It is difficult for me to believe that one can fill 359 pages on the courtship of two girls. Austen might be old fashion, but she certainly made the characters come to life. I cannot say that any of the chapters is uninteresting.
Both Elinor and Marianne suffered heart breaks. The only difference is that Marianne's choice lacked constancy. At the threat of being disinherited, he quickly ran to marry the first available rich woman. Elinor suffered through months of knowing that her beloved's foolish early engagement definitely would jeopardize her own future happiness. Yet she was bound by a promise of secrecy not be able to appear unhappy.
The only twist in the plot is that Edward (Elinor's beloved) thought he loved Lucy. But Lucy was rather opportunistic and she tended to flatter her way into rich and conceited people's hearts. While Robert (Edward's younger brother) was trying to break Edward and Lucy's engagement, Lucy was able to worm her way into Robert's affections. When Robert and Lucy eloped and married away from all their kin, The way is opened for Edward and Elinor.
It takes all sorts to make the world! Heaven helps people like Edward and Elinor when the ample purse strings are held in the hands in selfish, mean-spirited folks like Edward's mother. I supposed blood is thicker than water, Austen was able to end the story with Edward and Elinor being given enough to live happily on by the dragon mother. Marianne caught an older but richer man. The two sisters lived in close proximity for the rest of their lives.
Comparing fiction with real life, no one can really claim that she can live happily ever after. Perhaps, one can claim that when the storms in life hit, the loving everlasting arm of our heavenly father would be there to support us. But no one is exempted from unexpected troubles.
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