Blog #1

"This brief account of the family is intended to supersede the necessity of a long and minute detail from Mrs. Thorpe herself, of her past adventures and sufferings, which might otherwise be expected to occupy the three or four following chapters; in which the worthlessness of lords and attornies might be set forth, and conversations, which had passed twenty years before, be minutely repeated" (Austen 33).

In this (very long) sentence, Jane Austen breaks from her usual narrative and pauses to explain her choice as a writer to not include an extensive description of Mrs. Thorpe's life as told by Mrs. Thorpe herself.  In a way, Austen snaps the reader back to reality with this sentence.  This is an interesting style that isn't found in many novels and gives insight into the mind of the author.  It will be interesting to see if this technique is used throughout the entirety of the book; if so, how it will effect the progression of the events in the novel.