Sense and Sensibility

Discussion Topic 1 Main Themes of Sense and Sensibility

• “Sense” vs. “Sensibility”
• Which one is more important?
• Balancing between these two

Discussion Topic 1 Main Themes of Sense and Sensibility

‘I know how badly I have behaved! My illness has given me time to think. I should never have been so in cautious in my behavior with Willoughby, and so impolite to other people. I know now that my own uncontrolled feelings caused my suffering……’ (p.82)

Then at nineteen, with feelings of only warm friendship and respect, she agreed to marry a man she had once considered dull, and far too old for marriage! ……

…… Marianne, who could never love by halves, came in time to love her husband as much as she had loved Willoughby. (p.87)

Discussion Topic 1 Main Themes of Sense and Sensibility

• Two Ways of Loving
• Moderate and Thoughtful
• Emotional and Passionate
• Is love really one of the two?

Discussion Topic 1 Main Themes of Sense and Sensibility

‘Like him! Respect him!’ she cried. ‘Oh, cold-hearted Elinor! Why should you be ashamed of expressing love?’ (p.9)

‘Your sister, I understand, dose not approve of second attachments’, ……

‘Her opinions are all romantic. She believes that we fall in love once only in our lives. But I hope that in a few years she will become more sensible.’ (P.24)

Discussion Topic 2 The 19th century Society Reflected by Sense and Sensibility

• The Satire Used in This Novel
• The sentimentality and the “dating game”
• Marianne, Willoughby, and Lucy
• The roles of women and the marriage
• Palmers, John and Fanny Dashwood, and Willoughby

Discussion Topic 2 The 19th century Society Reflected by Sense and Sensibility

Mrs Jennings was a widow, with a comfortable fortune. …… now had nothing to do but to marry off the rest of the world. She spent most of time planning weddings for all the young people she knew, and was remarkably quick at discovering attachments. (p.16)