Sense and sensibility
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Just like its title, Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen cleverly uses the characters Elinor and Marianne to represent sense and sensibility respectively. This extract particularly shows a scene in which their differences and juxtaposition can be clearly noted with Marianne's sensibility and Elinor's sense. The tone and manner in which the two characters have in their conversations illustrate Jane Austen's brilliant style of contrasting the two sisters, and at the same time, sense and sensibility. This extract shows the two sisters at a ball, where they finally get to meet Willoughby after his long absence.
Jane Austen beautifully uses the reactions of the two sisters upon first seeing Willoughby as an illustration of their differences. This can be seen in lines 6-10. Upon noting Willoughby, Elinor manages to remain composed. She is even seen as to have "caught hold of her [Marianne]" (lines 9-10) when Marianne, being the emotional and passionate person she is characterised as, was seen as to have "moved towards him [Willoughby] instantly." This can also be seen in lines 24-26. Upon noticing Willoughby's obvious pretence towards them, Elinor was "unable to say a word" (line 25), while "the feelings of her sister [Marianne] were instantly expressed...