Posted by Lynne on August 21, 1997 at 15:36:30:
In reply to Re: Silence posted by Laraine on August 21, 1997 at 10:50:43
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] I think that people like Elinor often have a very fiery spirit underneath that frightens them. Sometimes they grow to cope with it and sometimes they stay silent, which is sad.
In describing Elinor in that first chapter, JA says that Elinor " had strong feelings, but knew how to govern them." That seems to correlate to what you are saying: certainly Elinor felt she had to rein in her feelings, and that she knew the ways to do this. I think with the arrival of Edwards, and her first experience with love, this repression became much harder for her to do....she is really put to the test when Lucy arrrives! Her situation is sad, just as you say.
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