Sense and Sensibility 4

Although many people think that showing emotion is a bad trait for a person, the character of Marianne in Sense and Sensibility sets it in a good light.

When her sister Elinor is in love with Edward Ferrars, she is the first to note something bad about the well-thought-of Edward. She complains that he doesn't express any strong feelings and that he can read even the juiciest poetry unemotionally. Also she critisizes his lukwarm response to Elinor's drawings. The reader does not know what Edward is really thinking, but we have the assumption thus far that he is just too shy to express himself directly. We'll see if Marianne is right, but for now we'll have to respect her value of human emotion.