This time we are going to focus on Pamela, a novel of sensibility written by Samuel Richardson in 1740. In this novel is quite interesting the moral plot inside it rather than a narrative one which was the common things in novels during this time.
Pamela is a series of letters written by the main character, Pamela, to her parents. These letters allow us to know directly what she thinks about things. We do not get information about other characters, we just get what Pamela´s perceives of them. The letters can be divided in early letters in which she asks her parents for advices and tells them her problems and, when she is imprisioned in her house, she is not sure anymore her parents will get their letters. These late letters can be seen as a diary.
After reading Pamela, readers can be divided in Pamelists or Anti-pamelists. Pamelists describe Pamela as a kind, naive and innocent person...we could say "She appears as she is". On the other side, Anti-pamelists describe her as a clever, seducing and manipulating person...."She hides things". It is very curious how the same novel can inspire so diferent feelings in its readers
I think this "novel" is pretty interesting for understanding the feeling of sensibility people had during this period. The constrast between appearance and feeling can be easily understood here because nowadays this concept seems rather strange or even ridiculous.
Sources:
http://www.gradesaver.com/pamela-or-virtue-rewarded/study-guide/short-summary/
http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=6484
