My Jumbled Thoughts on - Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Welcome to 7 Weeks of Jane Austen Ladies and Gentlemen.

To begin this weeks festivities based around all things Sense and Sensibility lets talk about the original novel.

'The more I know of the world, the more am I convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love. I require so much!'

Marianne Dashwood wears her heart on her sleeve, and when she falls in love with the dashing but unsuitable John Willoughby she ignores her sister Elinor's warning that her impulsive behaviour leaves her open to gossip and innuendo. Meanwhile Elinor, always sensitive to social convention, is struggling to conceal her own romantic disappointment, even from those closest to her. Through their parallel experience of love—and its threatened loss—the sisters learn that sense must mix with sensibility if they are to find personal happiness in a society where status and money govern the rules of love.


In all honesty Sense and Sensibility isn't my favourite Jane Austen novel, which probably made it a really bad choice to kick start 7 Week of Austen. But hey, ho.


I find it to be filled with some of the most annoying but then some of the most nice characters of Austen's literature but then on the other side of the spectrum (OK I admit it, the shallower side) I don't like it because not enough focus is given to my favourite pairing in the novel.


I am a Brandon/Marianne fan girl. And there is hardly any time given to them. It is very much one of those relationships that goes on behind the scenes. All of the on-screen stuff being given to Elinor and Edward (who I am not too keen on - but I will go into that later) and Marianne and the not so Honorable Willoughby.


Despite her sometimes rude manner (which comes from being a little too straight forward rather from the desire to hurt) Mrs Jennings is my favourite character. Bacause she reminds me of me a little bit although I am not so forward in my thoughts as she is I more often than not say things too loudly that the whole room will hear.


Despite her selfishness (which makes me want to shake her a bit) I cannot hep but like Marianne (again more on that later) but my heart goes out more to Elinor for what she has to go through both within her family and outside of it. The reality of it is heart breaking I think.