The early chapters of this novel always make me wonder what kind of relationship John Dashwood must have had with Mrs. Dashwood when he was younger. I don't think we have an exact age for him, although he is called a 'young man' and we know that he had just come of age when he married Fanny and they have a 4 year old son--so I always assume he's around 25 or 26.

That means that his father married the second Mrs. Dashwood when John was no more than 6 or 7 years old. There is no mention of him living with his mother's people or away from them, so Mrs. Dashwood was a mother to him from a very young age. I suppose he went away to be educated as many boys were, but still I find it odd that when she is so kind and so loving, that he does not have more of a mother/son bond with her. Does anyone else think so?

This line, right near the start of Ch. 1, makes me wonder.

"it was secured, in such a way, as to leave to himself (Henry Dashwood) no power of providing for those who were most dear to him". (emphasis mine)

I wonder whether this is a hint that Mr. Dashwood had a preference for his second family over John? He certainly has no objection to remarks of Fanny's such as "What brother on earth would do half so much for his sisters, even if really his sisters! And as it is -- only half blood!"