Sense and Sensibility: The contrast between Elinor and Marianne

The two sisters in Sense and Sensibility couldn't be more different. Elinor is a shy and quiet woman. She puts her family before everything in her life. She even puts her family before her love life. When Edward does not propose to her instead of displaying distraught and being completely heart broken, she picks up the family duties. She helps to make the new home of theirs better. She tries to lift up the spirits of her family after they had to leave their home. She does not dwell on herself but on her family and their immediate needs. Also later on in the book Marianne is suffering from heart break. She takes it to a whole new level and throws a tantrum, she has no real care about the people around her and how she is making them feel. Instead of Elinor saying that she can grow up  and get through it because she did, she lets her sob and comforts her. Elinor also takes some verbal abuse from Marianne while this is happening but never once gets overly angry. Another time Elinor shows her compassion and way to control her emotions is when she finds out that Edward was engaged to someone else. She does not hate him and she even helps him get a job. she never once says a bad word toward him.

                 Marianne is a completely different character. She is self centres and cares about nothing but those who are in her interest at the time. She never once asks how Elinor feels after they move away from Edward, she just likes to tease her about him. When Mr.  Willoughby comes along  she casts aside Col. Brandon very quickly. She focuses on Mr.Willoughby and nothing else. When she suffers heart break she only cares about how she feels. She never focuses on her family but only on her immediate needs leaving all of this on Elinor's shoulders. In the end, I believe that the two sisters rub off on each other, helping this to grow in the good qualities each has.