Some thoughts on Sense and Sensibility Volume One

So I have been reading Jane Austen's first novel for quite sometime, Sense and Sensibility. As I have seen several film adaptions of it over the years, this is a story I have liked for a very longtime.
  Austen wrote many books including a book of prayer. A daughter of an Anglican minister, Jane Austen was a high church member of the church of England. Many have reflected on the fact that her stories make little reference to the historical situations going on in the world during her novels.
Another reason I like Austen, is because of her influence on Sir Walter Scott, author of Ivanhoe. Despite the fact that Scott admired her works, she did not feel the same of him personally. In fact I
suspect some jealousy there.

 ''Walter Scott has no business to write novels, especially good ones. It is not fair. He has fame and profit enough as a poet, and should not be taking the bread out of other people's mouths. I do not like him, and do not mean to like Waverly if I can help it, but fear I must. '' -Jane Austen, letter, 1814.

Anyhow it actually took Austen sixteen years to get the book published. Austen was not at all a Feminist, at least not as how people see the word with it's meaning today. Her books actually support patriarchy, and I think it is important for modern readers to understand that.
 The first volume of the novel, Sense and Sensibility largely concentrates on the misfortunes of the Dashwoood family. Mrs. Dashwood's husband, Mr. Henry Dashwood,  has just died, and her daughter in law, Fanny Dashwood, is not generous to her in laws. In those days after all if a father died, none of his chief inheritance would go to his wife or daughters. Mr. Dashwood's son only feels a little pity for his mother and three sisters, as his wife thinks only of herself.
 Before leaving, Elinor comes acquainted with Edward Ferrars, brother to Fanny Dashwood. Edward takes interest in Elinor from early in the novel, yet always seems reserved about it.
 Mrs. Dashwood has three daughters, Elinor, the Sense of the Story, Marianne the Sensibility of it, and Marguerite, a largely non-involved adolescent character with little of herself in the main events of the story.
 Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters are forced to move to a small cottage in Devonshire. There they meet some friends of little importance before the dashing John Willoughby comes around. Willoughby comes in at the right time and right place, to a desperate Marianne, who is bored with their current lifestyle in the new life they are experiencing at Devonshire.
Also, at their new home is Colonel Brandon, a soft and quiet figure that is mocked by Marianne and Willoughby for being boring. Elinor feels of Colonel Brandon's feelings for her younger sister, a match never seen in the eyes of Marianne, who is obsessed with every moment with the arrival of Willoughby. Colonel Brandon has to leave her only, for a task that is not yet disclosed in Volume 1.
 While Marianne and Marguerite are outside in a storm, Marianne hurts one of her feet by a fall from a hillside. This is when Willougby comes in, who carries Marianne back to her home in Devonshire.
 Willoughby never gives Marianne the slightest reason that he will marry her before he departs. But she insist when he returns that he will marry her, and mourns herself daily to be away from his company.

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 Near the end of the first volume, Elinor encounters a certain charming and lying Lucy. Lucy, leads on to Elinor, that Edward has in fact been engaged to her for quite sometime, and knows how to make her story look entirely true.
 The first volume thus ends with much mystery of certain characters, and the suspense of who among these characters are really as they outwardly portray themselves.
 Sense and Sensibility is one of my favorite novels. I find Austin's writing quick and pure in tone, yet with the beauty of the slowness that a story needs to get where it needs to be. I love all the characters, and find it interesting that the first volume shows the story largely from Elinor's perspective.
 I have always liked the Dashwood family from the film adaptions I have seen. The Dashwoods I find to have a more developed family relationship than Austen shows in other novels.
 I think Sense and Sensability is Austen's greatest work.   Though I'm sure many of her loyal fans will disagree with me on that!