With her unique writing style Jane Austen is able to fit many different themes, based on time period and culture, into a single novel. The fairy tale Sense and Sensibility is no different with its expected views on love and marriage to tell a story with a happy ending, but with a 19th century charm. Although the story had many themes, Austen is able to introduce the most important ones in the first chapter. Using direct narration, he bluntly states that the novel will focus on the diversity of family, the importance of home, and of course, "sense" and "sensibility," but using basic description it won't be until the end of the novel, which the reader realizes, the first chapter defines the main themes of the entire novel. In Sense and Sensibility, Austen illustrates a wide range of family relationships that demonstrate a diversity of meaning. Throughout the novel he reveals how cruel and callous a family can be, but contrasts this with examples of how familial love can help carry someone through a personal crisis. This aspect of the book is introduced in the first two paragraphs, where “from a previous marriage” Henry Dashwood has a son, who is his legal heir (5). During this time period divorce was not common; Austen dives straight into the novel showing an unconventional family life. This first introduction of an alternative domestic situation prepares the novel for other various family states. Despite the range of different possibilities, Austen demonstrates, through the definitive connection of the Dashwood women, that family remains the central unit of this story: no matter how harmful a character's family life is, it is still fundamental to the existence of that character. Legacy laws are... middle of paper... address his predecessors and recognize the influence of their legacy on his generation. In contrast, Marianne represents qualities associated with the emerging "cult of sensibility", embracing romance, imagination and excess. Marianne cries when her family has to leave "dear, dear Norland" (23). Austen's characterization of Marianne reminds the reader of the newly emerging English Romantic literary scene. Austen's portrayal of Elinor and Marianne reflects the changing literary landscape of the time. Through three and a half pages of narration Jane Austen is able to introduce the main themes of the entire novel. The first chapter is set up to function primarily as narrative description, but mentions the basics of themes that will develop throughout the story. In retrospect, the reader is able to understand how these important ideals are introduced.