Includes bibliographical references (pages 145-159) and index
Jane Austen's narrators -- The development of Jane Austen's narrative techniques -- Narrative opacity in Mansfield Park -- Jane Austen's dialogue -- Jane Austen's novels as conversational machines -- Winning the war of conversation in Emma
Examining a wide range of Austen texts, from her unpublished works through masterpieces like Mansfield Park and Emma, Morini combines linguistic theory, especially pragmatics, with literary interpretation and appreciation to trace the creation and development of Austen's narrative techniques. He discusses familiar Austen themes, shedding fresh light on the question of point of view in Austen and on Austen's much-admired brilliance in creating lively and plausible dialogue