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However, Written by Anselm (9/9/2009 5:18 a.m.) in consequence of the missive, Likeability, penned by Robbin

why is John introduced the way he is? Near the beginning of Ch.1 we are in the middle of a bunch of purely economic and familial detail, when John is introduced - not by name - as "a steady, respectable young man". This phrase has always jumped out at me a bit. Why does JA go out of her way to sketch his character here, when the business under discussion is so....well, so businesslike? And why a "steady, respectable" man, when even by the end of his chapter (let alone the following one) he's revealed as the most disgusting form of primeval sludge?

"Respectable" I could just understand, in terms of the way he is viewed by society, although that's actually stretching it a bit (his "respectability" depends in part on his own actions). But "steady" surely refers to an innate quality of his? Surely his conduct in Chs 1 and 2 shows the very opposite of steadiness? What's JA playing at here?

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Brothers kathleen (elder) (9/7/2009 8:42 a.m.)

Likeability Robbin (9/8/2009 1:01 p.m.)
- However, Anselm (9/9/2009 5:18 a.m.)
  - Apologies, this is part of my previous message Anselm (9/9/2009 5:27 a.m.)
  - Steady John CarolTS (9/9/2009 12:36 p.m.)
    - I totally agree with you about "steady", Anselm (9/10/2009 9:24 a.m.)
      - Respectable.   Rachel G (9/10/2009 10:40 a.m.)
        
        Exactly how I see it! nfm   CarolTS (9/10/2009 12:36 p.m.)
        
        Appearances   Robbin (9/10/2009 4:38 p.m.)
      - Respectability, it seems, is relative BarbaraB (9/10/2009 4:33 p.m.)
      - John Dashwood thinks nan duval (9/10/2009 6:34 p.m.)
        
        Brother, know thy self? Robbin (9/12/2009 3:24 p.m.)

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