Elinor is not exactly the narrator of the novel, but we are given more of her interior dialogue than that of any other character. Is Austen herself identifying with Elinor?

From what I know of Austen, I think Elinor might be based on virtue itself or a specific person in her life rather than herself. Elinor is the glue that holds the family together during times of stress; she often counsels her mother and sisters to behave with restraint. Throughout the book, Austen holds up Elinor as a paragon of virtue.