Chapter 2 Summary

In this chapter Austen develops the character of Fanny, showing her to be greedy, sneaky, and mean-spirited. She treats Mrs. Dashwood and the three sisters like houseguests, and the only reason the four stay is because John is civil and welcoming to all of them all. They also cannot afford to move. Fanny persuades John to rethink his gift to his sisters, and so he cuts it down to only 500 pounds each. Fanny then proceeds to talk John out of providing anything for Mrs. Dashwood, and by the end of the chapter he resolves to give neither his sisters nor his stepmother any financial assistance whatsoever.

Chapter 2 Analysis

This chapter is basically a development of Fanny's character as well as a description of a long conversation between John and Fanny. This conversation is a good example of how malleable John really is; his...