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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who does Mrs Jennings tell about Elinor's engagement?

2. Why does Marianne have to spend a day with Mrs. Palmer and Mrs.Jennings?

3. Who does Elinor receive a letter from?

4. How much money does Mrs. Ferrars give her son?

5. Who do the Dashwoods see while out?

Short Essay Questions

1. Does Elinor make the right decision in telling her about Willoughby?

2. Why is having sense so important to Elinor?

3. How are Elinor and Marianne different from the society they live in?

4. Does Marianne's illness change her?

5. Have the sisters changed during their time in London?

6. What is the importance of the Steele's appearance in the story?

7. How is Mrs. Dashwood one of the more unselfish characters in the book?

8. How do the sisters differing reactions to leaving London show the contrast between sense and sensibility?

9. In what ways does Marianne's illness show the difference between the characters?

10. What did you think are the differences between Willoughby's story and Brandon's earlier tale?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Setting plays a big part in the novel, and the Dashwoods find themselves going from one extreme to another. With this mind, compare the following settings and its effects on the characters and the story. Do the characters behavior change during the novel? Is it significant Marianne gets ill in Cleveland rather than London?

1) London versus Cleveland

2) Norland Park versus Barton Park

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the values of the eighteenth century.

1) Is it more important to have money in the eighteenth century than it is now? Pick a character and discuss what would happen if they were not born into money. Do you think some of the characters' obsessions with money are justified?

2) Why is marriage in the eighteenth century such an important institution? Is it more important for men or women? Is it wise to marry just for love? Is Jane Austen's happy ending merely a romantic notion that would rarely happen?

3) Does modern society share any values with eighteenth century society?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss whether you think this statement is true or false: In Sense and Sensibility, the female characters are stronger than the male characters and control the story. Use one of the relationships in the novel--for example, Elinor and Edward, to highlight your argument.

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