The Third Level of Inquiry: Rhetoric-Stage Reading

Do you sympathize with the characters? Which ones, and why?

Does the writer's technique give you a clue as to her "argument"- her take on the human condition?

Is the novel self-reflective?

Did the writer's times affect him?

Is there an arguement in this book? Do you agree?

Do you sympathize with the characters? Which ones, and why?
I sympathize with many of the (female) characters. Elizabeth is hard headed, independent, and driven. She desires to be respected as an individual, for her thoughts and needs, not just to be a wife.
There is also a part of me that sympathizes with Charlotte, who runs off to be married, when she is clearly not happy with her spouse, just so she has someone. Charlotte doesn't feel like she is as smart, as beautiful, as well off as most of her 'competition', so she settles for anyone. Her insecurities are heart breaking, as she just tries to find a place in her society.

Does the writer's technique give you a clue as to her "argument"- her take on the human condition?
Absoluetly. I believe that reading Austen's books, who she chooses as her heroin, how she portrays the battle of the classes, all gives us an idea of how she felt about the world she was living in, and her role as a woman.

Did the writer's times affect him?
See above

Is there an arguement in this book?
I think that it is easy to argue the points of class, roles of women, strenght of character, value of family and value of marriage. There are times through the book that I really identify with the main character, and there are also times when I just want to shake those girls. It is wonderful that time has changed some of these social issues, but as we have talked about through the chapters, it is frustrating to see the areas that haven't improved.

I sympathize will all the females of that time period. They really didn't have much of a life to stimulate themselves. Some of the women had to marry for position. That would be so hard to live with. That is also a big jesture to keep up the family's position of class.

i sympathized wiith elizabeth as well. for the same reasons as kelley mentined. i sympathized with jane for thinking what must be must be and feeling powerless to make a change for herself and let the male take the lead. and for Charlotte for feeling that to be an old maid would be the end of the world for her and for her family.
Ms. Austen allowed us to see that she felt change should be made in the way people think about the female roll in relationships and also in the way people of different classes view one another.