JC H2 Lit Group (with K's bitches,) Mansfield Park paper: pls give us the HUMILITY to finish this

“...equally important is the impulse towards self knowledge…” Consider the significance of humility in Mansfield Park.

OI: Humility facilitates self knowledge and an understanding of one’s place in a larger community. This acknowledgement of one’s larger purpose to others reinforces the prioritisation of others over self. However, the lack of humility gives rise to pride, which inhibits self knowledge. This can be overcome by a willingness to accept one’s own flaws allowing for the acquisition of self knowledge and one’s true role where the inherent tendency to it is absent.

• BP#1: (Address the quote and display an understanding of the question) Humility arises out of appropriate education, which paves the way for self-knowledge [HOW]

Device	Effects	Significance
Pg 80: “This is not my idea of a chapel. There is nothing awful here, nothing melancholy, nothing grand.” Repetition	This suggests an emphasis on the importance of preserving tradition/religion.	Thus, this highlights Fanny’s awareness of the greater good that religion gives to the  community.
Pg 20: “she thought too lowly of her own claims to feel injured by it.”  adjective	The adjective highlights how it predetermines her sacrifice of her emotions which manifests her self-knowledge.	Hence, emphasising to put others forth before herself and her emotions. This highlights her awareness of her duty as a family member in which to put priorities on her family members followed by herself.
Pg 21: “Edmund, his strong good sense and uprightness of mind, bid fairly for utility, honour, and happiness to himself and all his connections.” Predeterminer	This reinforces the extent of Edmund’s selflessness as shown through his compassion towards others without any exception or excluding anyone.	Thus signifying his ability to prioritise his duty to his family above his own personal interests suggesting his acknowledgement of his innate duty as a son.
Pg 244: “It was her intention, as she felt it to be her duty, to try to overcome all that was excessive, all that bordered on selfishness in her affection for Edmund.” Noun	This is a manifestation of the development of her self-knowledge that arises from her “intention” and how she “felt” which suggests how her modesty was intuitive.	Therefore, this emphasises how the process of attaining self-knowledge through humility actually comes naturally

• BP#2: Self knowledge further reinforces humility, as in the placement of others above self-serving needs.

Device	Effects	Significance
Pg 17: “My uncle!” repeated Fanny with a frightened look...Fanny thought it a bold measure” Reinforced by Pg 12 “to make her remember she is not a Miss Bertram” Fanny’s reaction to Edmund	Illustrates her opinion of herself as unworthy of such an act being done towards her	Highlights a self awareness of her position and consequent worth within the Mansfield Park household; an unassuming nature from which she places others’ needs before her own
Pg 19: “if you are ever so forward and clever yourselves, you should always be modest; for, much as you know already, there is a great deal more to learn." Verb	This suggests that there is no boundaries in deepening one’s self-knowledge and this is further compounded with the adverb “always” that suggests consistency. This emphasises the necessity for one to further inculcate humility in order to ‘learn’ more.	Thus highlighting having the willing attitude to improve oneself as a foundation for self-acknowledgement.
Pg 22: “He was always true to her interests, and considerate of her feelings, trying to make her good qualities understood.” adverb Reinforced by “his attentions were otherwise of the highest importance in assisting in the improvement of her mind”	This evokes a sense of continuity in terms of his efforts to look out for others’ well-being, suggesting a genuine attempt to care for others through his unfailing concern for Fanny.	This sincerity thus translates to his awareness of his duty to help improve others, and can be seen through Fanny’s ability to reciprocate this virtue to place others before herself as well.
Pg 297: “ She wished to prove to him that she did desire his comfort, and sought to regain his favour” Verb	The verb evokes a sense of desire to enhance one’s self-knowledge and such process comes hand in hand with the deepening of one’s humility as justified in Fanny’s intention “to regain”.	This therefore signifies how the ability to recognise one’s flaws further highlights the improvement of a person, further deepening their self-acknowledgement.

• BP#3: Pride inhibits self knowledge and the action of it. (contrast para)

Device	Effects	Significance
Pg 18-19: “and as her cousins found her ignorant of many things with which they had been long familiar, they thought her prodigiously stupid”  Oxymoron	Creates a sense of tension between the two suggesting a denial of the cousins. Hence showing a lack of ability to understand Fanny’s humility.	This signifies the disparity between Fanny and and cousins, further juxtaposing the difference in their nature.
Pg 118: “It would be taking liberties with my Father’s house in his absence which could not be justified” (Edmund) / “‘For everything of that nature, I will be answerable- said Tom in a decided tone’” Contrast between Edmund’s confident tone v.s. Tom’s hesitation.	Highlights Edmund’s innate understanding of his duty to uphold the values of Mansfield Park, in contrast to that of the shallowness of Tom’s understanding	Hence signifying the ability of Edmund stay true to his assumed responsibility, ironically highlighting the flaws of Tom as the oldest son.
Pg 430: “but his cares had been directed to the understanding and manners, not the disposition;” + “of the necessity of self-denial and humility, he feared they had never heard from any lips that could profit” The use of free indirect discourse and the tone of regret in Sir Thomas’ statement	Illustrates the delay on Sir Thomas’ part in his recognition of the distinction between an outward show of “manners” and one’s inherent qualities as part of their “disposition”	This signifies how a belief of the supposed worth of Sir Thomas’ authority impedes his ability to discern and correct his daughters’ behaviours as they hinder the attainment of communal benefit
Pg 55-56: “I thought it would be only ask and have ...Guess my surprise when I found that I has been asking the most unreasonable, most impossible thing in the world,” The use of the hyperbole in the repetition of “most” and the phrase “only ask and have”	Highlights Mary’s view of the supposed insignificance of her request	Her lack of consideration for the impacts of her demands on the larger society illustrate how conceit impedes her ability to make provision for the needs of her community over her selfish desires.

• BP#4: It is not so much the impulse towards self knowledge which is important, but rather the willingness to acquire it, only made possible with the presence of modesty in one’s abilities.

Device	Effects	Significance
Tom (Is this what you wanted?) Pg 429: “He became what he ought to be, useful to his father, steady and quiet, and not living merely for himself” Use of the modal verb “ought” and the phrase “merely for himself”	Suggests expected responsibilities given his position as oldest son within the household to place others’ needs before self, which he has failed to do till this point in time	Highlights how where the instinct towards self-knowledge is lacking, Tom’s eventual change and newfound humbleness allows him to understand his role to bringing about communal benefit
Pg 429-430:  “Here was comfort indeed!...Here had been grievous mismanagement...He had meant them to be good, but his cares had been directed to the understanding and manners, not the disposition; and of the necessity of self–denial and humility, he feared they had never heard from any lips that could profit them.”  Parallelism	Juxtaposed 2 ideas highlights the discrepancy between the 2, and reiterates the desirability of humility in contrast to pride as a medium for an understanding of the self.	Reinforces the transformative quality of humility in its ability to dispel pride thus giving rise to an understanding of flaws in both oneself and in others.
Pg 417: “They had been all solitary, helpless, and forlorn alike; and now the arrival of the others only established her superiority in wretchedness.” Association of superiority with negative qualities	Reiterates the harm a refusal of humility can bring onto oneself.	Thus, the inhibition of humility ultimately expels one from a community as they would not be essential to the improvement of others. An inherent impulse away from self knowledge can supersede the experiences which tend to humility
Pg 379: “It often grieved her (Fanny) to the heart to think of the contrast between them; to think that where nature had made so little difference, circumstances should have made so much, and that her mother, as handsome as Lady Bertram, and some years her junior, should have an appearance so much more worn and faded, so comfortless, so slatternly, so shabby.” Syntax, “nature….so much”	Emphasizes the ability of experiences to supersede one’s natural “impulse”	Highlights that humility enables constructive change which can be brought about through education be it formal or informal
Pg 430: “ He had meant them to be good, but his cares had been directed to the understanding and manners, not the disposition; and of the necessity of-denial and humility.”  Adverb Free Indirect Discourse	The adverb suggests the genuine intention of Sir Thomas to advance his active principle, in addition the use of FID suggests Sir Thomas’s acknowledgement of his flaws.	This thus signifies an acceptance of one’s wrongdoings as a sign of humility, highlighting Sir Thomas’s evolution of gaining self-knowledge.

Conclusion: 

transformative quality of humility on one’s understanding of the self in relation to the rest of society. Humans are not static, nothing set in stone, humans are therefore made up of their experiences and less of their “impulse”s/born qualities. Realisation. Higher power.