Kathryn B.
Engl 404
9/1/05
Discussion Starter/Class Journal
On page 386, Evelina receives a letter, signed Orville. Evelina's initial reaction
to this letter is joyous and romantic: Good God, is it possible? - am I,
then, loved by Lord Orville (387)? After a second reading, Evelina concludes
that the letter was actually an insult: upon a second reading, I thought
every word changed, - it did not seem the same letter, - I could not find one
sentence that I could look at without blushing: my astonishment was extreme, and
it was succeeded by the utmost indignation (387).
On pages 497-500 it is learned that it was Sir Clement who wrote the letter, not
Lord Orville, which implies that the letter was indeed written to insult, so that
Lord Orville would loose Evilina's favor. (Sir Clement gives his reasons for his
duplicity in a letter to Evelina on pages 532-534.)
1) What were your first impressions upon reading this letter? Did you think it
was flattery or insult?
2) This letter is an example of the continual theme of misconception throughout
the novel. How do these misconceptions add to the conflict and plot of Evelina?
What other reasons could Burney have behind using this theme?