# Chapter II explained — Mansfield Park

> Chapter companion for Mansfield Park by Jane Austen.

## What happens

Fanny Price arrives at Mansfield Park at age ten, feeling utterly miserable and out of place. She is overwhelmed by the grandeur of the house, the coldness of her cousins, and the admonitions of Mrs. Norris. Only Edmund Bertram shows her genuine kindness, comforting her when he finds her crying on the attic stairs and offering to help her write to her beloved brother William.

## Themes in this chapter

### Home and Belonging

Fanny's deep homesickness and her longing for her brother William highlight her struggle to find a sense of belonging at Mansfield Park.

### Social Class and Money

The Bertram cousins look down on Fanny for having only two sashes and no French, underscoring class distinctions.

### Education and Character

Edmund's efforts to guide Fanny's reading and improve her mind contrast with the superficial accomplishments of Maria and Julia.

## Character check-ins

### Fanny Price

Arrives at Mansfield Park at age ten, timid and homesick, finding comfort only in Edmund's kindness.

### Edmund Bertram

The youngest son, who discovers Fanny crying on the attic stairs and offers her comfort, paper, and friendship.

### Sir Thomas Bertram

Receives Fanny kindly and tries to encourage her, but his grave looks intimidate her.

### Lady Bertram

Indolent and silent, she offers little comfort to Fanny beyond a smile and a seat on the sofa.

### Mrs. Norris

Lectures Fanny on gratitude and good behavior during the journey, but shows little understanding of her distress.

### Maria Bertram

One of Fanny's older cousins; she and Julia treat Fanny with condescension and indifference.

## Key lines

> Fanny, with all her faults of ignorance and timidity, was fixed at Mansfield Park, and learning to transfer in its favour much of her attachment to her former home, grew up there not unhappily among her cousins.

Despite her shyness and lack of knowledge, Fanny gradually came to accept Mansfield Park as her home and grew up there without too much unhappiness.

_Narrator's summary of Fanny's gradual adjustment to her new life._

> Edmund's friendship never failed her: his leaving Eton for Oxford made no change in his kind dispositions, and only afforded more frequent opportunities of proving them.

Edmund remained a constant and supportive friend to Fanny, even as he moved from Eton to Oxford.

_Highlights Edmund's unwavering kindness and its importance to Fanny._

> The grandeur of the house astonished, but could not console her. The rooms were too large for her to move in with ease: whatever she touched she expected to injure, and she crept about in constant terror of something or other.

The size and splendor of Mansfield Park only made Fanny more anxious; she felt clumsy and afraid of breaking things.

_Describes Fanny's initial discomfort and intimidation by her new surroundings._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/mansfield_park_se/chapters/ii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/mansfield_park_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/mansfield_park_se/chapters