I am currently in the mist of writing my thesis for my communication degree and somehow need to pull away from my core research (which was based in literary theory) and make it more communication theory. This merely means focusing on how we, the readers, interpret the stories (i.e. how we react) to the subplots Ms. Austen put before us. And, according to the narrative paradigm, we respond how she most likely expected us to - we don't like Charlotte so much, think Maria Bertram is a slag, detest Willoughby who is a major two-timing jerk, can't understand why Charles Musgrove would marry Mary after Anne rejected his suit, despise Mr. Elton (and Mrs. Elton, the wretch), and truly wish that Isabella Thorpe (and her brother) would jump off the London Bridge. Right? The purpose of my original paper was to actually examine the importance of these characters and their subplots and the motives they had for the choices they made. In addition, the affect in which their acts of settling (in most cases) had on our beloved heroes and heroines. Would Eliza ever have known Darcy loved her without Charlotte being at Hunsford. Would Tilney ever have admitted his affection for Catherine had not his father been completely duped by John Thorpe? Just things to explore...

I'd take any thoughts you have on this and hopefully plan on actually writing this once I finish my actual graded thesis.

~ Kendal