37 pages • 1-hour read
Lady Susan
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Essay Topics
Why might Jane Austen have chosen the epistolary style in which to write this story? How might the story be different if it were not written in letters, but in dialogue, or in a more standard format?
With which character do you empathize the most? Which character has Austen shaped to be the most sympathetic? Explain your reasoning using examples from the text.
What roles do artifice and truth play within the story? How are these ideas related to the themes, symbols, and literary devices found within the book?
What purpose does the epilogue serve? Why is this part of the narrative not continued in the epistolary style? Do you agree with the author’s choice? Why or why not?
Critics have argued that some characters, such as Frederica, are not well developed. To which characters do you think this pertains? Which characters do you find the most developed? Explain your answers using examples from the text.
Critics have also argued that the narrative itself remains unfinished. Do you agree that this is the case? Why or why not? If you believe the narrative to be unfinished, how would you finish it?
What role does morality play within the novella? How do societal norms affect morality and vice versa? Do you believe that this is similar to our own society? Explain your reasoning using textual examples and contemporary anecdotes.
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