Sense and Sensibiltiy, by Jane Austen, is a novel about the Dashwood family, mainly sisters Elinor and Marianne. The novel starts out with Mr. Dashwood dying and leaving his fortune and land to his son, Mr. John Dashwood. Mr. John Dashwood promised his father on his death bed that he would take care of Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters. John Dashwood planned to follow through on this promise by giving the women enough money to live comfortably for the rest of their lives. Mrs. John Dashwood, however, talks him out of this and says that simply helping them find a new home would suffice to keep the promise he made. Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters find a relative, Sir John Middleton, that gives them their own small home for a fair price on his land and they make quick plans to move in. They are all sad to depart the land they have lived on for so long, but quite glad to be leaving the company of Mrs. John Dashwood. Marianne, always very emotional, says on their departure, "Oh! happy house, could you know what I suffer in now viewing you from this spot, from whence, perhaps, I may view you no more!"
The Dashwoods move into their new home and are welcomed by the Middletons. The Dashwoods meet a variety of people, including Colonel Brandon, who quickly falls in love with Marianne. Marianne, however, has no interest in him, calling him "grave and dull." She instead falls in love with John Willoughby. She has ups and downs with him as she realizes that he is not quite as great as he initially seems to be.
Elinor also has a love interest in a man named Edward Ferrers. He seems to love her too, but Elinor finds out that he has a secret engagement to another woman and he feels like he cannot break his promise to marry.
In the end, both girls marry to men that will give them happiness and financial stability, which are important to both of them.
1) If you were poor and had the option of marrying for love or money, which would you choose?
2) Both of these girls have a lot of pressure from the people around them to get married as soon as possible. Is that pressure still felt in today's society?
17 comments:
2-I don't think that the pressure to marry at a young age is felt in today's society due to the fact that the expectations of men and women have changed. Also there are multiple kinds of families today, such as divorced couples and single parents. This variety within couples allows the single man/woman to be acceptable within today's society.
I agree that there is not as much pressure to get married as there was in the past. I do think, though, that there is still a bit of pressure to conform to that normal, married life that is seen in movies and on television on a daily basis.
I know that if I had the choice, I would always choose love. If there's love you can do anything together and you can gain the money. It's a dumb idea to work backwards and hve the money and then try for love..that just doesn't make sense.
I think in today's society there is less pressure to get married.I think the pressure only really still exists for those young teens who become pregnant and end up with I child. I believe actually that it is the exact opposite and girls are encouraged to finish college and decide what they want to do with their lives before becoming too seriously involved with a boy.
Answering number 2, people in our modern day society still feel a lot of peer pressure. Whether it is among teenagers, children, or adults, everyone still struggles with some kind of pressure. Teenagers are pressured to drink and/or smoke at parties, yet adults have similar pressures as well. Some adults are pressured to do the same kind of things, whether it is being pressured to get married or even to drink just to relate to their friends and peers or just to fit in within society. Everybody wants to overcome society's pressures and be normal among their peers.
In todays society there is little if any pressure to marry soon. There is not the financial aspect behind it anymore so the pressure is gone. Also marry for love. Just having money may make you miserable for the rest of your life. I would much rather be happy like everyone else
1. Obviously, I would choose love. Of course, money would be a bonus but simply marrying someone because they have financial stability and for no other reason would be awful. There's no way you'd be truly happy.
1) I would choose love without a doubt. I would never marry anyone for their money. I feel that if you marry someone for money, you may be unhappy down the road once you figure out that you have no connection to the person at all.
2) Today there is little to no pressure of marrying as soon as possible. Many people wait until they are out of college and have their feet wet in a job. This is usually around 25.
1. i would marry for love. love is an emotion and is something special. not all people are able to experience love, but all people are able to make money. money is said to not make happiness, i believe this is incorrect because money does make me happy, but not the same way love can.
2.this pressure really isnt felt as much as it used to be. alot of people, man or woman, choose to live single lives regardless of what people around them say, the world is more free choice. unless you are in a strictly old school family or its religios or something.
1) If I were poor I would still marry for love. Although money would be nice to have I believe that life is about the pursuit of happiness. I will find more happiness in an emotional connection with someone as opposed to just having extra money. Some may be more happy with money but I feel that life is more than just your collection of material things.
1). If I was poor and had the choice between love and money I would choose love. Choosing money wouldn't make me happy, and I wouldn't be able to marry someone I didn't love. When your with someone you love, nothing else matters. I'd rather be poor but happy with the person I love, then rich and unhappy with someone I don't love.
1.I would choose love over money because marrying someone for the wrong reasons is only going to make you miserable in life. If your with the right person, it doesnt matter what kind of situation you are in, you can make it work and help each other out.
1. I would choose love because being with someone who I didn't like or love would make me unhappy. Happiness is far more important that money.
2. Girls don't have pressure to get married at an early age today. I personally don't feel the pressure to get married at all. If something, like marriage, comes along, then cool. If not, then it's still fine. No one's going to ostracize you or anything.
1. I would choose love because being with someone who I didn't like or love would make me unhappy. Happiness is far more important that money.
2. Girls don't have pressure to get married at an early age today. I personally don't feel the pressure to get married at all. If something, like marriage, comes along, then cool. If not, then it's still fine. No one's going to ostracize you or anything.
Whether I am poor or wealthy, I will NEVER marry someone for just their money. Love is more important. Yes, yes, yes, money would be nice. But I couldn't live with someone if I did not love them. If the person I marry happens to be wealthy... well... that's just jackpot right there! :D
1. Love always comes first, then money. No matter what. Today, a marriage based on money can never work, especially because even some based on love don't even work out in the end.
2. No, today people are deciding more and more to not get married because so many people end up getting divorced its a lot easier to just live together and whatnot.
I agree with the majority of the comments on here, in that love should always come before money, because love will make you happy, and money cannot always do that. Also, I think that the second question is quite arguable on both sides. Although many pressures are now to get a good job and be successful financially, I also think that the pressure is still there to get married and be in a family.
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