Lone Star College-Kingwood Library

Assignment Guide

Sense and Sensibility
by Jane Austen

Born - Steventon, England on December 16,1775
Died - Winchester, England on July 18, 1817
 

Jane Austen was the seventh of eight children born to the rector of the parish at Steventon, England.   Despite being neither wealthy nor noble, Reverend Austen had a keen interest in education, even for his daughters.  Although her novels focused on courtship and marriage, Jane Austen never married.  Jane Austen's first published novel was Sense and Sensibility in 1811.  It was printed anonymously with "By a Lady" on the title page, enabling Austen to keep her privacy and her femininity in the eyes of society.  The text originally was a series of letters between two sisters, but evolved into novel form. The sisters represent Sense (possessed by Elinor) contrasted with Sensibility (possessed by Marianne).

To learn more about the author and her times, watch Jane Austen and Sense and Sensibility by Becky Bradley (2 min, 43 sec; requires QuickTime. Note: this may take a few minutes to load.)

Main Characters

• Elinor Dashwood -  a nineteen year old woman of sense
• Marianne Dashwood -  her seventeen year old sister with sensibility
• John Dashwood -  her greedy brother, heir to the Norland estate
• Fanny Dashwood - John's selfish and manipulative wife
• Edward Ferrars -  Fanny's sensible older brother
• Sir John Middleton - a jovial but vulgar Dashwood relation
• Colonel Brandon - Sir John's honorable friend
• John Willoughby - deceives Marianne who loves him
• Lucy Steele - in love with Edward
• Robert Ferrars - conceited younger brother of Edward and Fanny

Plot

In this comedy of manners, it is evident that Jane Austen clearly admires individuals with sense.  Trusting her senses, Marianne Dashwood falls hopelessly in love with a dashing man who is in fact deceitful.  In contrast, sister Elinor sensibly evaluates her opinions of men and romance.  The sisters' stories along with the moral issues that surface comprise a romantic novel in a setting where money matters.

Setting 

Nineteenth-century England

Topics

• money/inheritance
• role of women
• expectations vs. reality
• marriage and courtship
• sense
• sensibility, or passion, and romanticism
• social classes and hierarchies

Books:

Search for literary criticism by typing Jane Austen or Sense and Sensibility in the subject search in the library catalogue.

Reference Books

REF PN3385 .N68 (v. 18) - Novels for Students - available as an ebook on your computer as well as in standard book form. Look for it in the library catalog to find the link into the ebook, or use this call number to locate it on the library shelf. Other electronic reference books can be found in the Gale Virtual Reference Collection.

REF PN761.N5   (v.  1, 81) Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism - also contains excerpts from previously published scholarly articles

REF PN50.L574 (v 1.1) Literature and Its Times - places the novel in the time period it was written.

Circulating Books

PR4036.H35 Jane and her gentlemen : Jane Austen and the men in her life and novels -  Includes chronology of Austen's life  and Austen family tree

PR4034.S4 Readings on Jane Austen - criticism, interpretation and history

PR4034.S43P47 Reshaping the sexes in Sense and Sensibility  -  explores men women relationships in literature

PR4034.S4  Sense and Sensibility - authoritative text, historical contexts, criticism / Jane Austen

Databases:

The best way to find journal articles is to search an appropriate database.  Lone Star College-Kingwood students may search most of our recommended databases from any computer.  Your password is your library card bar code number.

MLA International Bibliography 

Comprehensive index to articles in books and journals.  Not full text.

Literature Resource Center 

Includes articles from Contemporary Literature Criticism, Dictionary of Literary Biography, and Twayne's Masterworks books, as well as some full text journal articles.

Proquest Research Library

This index to journal articles includes some full text and some older articles you may not find elsewhere. Limit to "Scholarly journals, including peer reviewed" to find only appropriate scholarly journals.

Academic Search Complete  

Index to journals articles, some full text.  While similar to Proquest, it may have different articles. Limit to "scholarly (peer reviewed) journals" to find articles from appropriate journals.

Project MUSE

This database contains only scholarly, full-text articles from selected journals, including more recent issues. Use the Advanced Search page for the most effective searches.

JSTOR Arts & Sciences

Search or browse the complete back issues for scholarly journals in literature, economics, history, social sciences, science and mathematics. The most current issue available is determined by publisher agreements and varies.

Internet:

Librarian Talk about the Internet! The internet can be a wonderful source of original documents. Browse the sites we have suggested below. Remember, you do want to find reputable sites. Look at: Accuracy - The information should be researched and show proof of that research.  Source - Look at the domain:  .edu   .gov   .org  .net are valid research sources. Your company's website is also a valuable resource. Authority - What are the author's credentials? (Don't quote from another college freshman's paper.) Coverage - Does the page have the information you need for your research? Objectivity - If a work is biased, use it - just make sure your professor knows YOU know. Offer both sides of issues, where applicable.  More about finding internet sources (25 sec.)

Although most of your resources will be found in books and databases, the Internet can be a useful source for research about Jane Austen and Sense and Sensibility.  Evaluate Internet sites for quality, scholarly level, author and validity before using them as resources for your paper.

 Jane Austen Info Page - gain bibliographic information, e-texts to her six novels and minor works, and brief discussions of each work.

 

  Austen.com - this site offers information about the author and her work.

 The Jane Austen Homepage - summaries of books, essays and links to literary sites.

Support: Putting it all together

Citing Sources Using the Library MLA Style Guide | LSC-Kingwood library guide. Examples of both paper and electronic
citations.

Avoiding Plagiarism  | Excellent information and guide on how to avoid plagiarism from the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University.

University of Texas Copyright Crash Course | This helpful guide on copyright is suggested by Lone Star College-Kingwood Teaching and Learning Center.

The Learning Center | Many services including tutoring for Lone Star College-Kingwood students.

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Page written by Susan Schilling, Librarian;  7/02.  Revised 6/08, SS.