Jane Austen was born in England in 1775. She wrote 6 major novels focused on themes of love, marriage, and women's social positions. Her first published novel, Sense and Sensibility, was published in 1812 and tells the story of the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne. Elinor represents sense, using practical reasoning, while Marianne represents sensibility, guided by her emotions. The novel explores the expectations of women in marriage and society at the time and the different impacts practical and emotional thinking had on the sisters' lives.