In the first chapter of the first book that Jane Austen ever published, "Sense and Sensibility," she did something that changed fiction forever. The narrator begins by describing the situation of the Dashwood family. John Dashwood has come into a large inheritance from his father, Henry, who on his deathbed makes John promise to take care of his three half-sisters. John initially considers giving them £3,000 each, feeling generous due to his new wealth. However, this leads to an exploration of his thoughts and the narration style known as free indirect speech.
Free indirect speech allows the narration to remain in the third-person while seemingly stepping into a character's mind. Though Austen wasn't the first to use this technique, she was the first to do so consistently, exploring its narrative possibilities and adding a new tool to the writer's toolbox.
This narrative style supports Austen's strong narratorial voice, permitting both irony and intimacy without disrupting the third-person perspective. It allows readers to engage with the characters emotionally while maintaining a critical distance necessary for Austen's wit and social critique. Austen’s technique ensures that readers are drawn into the characters' minds while being reminded of their potential misjudgments.
The influence of Austen’s innovation is seen in the works of authors like George Eliot, Henry James, James Joyce, and Virginia Woolf. Despite facing criticism as a writer of lightweight marriage comedies, Austen's technical prowess with language and narrative form underscores a more profound literary genius.