Mansfield Park Chapter 16 Summary

  • Fanny goes to bed but is still really upset over how her evening had gone.
  • The next morning Fanny goes to her room, which used to be the school room. Fanny had claimed it and used it as a place to keep her books and keepsakes since her attic bedroom was too small to fit her treasures.
  • We get a lot more details about the conditions Fanny has lived in since arriving at Mansfield. She has a lot in common with Harry Potter at the Dursley house, actually. For one, Harry has to sleep in a broom closet while Fanny has to stay in a tiny attic.
  • Fanny is having a moral dilemma. She isn't sure if she should act or not. It would make everyone else happy but she thinks its wrong and really doesn't want to do it. Since she doesn't want to do it, she's convinced that her moral judgment is right on the money.
  • Edmund comes to see Fanny and to discuss the problem of this Charles Maddox fellow. Who the heck is he?
  • Edmund decides that he'll have to do the part himself in order to avoid having strangers join the Theater Club. He says his dad will be more upset if random people start coming to the house.
  • Edmund insists that he's just doing the moral thing and that he's not being a flip-flopper.
  • Fanny privately thinks that Edmund should apply for a job at the Waffle House (cause he's waffling... get it?) and blames Mary's horrible influence for all of this.
  • Edmund is happy when Fanny approves of his plan and chats with her about her books.
  • Fanny's too stressed to read when he leaves and is mad at Mary and her evil, influential ways.
  • She's so bummed that she doesn't even care if the others start in on her again about acting.