January 2010 Host: Jennie

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

Summary

This is the story of Fanny Price, as a young child, Fanny is removed from her own impoverished home to live with a more well to do aunt. Fanny is a quiet and passive child and is at first, very homesick. She is living with her aunt and uncle and four cousins, Tom, Maria, and Julia simply tolerate her while Edmund, the youngest cousin, is kind to her and they become very close. Fanny’s second aunt, Mrs. Norris, is critical of Fanny and takes every opportunity to make Fanny aware of her lesser social standing. Fanny eventually grows into a woman with a very clear sense of what is right and wrong and one instance of this is her spurning a rich, but unwelcome suitor who in the past had outrageously flirted with her cousins. As in other Austen novels, this work explores the interrelationships of love, marriage, money, and social stature in nineteenth century England.

Discussion


-This is probably Jane Austen’s least favorite works, only two of us actually finished the novel. This is in part due to the nature of the main character Fanny, she is very passive and different from Austen’s other stronger female characters in her other novels. An introverted protagonist is not Austen’s usual fare. The reading was at times difficult and confusing. The first part of the book was slow reading but fortunately, the last half picked up.

- There is no moral stigma attached to the fact that one of the main characters, Sir Thomas, is a slave trader.

-The two of us that finished the book enjoyed it, especially after the first half. Although it is more serious then her other novels, I would recommend this book as anything by Jane Austen is worth reading and I know that this is a book that I will always remember. The character development was elaborate and very well done.

-There were some lines in the book where you just had to stop and read it again, e.g., one of Fanny’s cousins state: “my selfishness must be forgiven as there is no hope for a cure …”


Menu

Assorted Appetizers

Mushroom Tart

Antipasto Pasta Salad

Swiss Vegetable Medley

Potato Leek Stew

Peanut Butter Tart