Tuesday 5 May 2009

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (reading activities)

This is a story about two different sisters. The older one is called Elinor and she represents sense, and the younger one is called Marianne, who represents sensibility.

Elinor is sensible, calm, clever and she hardly ever expresses her feelings. When Elinor finds out that Edward Ferrars, her secret true love, is engaged with another woman, she keeps her pain for herself. Behind her coldness, there is hidden sensibility and a big heart, which belongs to Edward.

Elinor is a generous person, too. She is nice, polite and everybody loves her. Elinor is the smartest in the family. She advises her mother and sisters to make some decisions. She takes care of them and we can see that when Marianne gets ill.

On the other hand, Marianne is sensitive, full of passionate and romantic feelings. She likes having fun and partying all night long. She cannot understand how Elinor can be so cold and not express her feelings.

Marianne believes that true love can only be felt by the young. When she meets Mr Willoughby, who is romantic and passionate just like her, she falls in love with him. The time that she spends with him is the most pleasant and romantic time she has ever had. When Mr Willoughby comes to Marianne to say goodbye to her, because he has to leave the town and Devonshire, Marianne reacts passionately and refuses to talk to him. Here we can see that she is different from Elinor who would probably stay calm at this.

There is also Colonel Brandon, a middle-aged man, who likes Marianne. Is he going to conquer Marianne’s heart?

I liked the book very much. The characters are very interesting and complicated people.


Ivana Grubišić, VIII2, May 2009