Sense and Sensibility Read-Along | Vol. II Discussion

Hey, readers and friends. It’s our second discussion for the Sense and Sensibility read-along and this week we’re all about Volume II. This is a full volume and Amber has posed some interesting questions, so let’s get to it!

Favorite Quotes

“Marianne’s joy was almost a degree beyond happiness, so great was the perturbation of her spirits and her impatience to be gone. Her unwillingness to quit her mother was her only restorative to calmness; and at the moment of parting, her grief on that score was excessive. Her mother’s affliction was hardly less, and Elinor was the only one of the three, who seemed to consider the separation as anything short of eternal.”

“‘Have you no comfort? No friends? Is your loss such as leaves no opening for consolation? Much as you suffer now think of what you would have suffered if the discovery of his character had been delayed to a later period- if your engagement had been carried on for months, as it might have been, before he chose to put an end to it.’”

“Elinor could have given her [Lucy] immediate relief by suggesting the possibility of its being Miss Morton’s mother, rather than her own, whom they were about to behold; but instead of doing that, she assured her, and with great sincerity, that she did pity her- to the utter amazement of Lucy, who, though really uncomfortable herself, hoped at least to be an object of irrepressible envy to Elinor.”

“‘This is admiration of a very particular kind!- what is Miss Morton to us?- who knows, or who cares, for her?- it is Elinor of who WE think and speak.’”

And so saying, she [Marianne] took the screen out of her sister-in-law’s hands, to admire them herself as they ought to be admired.

General Impressions

Much has taken place in this volume. We’ve seen Elinor and Marianne travel to London with Mrs. Jennings, where Marianne’s dearest wish is to spend time with Willoughby. When this does not take place, Marianne is heartbroken and her spirits are further depressed when she learns the reason why Willoughby has ignored her. I must admit, Marianne’s reaction to the revelation about Willoughby is a bit annoying. Knowing Willoughby’s character, I don’t see this as a great loss for Marianne; in fact, I agree with Elinor in that it was better that she found out the truth now rather than later when things were even more serious. I don’t think I would have handled Marianne’s outbursts as well as Elinor did. And I don’t care for becoming more acquainted with the Miss Steeles, nor with Mrs. Dashwood. They’re such catty characters and seem altogether miserable to me.

Discussion Questions

Which scene in Volume II tugged on your emotions the most, either positively or negatively? (Was it Willoughby’s letter? Colonel Brandon’s revelation? Edward’s arrival? Or some other moment?)

I think the scene from this volume that stands out the most to me is the one in which the quote I featured above takes place; where Mrs. Ferrars and Mrs. Dashwood are discussing the screens. I love that even though Marianne was still very upset (and rather feeling sorry for herself, I might add) she was able to put it aside and stand up for her sister. While her reaction may have been a bit much, it was touching and speaks to the relationship between her and Elinor. Even though they’re so very different from one another, they’re still close and would do anything for one another.

Imagine yourself in Elinor’s shoes for this trip to London. Do you think you would have responded the same or differently to Marianne’s situation and Lucy’s company?

I think I would have lost my patience with both of them. I know a broken heart is hard to deal with, but Marianne just takes it to a whole other level. And Willoughby isn’t worth it in the least! I do know that when certain events later occur, I would be terribly worried and stressed out having to care for a sister without the help of my mother. And Lucy just grows more annoying with each encounter Elinor has with her. Granted, I probably would have been like Elinor and kept my thoughts to myself, but I definitely would be seething on the inside.

And thus concludes Volume II of Sense and Sensibility. Looking forward to wrapping up the book next week (how can this read-along already be coming to a close!?) and chatting about it with you all. What are your thoughts on this volume of Miss Jane Austen’s classic?

-Miranda Atchley