feat_summary_path: finished_summaries/gradesaver/Sense and Sensibility/section_1_part_1.txt
feat_book_id: Sense and Sensibility.chapter 11
feat_summary_id: chapter 11
feat_summary: {"name": "Chapter 11", "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20210419170735/https://www.gradesaver.com/sense-and-sensibility/study-guide/summary-chapters-11-20", "summary": "Soon Mrs. Dashwood and the girls are busied with more engagements in the neighborhood than they could have expected. In all social engagements to which the Dashwoods are invited, Willoughby is invited as well; his attachment to Marianne continues to grow, though Elinor believes that they should be more restrained in showing their mutual regard publicly. Marianne is very happy in her relationship with Willoughby, and forgets her homesickness for Norland at last; Elinor is not nearly so content, since she misses Edward's company, and has found none better at Barton. Colonel Brandon is agreeable to her though, and they soon become friends.", "analysis": "The Colonel's past history is insinuated once again, through his own comments about disappointed love, and allusion to his own experience. His disappointment at being ignored by Marianne seems to parallel some past experience of his; and his comments about the tragic history of a girl he knew similar to Marianne foreshadows some misfortune that Marianne will come to because of her open, emotional nature. Once again, Elinor and Marianne are contrasted to what their differing reactions would be to this conversation with the Colonel. While Elinor decides to leave the delicate subject alone out of respect for the Colonel's privacy, Marianne would have concocted a history of romantic, thwarted love. Elinor perhaps tends to read too little into things, and Marianne too much; they are dramatic foils of each other in terms of views and behavior, each representing opposite extremes in terms of who they are and what they believe"}
text: 
  
  Little had Mrs. Dashwood or her daughters imagined when they first came
  into Devonshire, that so many engagements would arise to occupy their
  time as shortly presented themselves, or that they should have such
  frequent invitations and such constant visitors as to leave them little
  leisure for serious employment.  Yet such was the case.  When Marianne
  was recovered, the schemes of amusement at home and abroad, which Sir
  John had been previously forming, were put into execution.  The private
  balls at the park then began; and parties on the water were made and
  accomplished as often as a showery October would allow.  In every
  meeting of the kind Willoughby was included; and the ease and
  familiarity which naturally attended these parties were exactly
  calculated to give increasing intimacy to his acquaintance with the
  Dashwoods, to afford him opportunity of witnessing the excellencies of
  Marianne, of marking his animated admiration of her, and of receiving,
  in her behaviour to himself, the most pointed assurance of her
  affection.
  
  Elinor could not be surprised at their attachment.  She only wished
  that it were less openly shewn; and once or twice did venture to
  suggest the propriety of some self-command to Marianne.  But Marianne
  abhorred all concealment where no real disgrace could attend unreserve;
  and to aim at the restraint of sentiments which were not in themselves
  illaudable, appeared to her not merely an unnecessary effort, but a
  disgraceful subjection of reason to common-place and mistaken notions.
  Willoughby thought the same; and their behaviour at all times, was an
  illustration of their opinions.
  
  When he was present she had no eyes for any one else.  Every thing he
  did, was right.  Every thing he said, was clever.  If their evenings at
  the park were concluded with cards, he cheated himself and all the rest
  of the party to get her a good hand.  If dancing formed the amusement
  of the night, they were partners for half the time; and when obliged to
  separate for a couple of dances, were careful to stand together and
  scarcely spoke a word to any body else.  Such conduct made them of
  course most exceedingly laughed at; but ridicule could not shame, and
  seemed hardly to provoke them.
  
  Mrs. Dashwood entered into all their feelings with a warmth which left
  her no inclination for checking this excessive display of them.  To her
  it was but the natural consequence of a strong affection in a young and
  ardent mind.
  
  This was the season of happiness to Marianne.  Her heart was devoted to
  Willoughby, and the fond attachment to Norland, which she brought with
  her from Sussex, was more likely to be softened than she had thought it
  possible before, by the charms which his society bestowed on her
  present home.
  
  Elinor's happiness was not so great.  Her heart was not so much at
  ease, nor her satisfaction in their amusements so pure.  They afforded
  her no companion that could make amends for what she had left behind,
  nor that could teach her to think of Norland with less regret than
  ever.  Neither Lady Middleton nor Mrs. Jennings could supply to her the
  conversation she missed; although the latter was an everlasting talker,
  and from the first had regarded her with a kindness which ensured her a
  large share of her discourse.  She had already repeated her own history
  to Elinor three or four times; and had Elinor's memory been equal to
  her means of improvement, she might have known very early in their
  acquaintance all the particulars of Mr. Jennings's last illness, and
  what he said to his wife a few minutes before he died.  Lady Middleton
  was more agreeable than her mother only in being more silent.  Elinor
  needed little observation to perceive that her reserve was a mere
  calmness of manner with which sense had nothing to do.  Towards her
  husband and mother she was the same as to them; and intimacy was
  therefore neither to be looked for nor desired.  She had nothing to say
  one day that she had not said the day before.  Her insipidity was
  invariable, for even her spirits were always the same; and though she
  did not oppose the parties arranged by her husband, provided every
  thing were conducted in style and her two eldest children attended her,
  she never appeared to receive more enjoyment from them than she might
  have experienced in sitting at home;--and so little did her presence
  add to the pleasure of the others, by any share in their conversation,
  that they were sometimes only reminded of her being amongst them by her
  solicitude about her troublesome boys.
  
  In Colonel Brandon alone, of all her new acquaintance, did Elinor find
  a person who could in any degree claim the respect of abilities, excite
  the interest of friendship, or give pleasure as a companion.
  Willoughby was out of the question.  Her admiration and regard, even
  her sisterly regard, was all his own; but he was a lover; his
  attentions were wholly Marianne's, and a far less agreeable man might
  have been more generally pleasing.  Colonel Brandon, unfortunately for
  himself, had no such encouragement to think only of Marianne, and in
  conversing with Elinor he found the greatest consolation for the
  indifference of her sister.
  
  Elinor's compassion for him increased, as she had reason to suspect
  that the misery of disappointed love had already been known to him.
  This suspicion was given by some words which accidentally dropped from
  him one evening at the park, when they were sitting down together by
  mutual consent, while the others were dancing.  His eyes were fixed on
  Marianne, and, after a silence of some minutes, he said, with a faint
  smile, "Your sister, I understand, does not approve of second
  attachments."
  
  "No," replied Elinor, "her opinions are all romantic."
  
  "Or rather, as I believe, she considers them impossible to exist."
  
  "I believe she does.  But how she contrives it without reflecting on
  the character of her own father, who had himself two wives, I know not.
  A few years however will settle her opinions on the reasonable basis of
  common sense and observation; and then they may be more easy to define
  and to justify than they now are, by any body but herself."
  
  "This will probably be the case," he replied; "and yet there is
  something so amiable in the prejudices of a young mind, that one is
  sorry to see them give way to the reception of more general opinions."
  
  "I cannot agree with you there," said Elinor.  "There are
  inconveniences attending such feelings as Marianne's, which all the
  charms of enthusiasm and ignorance of the world cannot atone for.  Her
  systems have all the unfortunate tendency of setting propriety at
  nought; and a better acquaintance with the world is what I look forward
  to as her greatest possible advantage."
  
  After a short pause he resumed the conversation by saying,--
  
  "Does your sister make no distinction in her objections against a
  second attachment? or is it equally criminal in every body?  Are those
  who have been disappointed in their first choice, whether from the
  inconstancy of its object, or the perverseness of circumstances, to be
  equally indifferent during the rest of their lives?"
  
  "Upon my word, I am not acquainted with the minutiae of her principles.
  I only know that I never yet heard her admit any instance of a second
  attachment's being pardonable."
  
  "This," said he, "cannot hold; but a change, a total change of
  sentiments--No, no, do not desire it; for when the romantic refinements
  of a young mind are obliged to give way, how frequently are they
  succeeded by such opinions as are but too common, and too dangerous!  I
  speak from experience.  I once knew a lady who in temper and mind
  greatly resembled your sister, who thought and judged like her, but who
  from an inforced change--from a series of unfortunate circumstances"--
  Here he stopt suddenly; appeared to think that he had said too much,
  and by his countenance gave rise to conjectures, which might not
  otherwise have entered Elinor's head.  The lady would probably have
  passed without suspicion, had he not convinced Miss Dashwood that what
  concerned her ought not to escape his lips.  As it was, it required but
  a slight effort of fancy to connect his emotion with the tender
  recollection of past regard.  Elinor attempted no more.  But Marianne,
  in her place, would not have done so little.  The whole story would
  have been speedily formed under her active imagination; and every thing
  established in the most melancholy order of disastrous love.
  
  
  
feat_summary_name: Chapter 11
target: Soon Mrs. Dashwood and the girls are busied with more engagements in the neighborhood than they could have expected. In all social engagements to which the Dashwoods are invited, Willoughby is invited as well; his attachment to Marianne continues to grow, though Elinor believes that they should be more restrained in showing their mutual regard publicly. Marianne is very happy in her relationship with Willoughby, and forgets her homesickness for Norland at last; Elinor is not nearly so content, since she misses Edward's company, and has found none better at Barton. Colonel Brandon is agreeable to her though, and they soon become friends.
feat_summary_analysis: The Colonel's past history is insinuated once again, through his own comments about disappointed love, and allusion to his own experience. His disappointment at being ignored by Marianne seems to parallel some past experience of his; and his comments about the tragic history of a girl he knew similar to Marianne foreshadows some misfortune that Marianne will come to because of her open, emotional nature. Once again, Elinor and Marianne are contrasted to what their differing reactions would be to this conversation with the Colonel. While Elinor decides to leave the delicate subject alone out of respect for the Colonel's privacy, Marianne would have concocted a history of romantic, thwarted love. Elinor perhaps tends to read too little into things, and Marianne too much; they are dramatic foils of each other in terms of views and behavior, each representing opposite extremes in terms of who they are and what they believe