I've been really terrible lately at reading this book (and updating for that matter). After two months of doing nothing during summer break, the last two weeks of July were packed with wonderful things. For the first time in a while I was... busy? Yeah, I guess that's the word. I tried to catch up as much as I could yesterday.
Although I made it through the end of Volume I, I find that I really don't have too much to say. The only thing that I can think of to bring up is Willoughby's exit. I know that towards the end he comes back and explains everything to Elinor, but I can't remember exactly why he leaves. Is it just because his aunt doesn't approve of his relationship with Marianne or is it because he finds 0ut that-- this is going to sound terrible because I'm currently blanking on names, so bear with me-- Brandon's former lover's daughter is with his child? I honestly can't remember.
It really makes me wonder what he said to Marianne before he left since they were alone. I can't see him disclosing much information to her, but Marianne gets so upset by it. Then again, being the passionate teenager she is, it's almost stupid to think that she wouldn't become depressed. It makes me sad that it's so apparent that she holds onto the little hope that there is. It's false hope that he'll come back. I feel sorry for you, Marianne, because I've been there before.
Every time I read the chapter where Lucy confides to Elinor that she and Edward have been secretly engaged my heart breaks: "The picture, she had allowed herself to believe, might have been accidentally obtained; might not have been Edward's gift; but a correspondence between them by letter could subsist only under a positive engagement, could be authorised by nothing else: for a few moments she was almost overcome-- her heart sunk within her, and she could hardly stand; but exertion was indispensably necessary; and she struggled so resolutely against the oppression of her feelings, that her success was speedy, and for the time complete."
On a different topic, Mr. Palmer is great. His negative and uninterested comments created some wonderfully dry humor. I've always liked him.
I've always felt very sympathetic to Eleanor having to keep a smiling face while being told about Edwards previous engagement. I've been there before and while I'm pretty sure I kept some control, I was a little crazy afterwards! I always wondered what Willoughby's told Marianne, that she still pined for him so, it couldn't have been the whole truth, or maybe Marianne just didn't care!=)
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling a lot more sorry for Elinor this time around. I've always liked that the two sisters handle their love problems two completely different ways, and I think Elinor has it harder than Marianne.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I bet you're right. Marianne probably didn't care no matter what Willoughby told her.