Jane Austen discussion

Discuss events within the first volume, which ends with Sir Thomas returning home as the first regular rehearsal of the play is about to take place.

We are introduced to Fanny Price and quickly learn of the woes of her early childhood. She is Austen's truly poor-from-birth heroine. To me, that sets a progression that her other novels do not have. Not truly emotionally connected with her own parents, Fanny then leaves her home to live among strangers and must begin a climb to find her place in life.

She is no longer living in a poor environment, but she is set apart and in many ways simply viewed as a "companion" to her aunt (like a paid companion would be). So she is given a place, but not HER place really, one she can be comfortable with.

I saw Fanny as an observer of the family, both her real and adopted families, rather than a participant. She was kept at arm's length since childhood and grew to understand that she was wanted for her usefulness, such as being a companion, by most of her relatives, though a sense of charity, or at least being thought of as charitable, was at the base of it.

It puts me in mind of the year between high school and college. That lost feeling of not belonging but yet having no choice other then jumping into the mess.

I was surprised at how angry this part of the book made me. The snobbery of the two cousins towards not just Fanny but Mr. Rushworth.

I have mixed feelings about Fanny at this point in the story.

I can't wrap my head around treating a family member like a servant. I can see them thinking less of her. I always found their behavior toward Fanny to be very inconsistent. In Persuasion, everybody treated Mary like an idiot because she was:)
I understand the bit about keeping the boys away from her. Cousins married each other if it was a good match, not a love match usually. If she was a charity case, letting anykind of attachment would be unprofitable and let's face it - the Bertums wanted more security.
I wish there was something attractive about Julia and Maria but I don't see it. There talents aren't fabulous - nothing comparatively speaking to Ms Crawford's harp playing. Yay - Julia can play the piano and Maria has a nice form:-( That's a let down. If I had been Ms Crawford, I would have choosen Ms Price as my favorite at Mansfield too with those choices.

I think Austen is setting a real contrast between these cousins. First of all, the Bertrams really wanted to help their blood relations, the Price children. But they didn't really know how to treat Fanny when they took her in and I don't think they originally believed she should ever be of their social status. She was a closely-related cousin, but her father was a sailor who had gone down socially as the years went by. I think that demonstrated their prejudice.

Also, the Bertram girls clearly weren't having it that Fanny could ever be their equal and were always criticizing her. But did we ever see anything of real value from them? The were high society, but were very shallow as characters and not able to make good decisions for themselves. Obviously they were both poor judges when it came to Henry Crawford. But their inferior cousin Fanny saw Henry pretty clearly.