It is wrong to conclude that Jane Austen lived during an uneventful period in
             history. Her short life took place in the reign of George III and had several
             important events and changes as its background (Sherry10) "She is known for
             her witty and penetrating portrayals of provincial society" (Austen). It is
             possible to understand, or misunderstand Jane Austen's works, for her art is
             such that one can only read on the surface and miss much of what exists
             underneath (Sherry10). Jane Austen's life and novels have influenced movies
             based on the content of her books. Jane Austen daughter of Cassandra Leigh
             Austen was born on December 16,1775, in a small village called Steventon in
             England (Austen). Jane was the seventh of eight children in an extraordinarily
             close, affectionate, intelligent, and lively family (Austen). Her father was a
             rector, so many of Jane's years were spent at a rectory. When Jane was about
             seven she and her sister Cassandra went through several years of formal
             education, first at a private school in Oxford and then at Southampton and later
             at the Abbey School in Reading (Magill 110). By the time she was nine, Jane
             was back at home again and her formal education had come to and end
             (Sherry14). The person Jane was closest to within her family was her older
             sister Cassandra. They were three years apart and the only girls among the
             eight children (Magill 112). For their education after that the sisters must have
             depended largely upon their father and brothers, the cultured atmosphere of
             ...