Thanks Barbara for the wonderful post.

I've been thinking some about Fanny's humility. Her natural temper and the situation of her life has made her humble.

I too was reminded of the meek shall inherit the earth. I've been thinking of the moral lessons in Fanny's character. I was reminded of the beatitudes, the religious ideas that stick in my mind the most(though I don't mean I always achieve them). I don't think of myself as an expert in religion so if I say anything incorrect, please do correct me.

I was also reminded of turning the other cheek, by Fanny's withstanding Sir Thomas' verbal assault. I did some searching afterwords, and realized that "turning the other cheek" too was part of the Jesus' Sermon on the Mount as are the beatitudes. In a way, I think the idea of turning the other cheek is one of the hardest for us as to achieve. Even our natural tendency to want to shake all the characters in this story, and give Edmund a slap upside the head is natural, but is that the truest way to love our neighbor? Fanny tries to see the best in everyone. When she begins to feel resentment and have unkind thoughts, she tries to bring them into something more forgiving. She loves and regrets her cousins though they never did much to deserve it.
Fanny is not perfect though. She is unable to perhaps see that there is a chance that Mary could improve. And she isn't able to regret Mrs. Norris, which is quite natural.

I better leave off here, and perhaps someone else could say this better than can. Thanks for reading.