SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

Title: SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

Author: Jane Austen

Publisher: Penguin Readers READERS Level:3

Summary:

This is the story of two sisters, Elinor and Marianne.
At their father’s death, the two sisters move to Devon. They are very different. Elinor is thoughtful and has a good sense, whereas Marianne is romantic.

Elinor falls in love with Edward. He seems to like her too. Marianne enjoys her love life with Willoughby. Everyone thinks they will get married. However, one day everything suddenly changes. Edward is distant and Willoughby leaves for London. Both girls are very sad. Edward writes a letter to Elinor, which says that he is engaged to someone else.
The sisters go to London for the winter. Willoughby ignores Marianne at a dance, so she is devastated.

They learn that both men left them because of problems with money. They loved the girls, but their parents would not allow the marriage.
Marianne gets ill, and realises her sadness is killing her. She takes Elinor as an example and decides to be strong.
Edward is disinherited and asks Elinor to marry him. Meanwhile, Marianne marries a Colonel who is 25 years older than her.
(words 179)

Evaluation: stars 3

This is a love story. The contrast between the two sisters is interesting, and so is the ending of the story. Elinor, who was a sensible girl, marries the man she loves, whereas Marianne, the romantic girl, chooses to marry an old man she did not love at first. Love is an important topic of the story, but so is money. A long time ago in England, people were not free to decide who they were going to marry. Edward and Willoughby could not marry Elinor and Marianne. That is because they thought their parents would not allow it. It is very difficult to choose between money and love.
(words 109)