In the following two novels The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer and Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, the authors focus on their point of view of the various messages and meanings of feminism. In Wolitzer’s novel follows Greer and her friend Zee’s journey about how they achieve empowerment and how their beliefs in feminism change. In Austen’s novel follows two sisters Elinor and Marianne about them finding their own happiness in the world. In The Female Persuasion a character uses their voice by expressing their values and beliefs letting the characters have their own empowerment, in Sense and Sensibility a character uses their voice to achieve power by using their voice to stand up for themselves and to prove others. An important connection between the two novels is how the characters voice expresses betrayal and forgiveness such as Zee and Elinor.
In Wolitzer’s novel, Zee uses her voice to express her feminist view in ways such as her being one of the only character to not let anyone influence her decision or let anyone take control of her life and be herself. “Through Zee knew she would always be political, and would eventually become one of those feisty old women,” (Wolitzer 222) the following passage points out how Zee voice explains how she stays to herself helps her feel empowered staying true to oneself is part of her feminist beliefs. In her article Kelly points out “ But she was very encouraged by other women and became a novelist, really helped by the women’s movement. And I watched that happen.” (Mary Kelly) the following article points how Wolitzer feminism beliefs are started and why she was inspired to start writing the topic. Compared to Austen ideas of feminist is different and somewhat the same as Wolitzer.
Continuing with Austen novel Elinor uses her voice to express her own important personal values on what she believes is right for her and how a women relying her own personal traits can give her any type of empowerment. “Elinor this eldest daughter whose advice was so effectual, possessed a strength of understanding and coolness of judgment.” (Austen 8) in the following passage Austen shows how a women characteristic can give her empowerment to stand up for herself and for use Elinor voice to take control of her life and choices. In her article Brodey states “Austen ultimately uses her own narrative techniques to rehabilitate sensibility to its original philanthropic purposes and to teach her readers lessons about sympathy.” (Inger Brodey) her Brodey also points out how Austen uses character voices to speak about her view on feminist ideas.
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Also Zee voice also points out another message from Wolitzer on her feminist beliefs and personal beliefs as well, her voice shows that it takes time to discover who you want to become as a person. “But the experience of that trauma still lived sharply in Zee, and she was drawn back to find other such experiences and offer help of some kind.” (Wolitzer 358) in the following passage also points out how Wolitzer used a character voice to show how she has evolved throughout the novel suggesting that life experiences and changing personal beliefs makes he or she voice stand out. In Filgate article she points out “as well as the political climate we’ve found ourselves in: ‘a darkening of the moment.’ It’s also about ‘the person you meet who changes your life forever.” (Michele Filgate) here the article continues to point out how betrayal help Zee find herself and become who she wanted to be from Wolitzer portrayal of her character.
The characterization of Elinor voice is portrayed as a mature and responsible women, as in Austen novel she points out how feminism in the novel women are put in stereotypes and Elinor character is one to break away from that. “Elinor could not deny the truth of this, and she tried to find in it a motive sufficient for their silence. But there was one method so direct so simple.” (Austen 84) here in the following passage describes and supports the ideas Austen was using the characters voice to make a present known throughout the novel. Also in Davis article she points out “Elinor is ‘affectionate’ and has ‘an excellent heart’ with ‘strong … feelings’–these are not the primary qualities associated with a strictly sensible person.” (Kathryn Davis) here Davis continues to explain how this relates to how Elinor voice is characterized in the novel she is a symbol of growing up fast and being strong mind she just like Zee in The Female Persuasion does not let anything influence or let another problems get to their head.
Continuing on with the character Zee uses her voice in another way such as being the character that the readers are able to somewhat relate to and someone who the readers would want to see succeed about her feminist ideas. “Zee had become highly valued in the trauma community and, as she’d proudly told greer she had been cited in the international journal of traumatology.” (Wolitzer 358) Again the passage points out other example of how Zee character voice is used as a motivator to the readers about always staying true to your beliefs and pointing out the growth and maturity of Zee character. In her article Franklin claims “Wolitzer has always been expert at capturing an emotion in a single image, and in this book she luxuriates in her skill.” (Ruth Franklin) here in the following article also shows readers about how Wolitzer writing style help shape how and why a character like Zee has a very significant impact on the beliefs of Wolitzer feminism throughout the entire novel.
Going with Elinor voice is used for the purpose of readers being able to understand the message Elinor portrays is an example of Austen writing in her novel. Elinor character voice does not evolve over the course of the novel unlike Zee. “She had found everything that could tend to make a farther connection between the families undesirable, she had seen enough of her pride.” (Austen 224) this passage points out how Elinor voice is more significant to the plot of the novel than any other character as Elinor character is centered around trying to always do the right thing suggesting Elinor as a strong minded character. In her article Moody suggest that “The tendency to suppose something about Austen’s writing habits or when she wrote or revised a given novel and then to have that supposition become received truth occurs again and again in Austen studies.” here the author of the article points out that Austen writing style portrayed in the novel is she writes about many other details that relate to some of the characters is crucial also pointing out how Elinor voice reaction to the other characters respect to how Elinor voice is portraying her.
Another way Wolitzer characterize the voice of the character is how empowerment overall controls who and how the voice of each other character is portrayed. Such as for Zee again having dealt with tough life experiences gave her empowerment in which gives her voice empowerment. “The bool, certainly not the first of its kind, was a lively and positive leaning manifesto encouraging women not be afraid to speak up, but the title also played on ideas of women as outsiders.” (Wolitzer 438) in the following passage gives important details of how Wolitzer was using some of the character voice as a important motivation for readers and also a motivation for any one with any kind of feminist beliefs to believe in their sleeves and to stay true to themselves and always keep an open mind. In the following article by Marcus she explains how in Wolitzer novel uses a mentorship for the voice of for example Faith Frank, Greer and Zee. “If only it had been positioned as a book that questions the value of traditional mentors, rather than one that valorizes them, I might have been less inclined to distrust the extent to which Faith had actually supported Greer.”(Marcus) here Marcus points out another way Wolitzer was controlling the voice of not Zee but other characters as well.
Concluding with Austen style of writing for Elinor with her voice throughout the entire novel is very crucial to her identity because for Elinor she is the sense of the novel. She unlike her sister has common sense, she feels for other characters problems also she is most mature person and she never lets anything affect her values and beliefs. “Elinor could have given her immediate relief by suggesting the possibility of its being rather than her own whom they were about to behold.” (Austen 218) here this passage goes with how Austen was using Elinor voice to portray how she believes women who were strong minded during the time period did not have to be any kind of feminist. In their article joan goes in depth about Austen creating characters with other voices that are portrayed in different ways. “Such complaints prompted me to engage in what some Janeites may regard as an act of heresy: rereading the novel with a special sensibility about what offends, or at least disturbs, our sense and sensibilities as readers.” (Joan Ray) here Ray continues with explaining how Austen writing style of hidden feminist beliefs is not very clear understanding to the readers.
In conclusion both of the novels two authors both have very different views and beliefs of feminism and how each author uses characters voice to help shine the light on what their message is to the readers. Throughout in The Female Persuasion Wolitzer used Zee to help define her definition of feminism beliefs also Wolitzer discussed about how empowerment for women can give any kind of equal rights she also pointed out how Zee voice evolved as the course of the novel continued. Also throughout Sense and Sensibility Austen view of feminism did somewhat exist during the time period the novel takes place in the different definitions of feminism is women were not empowered or did not have the courage to stand up for something, here comes in Elinor whose voice portrayed by Austen for breaking the stereotype women faced in the novel Elinor was one of the characters who took control of her life feeling empowered. Empowerment and similar feminism beliefs is what connected the two novels together each of the authors used certain characters to help them clearly their feminist beliefs and ideas.
