TPO 12 Integrated Writing Jane Austin

The writer presents arguments in favor that the recent painting of a teenage girl own by the Austen family is the portrait of Jane Austen herself. The professor, on the other hand, characterizes these arguments as "loose connections" thus, unconvincing.

First, while admitting that the painting was authorized by Austen's family to be used as an illustration for an edition of her book, the lecturer doesn't think this permission can prove Jane Austen was the subject of the portrait. This is because Jane Austen had been dead for 70 years when her family first saw the painting, suggesting the family could possibly not recognize Austen since they had never got to see her.

Second, according to the reading passage, face features in the portrait resembles Austen in the sketch of her sister when she was an adult. The speaker rebuts this argument by pointing out Austen had an extended family with many relatives who could have looked like her. Rather, the true subject of the painting is believed by many experts to be one of Austen's nieces.

Third, even though the style of the portrait indicates it was painted in the same period when the famous author was a teenage girl, other evidence points to a later date. More specifically, the blank canvas which the portrait was painted on was not sold in London until Austen was a grown-up. Therefore, it doesn’t make sense that the portrait was painted during the period when Jane Austen was a teenager.