Read the excerpt from Sense and Sensibility and answer the question. Conversation however was not wanted, for Sir John was very
chatty, and Lady Middleton had taken the wise precaution of bringing with her their eldest child, a fine little boy about six years old, by which means there was one subject always to be recurred to by the ladies in case of extremity, for they had to enquire his name and age, admire his beauty, and ask him questions which his mother answered for him, while he hung about her and held down his head, to the great surprise of her ladyship, who wondered at his being so shy before company, as he could make noise enough at home. On every formal visit a child ought to be of the party, by way of provision for discourse. In the present case it took up ten minutes to determine whether the boy were most like his father or mother, and in what particular he resembled either, for of course every body differed, and every body was astonished at the opinion of the others. . . . These lines, so typical of Austen's wry tone, allow Austen to _____ and _____. Select all that apply. encourage readers to prepare carefully for social occasions criticize social conversation as pointless and insincere reveal Lady Middleton's character as superficial and proud note the importance of Sir John's having a male heir who can inherit property
These lines, so typical of Austen’s wry tone, allow Austen to “criticize social conversation as pointless and insincere” and “reveal Lady Middleton's character as superficial and proud”. This passage shows how social conversations are not necessary as they don't provide relevant information and people just uses them to talk about insignificant details and to avoid uncomfortable silence. The author also describes the personality of Lady Middleton as being superficial and how she uses her son to start an irrelevant talk.
