In Sense and Sensibility, Miss Elinor Dashwood and Miss Marianne Dashwood are daughters of Mrs. Dashwood. Elinor is the eldest daughter, and “she personifies the sense in the title of the work” while Marianne is the middle child, and she “personifies the sensibility in the title of the book” (Galens 123-124). Throughout the novel, these siblings contrast each other, and the extreme ends of their personalities become less severe by the final resolution of the story.
Elinor is consistently calm and collected on the outside. Though she may have a multitude of personal opinions, she is restrained in expressing strong emotions and opinions to those around her. Equally important, although she may disagree with another, she is open to listening to …show more content…
She is unrestrained in expressing her honest opinions and feelings, which can have both positive and negative effects on the people around her. For example, she can easily criticize Colonel Brandon and assert that “he has neither genius, taste, nor spirit” (Austen 48). Generally, she does not rely on the opinions of others, so she has no difficulty making such statements. Moreover, her opinions of people are very defined; thus, she is unlikely to change her opinion unless she witnesses a change firsthand. Truly, Marianne has a strong will. She can use this quality to protect herself and defend the people she loves, but she can also become wrongfully stubborn, which can leave her in despair if her expectations or plans fail. If a problem is presented to her, she may not be physically or mentally able to cope with the issue right away; also, if the problem involves a loved one, she is more ready to handle the situation for that particular person, but more effort is required of her, for she has to learn to control her emotions. A crucial conflict for Marianne is the betrayal of Willoughby. When Marianne and Willoughby first meet, Marianne thinks that Willoughby satisfies her idea of a perfect gentleman. She trusts his character to be good and declares that “of Willoughby [her] judgement has been formed,” which demonstrates her decisiveness (Austen 55). After Willoughby abruptly leaves Barton, she is upset, but she believes
Elinor is consistently calm and collected on the outside. Though she may have a multitude of personal opinions, she is restrained in expressing strong emotions and opinions to those around her. Equally important, although she may disagree with another, she is open to listening to …show more content…
She is unrestrained in expressing her honest opinions and feelings, which can have both positive and negative effects on the people around her. For example, she can easily criticize Colonel Brandon and assert that “he has neither genius, taste, nor spirit” (Austen 48). Generally, she does not rely on the opinions of others, so she has no difficulty making such statements. Moreover, her opinions of people are very defined; thus, she is unlikely to change her opinion unless she witnesses a change firsthand. Truly, Marianne has a strong will. She can use this quality to protect herself and defend the people she loves, but she can also become wrongfully stubborn, which can leave her in despair if her expectations or plans fail. If a problem is presented to her, she may not be physically or mentally able to cope with the issue right away; also, if the problem involves a loved one, she is more ready to handle the situation for that particular person, but more effort is required of her, for she has to learn to control her emotions. A crucial conflict for Marianne is the betrayal of Willoughby. When Marianne and Willoughby first meet, Marianne thinks that Willoughby satisfies her idea of a perfect gentleman. She trusts his character to be good and declares that “of Willoughby [her] judgement has been formed,” which demonstrates her decisiveness (Austen 55). After Willoughby abruptly leaves Barton, she is upset, but she believes