Letters

Jane Austen's letters to her family and friends are of great historical and literary import. In them, she discusses her daily life in the same manner that she used in her novels. She brings her family and friends, her surroundings, and current events to life, thus giving the reader a better understanding of the time period in which she lived. Above all, we can detect a transition in her writing style from humorous and delightful accounts of town and rural social life to a serious and constructive tone when writing about literary creativity. Her letters give us a unique glimpse into the novelist's daily life.