinor, who represents sense, and Marianne, who embodies sensibility. Their differing approaches to love and life highlight themes of wealth versus poverty, passion versus reason, and marrying for love versus security. Social status and wealth also create external conflicts, affecting romantic relationships and marriage decisions. Ultimately, the novel argues for a balance between reason and emotion.
What are the main conflicts in Sense and Sensibility?
In literature there are two main types of conflict: internal (sometimes
called psychological) and external. In Sense and Sensibility, we see
both types of conflict at play.
External conflicts exist between characters such as Elinor and Edward, Elinor
and Lucy, Marianne and Colonel Brandon, and so on. Internal conflict is evident
within Elinor as she wrestles with the divide between her head and her heart,
so to speak.
Though social conflict is the primary framework Austen used, it can be argued that it is merely a front. Austen brilliantly used the constructs of her own society as a literary tool to highlight the theme and underlying conflict of her story, that is, the dichotomy of sense (what is felt) and sensibility (what ought to be felt as determined by logic). All other conflicts in the story emerge out of this primary conflict.
The first most obvious conflict is social conflict....
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People are judged based on wealth and social status and even marriage is determined by one's social ranking and wealth. Love is secondary. It can even be argued that the other conflicts in this story are all related or a result of this main conflict.
The conflicts that exemplify this social conflict are:
Marianne vs. Willoughby
Elinor vs. Lucy Steele
Edward vs. his mother
Wiloughby vs his aunt
Each of these above conflicts is stemmed from wealth and social status as a barrier to true love. Willoughby has a conflict with Marianne because he cannot marry her since she does not have enough money. He has a conflict with his aunt because he needs to act to her wishes because he needs her money. Elinor and Lucy have a conflict over who will get Edward and who has a greater stature with his mother to be approved for marriage. Edward has a conflict with his mother who will disown him if he does not marry the appropriate social/wealthy woman. All of these conflicts deal with marriage but not because of love, but rather the conflicts are based on money.
There is internal conflict which plagues Elinor throughout the novel. She struggles with hiding her own feelings and her opwn pain to protect her family - specifically her mother and sister. She constantly struggles with what she should keep to herself and when she should become involved in her sister's life.
What is the main theme or message in Sense and Sensibility?
As it is stated in the title, Sense and Sensibility illustrates the clash that occurs when emotions rule our common sense. Austen presents, in a variety of story lines, that romance and social expectations could be detrimental to individuals who allow themselves to be guided merely on these two parameters. Therefore, the story aims to demonstrate that love will always manifest itself the same way to everyone. However, only the strong would survive the "curve balls" that romance throws our way. In all, Sense and Sensibility is a study of how differently people react to the different manifestations of love.
Out several different story lines, one can definitely point out Elinor and Marianne as the ultimate representatives of sense (common sense) and sensibility (emotions), respectively.
Elinor has self-control, abides by social rules, and measures her emotional acumen. She does not allow complexity to ruin her poise. She even tolerates the likes of Lucy Steele and her engagement to Edward. She is stoic and analytical in every way.
Marianne, contrastingly, believes that romance is the essence of life. She transfers her emotional nature to her everyday existence. The result is that she ends up deceived, frustrated, and sick. Eventually, as she recovers her senses, she realizes the foolishness of not quite reading between the lines. In the end, she gets her emotions in check and opts for using her common sense to understand the veracity of the Colonel's intentions towards her.
In conclusion, Sense and Sensibility explores both sides of the spectrum: Common sense in love and emotional reaction. In the end, sense wins. However, Austen also leads us to understand that, in love, all is fair. It is up to us to determine to what point that is a possibility.
What is the major conflict in Sense and Sensibility?
The title of the book itself could be construed as representing the main conflict. Elinor is the Dashwood sister with "sense" in the story, whereas Marianne is, for the most part, a slave to her sensibility, or emotions. As well as her undivided attention, Marianne gives Willoughby a lock of her hair. The bestowal of something so intimate symbolizes the giving of Marianne's heart to her new beau. In the long run, however, once Marianne comes to her senses, she will find a suitable husband for herself instead of lavishing her attentions on the likes of Mr. Willoughby.
There are also a number of metaphors in the book which pertain to the sense versus sensibility conflict. A metaphor can be defined as a person, place, thing, or event that stands both for itself and for something beyond itself. In the scene where Mr. Willoughby assists Marianne after her accident, he's out hunting, and he's introduced to us as carrying a gun, with two pointers playing around him. Metaphorically speaking, Willoughby is hunting Marianne; she is his quarry. And just as a hunt's quarry ends up being put through a lot of pain and suffering, so too does poor Marianne suffer emotionally from her ill-advised involvement with the frightful Willoughby. In this particular case, sensibility prevails over sense.
As the title of the novel indicates, the major conflict is between sense and sensibility. By sense, Jane Austen means reason, logic and self-control. By sensibility, she means a heightened sensitivity to emotions and feelings. Each of the title characters represents an excess of one of these poles. Elinor displays "sense," and it is through her eyes that most of the novel's action unfolds. She is the oldest of the three sisters, rational, controlled and sensible to a degree that can appear unfeeling and which shuts others out of her emotional life. Her younger sister, Marianne, on the other hand, represents an excess of sensibility, wearing her emotions on her sleeve, in need of greater restraint and self-control as she rushes headlong into assuming Willoughby will marry her, despite the fact that neither of them has much money. Austen explores the damage that both too much sense and too much sensibility can cause, but because the book is told from Elinor's point of view, its critique of sensibility is the stronger of the two: Marianne's emotionalism is often rude and hurtful, and in the end she almost kills herself from her excessive reactions to events. These two character studies illustrate the importance of finding a middle ground between effusiveness and restraint, but most pointedly show the folly of self-centered emotionalism, both to oneself and to the larger world.
The conflict with the most scope and influence inSense and Sensibilityis wealth vs. poverty, because of its effects on so many relationships in the novel. This conflict finds its way into the Dashwood family, forcing them to find cheaper lodging after their father's death.
The wealth vs. poverty conflict also affects Edward's choice in whom he can marry, risking the wrath of his family were he to marry too 'low.' Willoughby and Marianne's relationship is also subject to the poverty vs. wealth conflict, as his decision to abandon Marianne comes from his need to procure a large dowry (after having been cut off from his inheritance). The main story line of the novel revolves around the idea of the penniless Dashwood sisters attempting to balance love and a sensible marriage without the advantage of a dowry.
What are the major themes in Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility?
As the title suggests, the primary theme of Sense and
Sensibility is the use of sense vs. sensibility. In
protest against the romantic literature of her day that
praised extreme emotionalism and focused on the needs and wants of self above
the common good or community, Jane Austen used Sense and Sensibility
as a warning to show just how dangerous violent, uncontrolled
emotions, or sensibilities, really are. Hence, Austen juxtaposes two sisters
with two different philosophies.
The eldest sister, Elinor, governs all of her choices and
actions with sense and even believes in controlling
her emotions. Her sensibleness and her ability to think calmly and
coolly make her an indispensable counselor for their mother. In contrast, while
Marianne also has sense and cleverness, she prefers to be
governed by her passionate emotions. As Austen describes,
Marianne is "eager in everything: her sorrows, her joys, could have no
moderation" (Ch. 1). Even Mrs. Dashwood has a tendency to think and act like
Marianne, and both encourage each other to be passionate about their emotions.
Hence, when during the course of the story, both sisters become equally
brokenhearted due to love, Elinor makes the conscious decision
to govern her emotions while Marianne violently gives
in to them, leading to a dangerous fever that nearly takes her
life.
Elinor argues that it was her duty to keep her emotions in control. For one
thing, she made a promise to Lucy to continue to keep her engagement to Edward
a secret. Not only that, Elinor knew just how much hearing of Edward's
engagement would upset Marianne and her mother; therefore, she was eager to
protect them by keeping them from finding out. Marianne, on the other hand,
feels it's her right to express her grief, even at the cost of hurting other
people. However, she soon understands that her philosophy about unguarded
emotion was wrong. She even understands that her behavior had been selfish and
had nearly cost her her life, as we see in her lines:
I saw that my own feelings had almost led me to the grave. My illness, I well knew, had been entirely brought on by myself by such negligence of my own health, as I had felt even at the time to be wrong. (Ch. 46)
Hence, we see that Austen is showing us that all things must be governed by sense, even one's sensibilities, or emotions, making sense vs. sensibility the main theme.
What is the main conflict of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility?
As the title suggests, Austen's main point in Sense and Sensibility
is to philosophize or moralize about two different perspectives or personality
types. Hence, since Austen uses two sisters to make her point, the main
conflict in the book is actually twofold. The
first main conflict in the story is between the two
sisters. Elinor rightly judges Marianne as being too irrationally
emotional, or relying too much on her sensibilities, while Marianne incorrectly
judges Elinor as having no heart. The second main conflict is
that Marianne finds herself in conflict with
herself because all of her romantic ideals lead her to not only fall
in love with a man of ignoble character but also to destroy herself, nearly
causing her death. Hence, the first main conflict is character vs.
self.
When Marianne first meets Willoughby, both
she and the reader believe that he is the ideal man. When
Marianne slips and falls, twisting her ankle, while walking through the downs
with Margaret, Willoughby appears out of nowhere in the rain and carries her
home safely. He is handsome, charming, and gallant. As Marianne phrases it,
"His person and air were equal to what her fancy had ever drawn for the hero of
a favourite story" (Ch. 9). However, we soon learn that his character is
actually far less than ideal. Not only is he extravagant, we later learn that
he is guilty of seducing and impregnating Colonel Brandon's charge, Eliza.
Marianne's heartbreak over Willoughby lead to a raging fever that nearly takes
her life, emphasizing the character vs. self conflict.
However, eventually Marianne realizes that, like her sister, she could have
born her heartache with more "fortitude"; she further realizes that her
passionate, uncontrolled feelings led her to be selfish and hurtful towards
others, especially Elinor. Marianne instead later resolves that "[her] feelings
shall be governed and [her] temper improved," leading to the resolution of the
conflict (Ch. 46).
Similarly to Marianne, Elinor also suffers a broken heart when
she learns that the man she has fallen in love with is secretly engaged to Lucy
Steele. However, unlike Marianne, she does not let others see the nature of her
sorrow, one reason being that she swore to Lucy that she would keep their
engagement a secret. Nonetheless, Elinor must remain the strong one. When
Marianne is crushed by Willoughby, Elinor must comfort her; when Marianne
learns of Edwards engagement, again, Elinor must comfort her. When Marianne
asks Elinor how she bore it all, Elinor explains that she would rather
selflessly spare anyone from knowing how she feels and making them feel equal
pain. Marianne believes that Elinor really didn't feel much for Edward. But as
Elinor argues:
Then, if I had not been bound to silence, perhaps nothing could have kept me entirely--not even what I owed to my dearest friends--from openly shewing that I was very unhappy. (Ch. 37)
Hence, we see that the nature of the character vs. character conflict between sisters is that Marianne believes she should be self-serving towards her emotions while Elinor believes that emotions should be controlled and that one must be selfless and pay attention to duty at all times. This conflict is resolved when Marianne sees the error of her ways.
What is the main theme in Sense and Sensibility?
Well, in any Austen novel the theme of courtship and marriage and the complex social negotiations that they represent is a good one to explore and think through. This excellent novel is all about Elinor and Marianne Dashwood and the vexing question of who will they marry. Yet their social position is one that reduces their possibilities of making a "good match" considerably, as is the case with a number of Austen's heroines. Likewise, the way in which the favour in which a suitor is received is directly related to the amount of wealth he has. This, of course, brings great sadness to both of the two protagonists. Willoughby discards Marianne, even though he did love her, because of his need for money and her lack of it. Mrs. Ferrars uses her power as matriarch to try and force her sons to make appropriate matches based on connections and wealth.
Note too the way in which Austen presents us with two different approaches to love and marriage through the sisters and how they manage courtship and the rejection that they both suffer. Throughout the novel, sense, in the person of Elinor's rational and practical approach to romance, is contrasted with sensibility, which of course is characterised by Marianne's flighty and impulsive passions. Austen seems to be presenting us with two opposites, and pointing towards the merits of approaching the problematic issue of love and marriage with a head full of sense rather than sensibility. Tellingly, at the end of the novel, Marianne herself recognises her own faults and adopts a more practical and down-to-earth approach, as exemplified in her marriage to the Colonel.