Ainsley Harada

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

@CaitlynL0906 I think Mrs. Norris’ behavior stems from a resentment between her and her sisters. It’s possible she would have been a very capable mother but since she has no children to prove that, so we only have her treatment of Fanny to go off of.

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

@EmmaOwen27 To me it read as Austen commenting on the city vs the country. We’ve often seen her commenting on how the country is better even if that contrasts her views on class.

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

Ch. 43: Fanny seems to only be interested in a marriage with Henry as means of having an estate in the country to take her sister to. How does this reinforce the ideas about marriage, at it’s core, serving as an economic transaction?

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

Ch. 40: Fanny takes a liking to her sister Susan due to her good manners, though Fanny’s own good manners aren’t well received. We’ve talked about how manners can often come from a conceited place in oneself. What does this say about how Fanny has changed throught the novel?

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

Ch. 34: There’s an immediate shift in tone present upon arriving at Portsmouth. The energy’s much higher and the atmosphere created by Fanny’s family is much louder than Mansfield Park. Could this be a comment on how the higher class sees the lower class as somewhat uncouth?

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

@Hannah1151986 It goes to show jow even though Fanny is being more accepted into a higher social class by her family, there is still a divide. While they may respect her more, I think they’d feel more justified in doing so if she were to marry into an advantageous match.

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

@Hannah1151986 It seems like Mary works for both Fanny and Edmund as a character that challenges moral standing. With Edmund she mostly challenges his religious standing, but with Fanny she challenges her social morality.

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

(2/2) By looking at Henry as a commodity, what does this tell us about Fanny's growth into social class and as a character? How does this change our perspective on her gratitude?

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

Ch. 36: Mary makes somewhat of a plea to Fanny on behalf of her brother and starts using tactics to get Fanny to elicit sympathy enough to sway her heart. In doing so, Mary makes Henry seem like a commodity (high value, wanted by others, etc.) ...(1/2)

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

Ch. 35: Fanny, in conversation with Edmund, claims that she does not want the responsibility of being everything the Henry. She seems to detest the idea entirely. Is this statement targeted towards Edmund, and how she wants to be everything to him and not Henry?

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

Ch. 34: Henry is adamant in convincing Fanny to accept his proposal. He even seems to imply that he will change aspects of himself to appeal more to her. This, in turn, highlights his tendency to mask his true self/intentions, such was the case with Julia and Maria.

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

@HalleyHrh8 Her loyalty towards Julia and Maria specifically speaks to her character and how, regardless of how negligent they are to her, she still values that familial relationship and also reinforces the strength of female bonds we see present in many of Austen’s novels.

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

@EmmaOwen27 I agree and I think it also shows off how even the most morally virtuous characters are subject to fall into ill will when it is at their benefit.

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

By extension, he is validating Fanny within a higher social class than she was previously regarded to be. However this is also starkly contrasted with his behavior surrounding Henry's proposal, where he grills her about he reasoning for rejecting an advantageous match.

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

Ch 32: The fireplace in Fanny's space comes back into play early in this chapter. When Sir Thomas insists on lighting it, he is not only displaying the same warmth he is igniting, but he is acknowledging that Fanny has grown to be a real part of the family. (1/2)

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

Ch 31: Once again we are seeing a scene within a Jane Austen novel where our heroine is propositioned by someone she had never considered as a marriage prospect. Here we see it with Henry. What is the significance of this type of scene in the heroine's journey?

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

Ch 29: Mary seems to be more negatively affected by Edmund's absence than Fanny. This may be due to the fact that Fanny is now relieved of having to watch Edmund and Mary flirt, but I have to wonder what does this tell us about Mary's feelings and have her morals changed?

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

@kaylynliv I definitely think this speaks to the financial responsibility a woman has to marry. Although Maria loves Henry, and not Mr. Rushworth, Henry did not profess his love for her nor would it be acceptable for her to do so. Her only choice for stability was Mr. Rushworth.

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

@HaileyL2024 I do think it’s a sign of social maturity that she is cordial with Mary despite her underlying feelings and the unspoken competition over Edmund. I also thinks it just speaks to her moral virtue to not degrade Mary.

[Ainsley Harada @ainsleyharada]

Ch. 22: Edmund and Mary flirt right in front of Fanny, without a clue that Fanny has feelings for Edmund. Regardless of Fanny's feelings, how does this scene underline Edmund's own morals and kindness shifting in the hands of Mary?