Harriet’s Box of Treasures
Personal Memorabilia
Harriet keeps a special wooden box with mementos from her days with Mr. Elton. She has a small piece of cloth that he discarded and the stump of a used pencil. The insignificance of the objects demonstrates the lack of real evidence of Mr. Elton’s attraction and Harriet’s own naiveté. Harriet’s choice to keep the box after she realizes Mr. Elton is not interested in her shows her continued hope, and her choice to destroy the objects signifies that she is no longer secretly longing for Mr. Elton.
Tunbridge-ware
Emma, Jane Austen
Brianna Sumption
Novel
Marrianne Dashwood's Piano-Forte
Instruments
Marrianne brings her piano-forte from Norland to their new cottage. Fanny Dashwood is disappointed that such a fine instrument should go to a family with such inferior wealth, but Marrianne has a special connection to the instrument. At various times, she plays with great joy and sorrow, using music as another way of expressing her intense emotions and sensibilities. Those who truly appreciate her music, like Colonel Brandon, truly appreciate Marrianne’s spirit.
Unknown
Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen
Brianna Sumption
Novel
Lydia Bennet’s Bonnet
Accessories
Lydia purchases her new bonnet while waiting for Jane and Elizabeth in Hartfordshire. Even though she, herself, does not like it and her wiser sisters insist it is ugly, she is happy to spend her money on it. She then needs to borrow money from her sisters for lunch. This is representative of Lydia’s carelessness toward finances, which she brings into her imprudent marriage to Mr. Wickham. It foreshadows her and Wickham’s lifelong dependence upon Elizabeth’s and Jane’s families for money because of their mismanagement.
Unknown
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
Brianna Sumption
Novel
The Bennet’s Carriage
Land Based Vehicles
The Bennets own a carriage, as befits the landed gentry, but the horses that pull it must also be used for field work, illustrating the family’s lack of wealth. Mrs. Bennet uses this to her advantage when she refuses to let Jane take the carriage to Netherfield because the horses are needed in the field. As she hoped, rain keeps Jane at Netherfield, allowing her and Elizabeth to get to know their future husbands.
Unknown
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
Brianna Sumption
Novel
Georgiana’s Piano-Forte
Instruments
Mr. Darcy gives his younger sister Georgiana a new piano-forte as a gift. This demonstrates his caring attentions as her guardian and Georgiana’s accomplishment. She practices much of the day and is regarded for her skill. Georgiana’s accomplishment is subtly compared to both Elizabeth’s and Jane’s accomplishment by Lady Catherine and Miss Bingly.
Unknown
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
Brianna Sumption
Novel
Amber Cross
Accessories
Fanny’s brother William gives her an amber cross as a gift, but she is distressed about wearing it to his ball because she has no chain to wear it on. William could not afford the gold chain to wear it with, illustrating the struggle for both siblings to fit in with their more fashionable and wealthy relations. They can come close, but they are dependent on others’ generosity. Both Edmund and Henry (though Mary) offer Fanny a chain or necklace to wear with the cross, marking them as the men most likely to provide for Fanny by marrying her. It is symbolic that Harry’s fancier chain does not fit while Edmund’s is picked more carefully to suit Fanny’s needs.
Unknown
Mansfield Park, Jane Austen
Brianna Sumption
Novel
Fanny Price’s Dress
Clothing
The Bertram’s give Fanny a new white dress on the occasion of her cousin Maria’s wedding. She next wears the dress to the Grant’s dinner party, the first dinner party she is invited to attend. The dress symbolizes her new status now that Maria and Julia have left Mansfield Park due to Maria’s marriage. Fanny is now “out,” and she begins to receive her due attention. Her family and acquaintances are surprised by how lovely she looks in the dress because she had faded into the background for so many years while her cousins were at home. Because the dress is a gift from Sir Bertram, it also illustrates her depended on the Bertrams for the means to be in fashionable society.
Unknown
Mansfield Park, Jane Austen
Brianna Sumption
Novel
Silver Knife
Tools
Susan’s silver fruit knife is a gift from her late sister, Mary. Susan treasures it for its sentimental value, but her younger sister Betsy is constantly taking it for its material value. The two sisters frequently fight over the knife, illustrating the failures of propriety at the Prices’ home. For the first time, Fanny is able to materially assist her family by purchasing a new silver knife for Betsy, who has no attachment to Susan’s knife. This foreshadows Fanny’s ability to remove Susan to Mansfield Park to bring her more permanent peace.
Unknown
Brianna Sumption
Novel
Fanny Price’s Writing Paper
Materials
The gift of writing paper is Edmund Bertram’s first act of kindness toward Fanny Price. When she arrives at the Bertram’s home, she is too shy to ask for paper to write to her brother, though she desperately misses her family. Edmund is the only member of the family to look past her reserve and discover why she is so solemn. The kindness he shows by offering her writing paper is only the beginning. He watches over Fanny as she grows up in his home, and she loves him for it.
Unknown
Mansfield Park, Jane Austen
Brianna Sumption
Novel
Mrs. Elton’s Dress
Clothing
Mrs. Elton claims that she must wear an ornate gown with excessive trimming because she is a bride, despite her modesty. This irony permeates all of her speech and actions, as she is always trying to appear humble while boasting. Her dress symbolizes her perceived importance as a bride and drawing attention to her dress demonstrates her need for attention.
Unknown
Emma, Jane Austen
Brianna Sumption
Novel