Sanditon

“A little of our own bracing sea air will soon set me on my feet again.—Depend upon it, my dear it is exactly a case for the sea. Saline air and immersion will be the very thing.—My sensations tell me so already.”

This quote sets up the nature motif that runs throughout the narrative. The use of the word “sensation” is important because it is the same type of language that Austen uses to describe how novels influence Edward. Since Austen critiques emotional thinking not rooted in facts or reason, she is also criticizing Mr. Parker’s use of sensation as evidence of the benefits of sea air.

“‘Yes—I have heard of Sanditon,’ replied Mr. Heywood.—‘Every five years, one hears of some new place or other starting up by the sea, and growing the fashion.—How they can half of them be filled, is the wonder! Where people can be found with money or time to go to them!—Bad things for a country;—sure to raise the price of provisions and make the poor good for nothing—as I dare say you find, sir.’”

Mr. Heywood’s perspective on Sanditon reflects the fear that exclusive getaways for the wealthy hurt the economy and make the needs of the poor irrelevant. His statement reflects Austen’s critique of the upper class’s inability to find contentment, causing them to waste money on luxuries. His mentality reflects a different perspective than that of the other characters. Where Mr. Parker regards the rapidly changing 19th-century world as a source of economic opportunity, Mr. Heywood sees it as detrimental to traditional ways of life.

 “Nature had marked it out—had spoken in most intelligible characters—The finest, purest sea breeze on the coast—acknowledged to be so—excellent bathing—fine hard sand—deep water 10 yard from the shore—no mud—no weeds—no slimey [sic] rocks—Never was there a place more palpably designed by nature for the resort of the invalid—the very spot which thousands seemed in need of.”

Mr. Parker does not obsess about his health as his sisters do, but he shows the same mystical belief in the healing power of nature. Mr. Parker personifies nature as the designer of this perfect place—a