1) Finish reading Persuasion by Jane Austen.
2) Please compose response questions and comments for class discussion.
3) On Tuesday, February 13th you will compose a 40 minute essay. Please plan carefully. You will NOT be allowed computers or books for this experience.
4) Work on your plays!!!!!!!! We will be sharing drafts by the end of next week (Turnitin.com for a grade).
I really enjoyed the ending of Persuasion, specifically the official relationship of Captain Wentworth and Anne, as I was rooting for them throughout the novel. Although the book did have a relatively happy ending in the sense that all loose ends were tied up, I was sort of surprised that Mrs. Clay ended up leaving Bath supposedly with Mr. Elliot instead of staying with Sir Walter-- I think in general I am a little confused about Mr. Elliot’s motives regarding Mrs. Clay. I know that he was trying to keep her from marrying Sir Walter so that he could possibly remain the heir to their family name, but it seems a little messy to me still. I also was not surprised, really, that there was never a proper suitor for Elizabeth. Throughout the whole book she acts incredibly snobby and superior to everyone around her, so I think if she had found someone “good enough” for her, it would have shown a total shift in character development that we (the audience/reader) had not been able to see, due to the novel’s main focus on Anne.
ReplyDeleteIn act 2 of Persuasuion, an aspect that struck me and that I found interesting was Austens playful use of characterization to raise social questions. One scene that stuck out to me was Anne visiting her old friend Mrs. Smith, eventhough Mrs. Smith is at such a low point in class distinction and means, which shows a great deal of the character Austen has created Anne to be. Mrs. Smith had married well, but her husband dug them into great debt and with his death she was left in a precarious position. She is now an unmarried, low ranking, poor health and wealth lacking woman. And even despite all that, Anne chooses to visit her friend who has been left behind by so many people after her husbands death. Austen shows Mrs. Smith as still possessing her “good sense and agreeable manners which [Anne] had almost ventured to depend on… neither sickness nor sorrow seemed to have closed her heart or ruined her spirits” (113). You would expect Mrs. Smith to be a shell of her old self based off of the description that proceeded her. But she is not emotional crippled and rather she is still possessing the endearing qualities that Anne remembered. It is Anne that is able to recognize that Mrs. Smith still has worth as a person and a dear friend, even though status wise she is not going to be benefical. This reinforces the consistent idea throughout the book that Anne’s personality is what draws in all those that love her. Ever since the beginning of the book, her appearance is criticized and ridiculed, yet it is always Anne that people rely on and value the opinion of in matters of importance. Her ability to appreciate things that the other characters and their society over looks is an interesting feature made by Austen. These qualities are later rewarded, because if she had not overlooked social statsues and rekindled her friendship with Mrs. Smith, she would not have known Mr. Elliot’s true intentions of getting back in her fathers good graces and pursuing her. Through Mrs. Smiths confession of Mr. Elliots true character from her own personal experience, we can see that eventhough he is of high rank, the Elliot heir and wealthy, he does not have a good heart and is not a good person. This created the contrast of Mrs. Smith who is of low rank yet is a kind and caring person, compared to Mr. Elliot who is wealthy but completely undeserving. This essentially leads to Anne’s further lack of interest in marrying Mr. Elliot which allows for Captain Wentworth to eventually profess his love for her and then their subsequent marriage.
ReplyDeleteI ended up really liking Persuasion. Of course, I was really happy that Anne and Captain Wentworth ended up together, since they so obviously liked each other throughout the story. It was kind of funny to see how the flirting that was going on between characters seemed to be really not that old fashioned. I think the plot could be easily adapted to be in a modern setting as a romantic comedy. I also thought Jane Austen was really smart in the way that she made a story with a seemingly simple plot line into a commentary about the construction of society at the time. In the last line of the story, she says that Anne was proud to be with a sailor because it is a job “more distinguished in its domestic virtues than in its national importance”. When I read this line, it became clear that while the premise of the story could be turned into a romantic comedy, the point that the story was making was much more profound. Throughout the story, Austen made her point that titles and social position are really indicative of nothing, especially in terms of marriage. Anne’s father was a baron, but despite his title, he was proven to be a fool, both in his questionable decisions about money and in his inflated opinion of himself. However, Anne, who is portrayed as likeable and reasonable, saw the value in Captain Wentworth before he held a high position in society. Anne’s view is proven to be right, as she and Captain Wentworth turn out to be a great match for each other. People like Lady Russell and Sir Walter, who put social position first, wound up looking like idiots by the end of the story, and thus Jane Austen’s case is made.
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The further I read the more the novel has become enjoyable. Every time Mary comes up, she makes me laugh. Mary is such a drama queen (who wants attention) comparing to everyone else, but we all know that it’s because she is the first daughter out of the Elliot family to get married. The way Jane Austen uses dialogues to lay out future events is real smooth. For example, the argument between Mary and Charles with regards to choosing either the family party or the play, the charaters’ motives are shown. Anne doesn’t want to go to the family’s party because she doesn’t want to see Mr. Elliot, for she already knows that he is not what he presents himself to be. Even though she ends up going anyways, Mr. Elliot fails at flirting with Anne. Obviously Captain Wentworth is on the side looking for the right moment to propose to Anne. The discussion about which gender maintains the longest commitment to a past partner, Anne expresses that women are the ones who won’t easily forget their past partners. She is indirectly talking about herself, which she realizes later as Captain Wentworth is quietly listening to her on the side. That is the moment where they can finally come together.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Katie in that the ending of Persuasion, especially the relationship between Wentworth and Anne was enjoyable. Being a Jane Austen novel, it made sense that there was a happy ending, but I was still pleased with the turnout. I was wondering if it was just Wentworth’s new societal status that made Anne change her mind about him? Or I suppose she never really stopped liking him, but is happy to be with him by the end of the novel. Is this just due to the fact that it is now more acceptable for her to form a relationship with him? I’m also wondering (I guess I was wondering this from the start) why she was persuaded in the first place not to marry him. In my opinion, she seems like a grounded, well-minded woman who wouldn’t be influenced very easily. I’m also wondering about the future of Mr. Elliot. Does he still get inheritance as an heir? Or is he out of the picture now that Wentworth is on the scene? Sosha
ReplyDeleteAlthough I overall enjoyed the ending of the novel, especially the engagement of Captain Wentworth and Anne, I was disappointed as many others have mentioned with the lack of character development of Mr. Elliott. I felt throughout the novel things would be said or inferred about a character and that character would go on to prove the previous description of themselves. However with Mr. Elliott we heard of his “motives” but he never went on to really prove them. I wish Anne had confronted him in a more aggressive away, this way it would of left readers with a better understanding of Mr Elliot, as well as enhancing Anne’s role as the ultimate heroin. Confronting Mr. Elliot would have defied gender roles and proven more of Anne’s strength which I think all readers admired. To make things even more confusing Mr. Elliot decides to marry Mrs. Clay, which was a shocking twist. Why do people think he did this? Overall I just wish more of Mr. Elliot’s motives, personality, and future would have been available to the reader.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone else that said they enjoyed the ending of the novel. Lately I have been used to reading books with endings I wasn’t too thrilled with, so the ending of this work was refreshing. While reading the book I was hoping for Anne to end up with Captain Wentworth, and I was glad that they ended up together. I think the ending shows a lot about the society in which the novel takes place. Though Captain Wentworth and Anne ended up together, it was only because of his change in status that they were allowed to get married. I thought it was interesting that the novel ended on a happy note, but the questions of their society are still unanswered. The character Mr. Elliot shows the major flaws of the society, his motives are only directed by the social hierarchy and his advantage. Though the ending of the novel was very favorable, there are still many negative themes and questions left unanswered at the end of the work.
ReplyDeleteLike Jyllian said, I appreciated Anne's clear disregard for the social classes which are so important to her father and to Elizabeth. Her relationship with Mrs. Smith was a good way to show not only that she doesn't care what people think of her, but also that she is anchored to her past with multiple people. I feel like we never got to know Captain Wentworth to quite the degree we got to know Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. I was hoping for his character to be explored a bit more. I also felt like the letter he sent Anne was so incredibly straight-forward that it felt a little out of place in the novel. However, Jane Austen still did an excellent job setting up the reader for Anne and Wentworth to get together throughout the novel. I also enjoyed the comedy relief that Mary and Elizabeth provided. Mary was obviously overdramatic and sought attention all the time, and Elizabeth acted so ridiculously by holding to her father's values of family names that she stood out from the other characters who were more socially aware of the current climate. I was not too surprised by Mr. Elliot, but I was a little confused about the quick marriages of Henrietta and Louisa.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting how, in Persuasion, the hierarchical thinking that the Elliotts exemplify is double sided. How, they not only look down on other families based on arbitrary ideals status and blood hierarchy, but they also judge their own family by the same metric, reversing their cousins of higher status and kowtowing to them despite how unaccomplished they really are, while having very little pride for themselves as a result. It seems that archaic hierarchical thinking not only degrades your view of others but degrades your view of yourself in comparison to others. Also why did you change the background of the blog Mr Pellerin. It was fine the way it was.
ReplyDeleteIt was such a relief to finally see Anne and Captain Wentworth together at the end of “Persuasion.” The tension that had built up throughout the novel, starting when the audience first came to realize Anne’s and Captain Wentworth's unfortunate past, was finally resolved when they get married. After being turned down by Anne because of his low social standing, Wentworth returns with significantly more wealth and power. I had not realized how influential social class and hierarchy were in history until I read this novel. It seemed as if many of the problems that arose in the novel stemmed from the very fact that the intermingling between classes was looked down upon. Moreover, it was intriguing to see Austen’ emphasis on marriage and the role it played on family inheritance. Her decision to encompass this idea throughout the narrative allows us (the readers) to understand the importance of social standing in history. However, I wonder if the emphasis Austen placed on social hierarchy is either an exaggeration or accurate in respect to actual history. Initially, I could not believe the degree to which the characters epitomized social standing. In retrospect, Austen’s “Persuasion” was very difficult for me to appreciate initially, but as I learned more and more about the characters, I became more engrossed in the plot, and reading it became significantly more enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Persuasion I was happy to finally see Anne and Captain Wentworth getting together again. Similar to Jyllian, what I found most interesting about this book was Mrs. Smith who was a character that was looked down upon by most of the Elliot family due to her misfortune and position in society. Jane Austen really emphasizes the importance of one’s class and social standing as that was what determined your quality of life. However, he inclusion of Mrs. Smith seems to highlight Austen’s value of friendship and depth of character as Mrs. Smith is loyal to Anne and is the one who warns her about Mr. Elliot. Additionally, I found it interesting how the story progressed as Anne began acting upon her thoughts and questioning the structure of society. In the beginning, the reader can recognize her prudent character through her thoughts, but her value does not become apparent to other characters such as her sister Elizabeth or Sir Walter Elliot because she keeps to herself. In the end however, when she acts upon her thoughts, she is able to resolve her conflicts with Captain Wentworth and better understand him and what he was feeling. I thought that Austen’s characters were very well characterized as their dialogue each brought out qualities in another.
ReplyDeleteLike many other people have said, I grew to enjoy Persuasion much more as the book progressed. I especially loved the ending, and I was very satisfied to see Anne and Captain Wentworth finally speak to each other and get together. I really liked reading Anne's conversation with Captain Harville in chapter 23. Not only did I enjoy seeing Anne indirectly speak to Captain Wentworth, but I also really liked Jane Austen's input that "Men have had every advantage of us [women] in telling their own story". Another aspect of the story that I liked was seeing how as Anne grew more confident in herself, she did what she wanted to more, and she cared less about what her father and Elizabeth thought. I was slightly confused by Ms. Clay's character for a while, but I understood her by the end of the book. I think that Austen's commentary on social class was especially interesting in this story, and, like Julia, I really liked the inclusion of Mrs. Smith. I thought that she really highlighted the issues facing women in Austen's society and proved how little power women had.
ReplyDeletePersuasion overall was a confusing book for me, but I did end up liking it by the end. I enjoyed following Anne throughout her journey, and enjoyed the way Austen subtly commented on society and what was expected socially for women during her time. However I found it difficult to keep track of all of the different characters and their backgrounds/ plotlines. I think it would've been helpful for me to take notes on each character which I think I will do for the next novel. I also loved how Austen wrapped up the end of the novel. She was able to make it exactly what the audience needed, which was closure between Anne and Wentworth. Also, she really developed Anne’s character throughout act 2, as she started to value her own opinions and give input on her life rather than always listening to everyone else which she used to do. I think my opinion is similar to a lot of others based on these posts, everyone seemed to enjoy the ending the most. Cat
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ReplyDeleteI loved the ending of Persuasion. I was so glad to see that Anne and Captain Wentworth confessed finally their love for each other. I think that it was an especially good ending because the reader finally got to see something positive for Anne. For the majority of the novel Anne is often neglected, or included but not interacted with. I personally never liked when Louisa was around Ann, especially when Mary was there too, because the two of them combined seemed to suck away any chance that Ann could have had to even think about saying something. When the characters were contemplating on who should stay with Louisa after she hit her head, I was so frustrated because Anne was, as pointed out by the characters, the perfect person to stay and tend to Louisa, but Mary couldn’t stand the attention going to anybody but her so Anne suffered and was forced to return home. It goes to show that the book was aptly named, because every character within the story persuades Anne into a different scenario that what she intended to do.
Another part of the novel that I really enjoyed was how Jane Austen once again manages to introduce the social norms of society at the time. Everything relies on marriage, and it matter not who you are inside but by what your title is and what other can benefit from knowing you. Mrs. Clay is a prime example, because the only reason she is relevant at all is because she wants to wiggle her way in and marry Sir Elliot for his name and fortune (which he doesn’t even have). Austen also once again addresses the role of women in society. Every time that ladies go for a walk they must cling to a mans arm because they are much too fragile to walk on their own, and they shouldn’t even think of stepping on wet cobblestones after it rains because it could sodden their feet. I think that Austen writes with the times, but also makes fun of them in a way by having all of her heroins know that they don’t need a man to survive. Overall I thought that this was a wonderful novel and good reading experience, and I look forward to reading more Austen in the future. :)
I thought that the way Austen set up Anne and Captain Wentworth for the finale of the book was unique. They way that they both loved each other but had neither the knowledge or courage to approach each other makes me think that if they had only had one little conversation then the whole situation between the two of them could have been avoided completely. I wonder whether it was their inhibitions, social status, or nervousness that prevented them from having any meaningful discourse about their feelings. Despite all of this, I was still relieved to see that they ended up together in the end. One thing about the book that I was questioning was the abruptness of Henrietta’s and Louisa’s weddings. They seemed almost too good to be true.
ReplyDeleteFor me, Persuasion was a tough read. However, I did enjoy Anne and her journey. She changed so much throughout the book and I feel like I could relate to her in some ways. Austen was able to show her own opinions on society through this character. Anne challenged society much like Austen did with her writing. The part of the book that was most confusing for me was the multitude of characters that were introduced in the book. In the middle of the book I got frustrated because I was unable to keep any track of who was who. However, this got a little easier after we talked about in class. My favorite part of the book was, of course, the ending. I love that she gave Anne her "happily ever after". The whole book I was rooting for Anne and Captain Wentworth and it was very satisfying to see them end up together. She gave the readers what they wanted, it just took her a while to get there. I really admire Anne's character and the way she is able to politely contradict the society she lives in. In her, Austen created a complex and intricate character.
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Overall, I liked Persuasion and found the plot to be very enticing after getting past the first few chapters. In particular, I enjoyed the ending and found that it wrapped up the novel very well. Additionally, I liked how the novel pitted family reputation against new money to present its initial dilemma. As somewhat of a history nerd, I found this alternative perspective of England's economic, and subsequent power, shift from its fields to its factories to be extremely interesting. Had Jane Austen lived longer, I would have been really interested in reading a potential sequel where Anne and Captain Wentworth are a bit older and choose to rent the declining estate of another reputed family going through a similar financial crisis and read a very similar story set but told from a Mrs.Croft-like point of view. One thing that I do wish we had done more though, would have been spending more time in class reading the novel. Austen's writing style can be hard to comprehend sometimes and I found that I was able to understand the scenes we read in class a lot more thoroughly because we had the chance to break them down. Overall though, I really enjoyed reading this novel and found it to be a fun experience.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Persuasion was a dense read, I really liked the themes and morals it carried. I wasn't a fan of the book towards the beginning, but later on, especially at the climax and the ending, I began to understand the subtle, yet powerful rhetorical devices Jane Austen was using, which I mentioned in my in-class essay too! A few others also said this in the above comments — the ending, where Anne and Wentworth end up conversing with each other and "falling in love again" seemed partially cheesy, but also oddly satisfying to me as a reader. I also found it interesting how Anne herself developed as a character. She started off very self-conscious, and although Austen described her as clever and shrewd, she was also very much aware of the status quo, and gave off a very meek impression. As the story progressed though, this began to fade, and her own feelings and beliefs started to eclipse those of mainstream society. This book, if anything, was a tribute to women, and how their incredible intelligence was so often overlooked, just because they were women. Of course, in today's day and age, we easily identify with the struggles posed by Austen regarding misogyny and sexist social imbalances, but it's interesting to think about how radical of a story Persuasion must have been when it originally came out.
ReplyDeleteLike Lizzy, I too enjoyed the story more as it ended. It was difficult to understand the set up in the beginning because of the slow paced plot. Later on it was more of an interesting read as Mr. Elliot came into play. There were a few characters that I wish the story explored more, like Mrs. Clay and Mrs. Smith. I think Mrs. Smith should have come into the story a little earlier, because her character comes in very quickly. I loved Anne’s character, especially her growth in confidence. I want to know what happens to Elizabeth, because she is still unmarried despite being the oldest daughter. I think this was an interesting choice that Austen made because during that time period, the eldest daughter is almost always married.
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ReplyDeleteIn Persuasion, the locations to which the various characters lived in played a significant role in displaying their personalities and ultimately shaping them throughout the novel. A keen example of this was in the city atmosphere of Bath which provided a very tumultuous experience for the Elliots, especially for Sir Walter and Anne. For Sir Walter, the absurd amount of plain-looking women and men made him quite agitated because, as he puts it, “that one handsome face would be followed by thirty, or five-and-thirty frights.” In Anne’s case, Bath was too active for her liking, especially since she finds comfort by reveling in her thoughts, the bustling tone in Bath was somewhat overwhelming for such a mellow character. In contrast with this, the country environment of Uppercross gave Anne a more peaceful state of mind and in this, allowed her to give “Uppercross its cheerful character.” The dualities between the two landscapes not only is influential in depicting character’s personalities, but also, in allowing the reader to be further immersed into the story being told.
ReplyDeleteJane Austen’s Persuasion introduced a boatload of characters each with their own unique development which in some ways I found confusing. Due to a large number of characters, I found myself losing my place when reading. There would be times where I would wonder what character the story was currently talking about. Although the number of large characters confused me I thoroughly enjoyed learning about so many. My favorite character in the story Anne due to how she changed throughout the story and challenged what society expected of women. Another thing that I liked about the story was the ending and how unlike many of the plays we read before it was a happy ending. Anne married the man she loved from the beginning of the story and followed her happiness. Overall looking back Jane Austen’s was a great read.
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