Anne

I feel sorry for Anne at first in the story. I feel like she is being taken advantage of for sure. She is the sister that seems to be more responsible and reasonable than the other two, and she also is the daughter that is often forgotten about. Her character grows however throughout the story. I think she starts to find her true self, without being persuaded by others, she starts to find her true happiness. I think she sees how her sisters are, and how they are just settling in their ways. Austen shows us through Anne that women can create their own paths and have their own true happiness without following all the rules, and being persuaded by others in what is better for themselves. Austen believed that you should marry for love and affection, not for wealth. Although Anne is persuaded away from her happiness in the beginning, by the end of the story she has found her true self, and is reunited with the man she truly loves. I also love how Austen shows part of herself through Anne, in the discussion with Capitan Harville, and how she makes the comment that all the poetry, and stories, and most of what people have read during this time were written by men. Thus, they are all explaining how fickle women are, and yet none of what the Capitan is reading is by women. I found this very compelling because Anne is very cleaver to point this out to him, explaining that maybe women are not as fickle as he may think. Allowing her character to speak for her I think, like Anne, was very clever.

Persuasion

In the pivotal moment where Captain Wentworth listens in to Anne’s telling of her true feelings regarding the lasting power of a love that has lost any chance of fulfilling its desires to Captain Harville, it seems that Jane Austen runs an underlying commentary about the differences of the emotional constitution of men and women in society. Of course this scene is used by Austen to clear the confusion and apprehension of the love that these two characters have for each other, but it also smartly comments upon the prevailing beliefs of a man and a woman regarding the merits of each their sexes. For Anne she emphasizes the belief that women are more capable of tender feeling and lasting sensibility than men, she states that “We certainly do not forget you, so soon as you forget us.” “We live at home, quiet, confined, and our feelings prey upon us. You are forced on exertion. You have always a profession, pursuits, business of some sort or other, to take you back into the world immediately, and continual occupation and change soon weaken impressions” (224). The way Austen presents this concept is interesting because she doesn’t seem to be against this type of “confined” existence of women, but instead is just commenting upon its nature and how it affects the feelings that women feel, and how the opposite of men affects their feelings as well. This is interesting the compare this to the writings of women like Wollstonecraft who comment upon these concepts in order to incite social change. Also Captain Harville’s comments of “histories are against you, all stories, prose and verse” and “but perhaps you will say, these are all written by men”(225) are interesting to consider because they tell of Austen’s frustration of how there was little opportunity for women writers of the time and histories were for men to tell. Subsequently allowing men control over the telling of stories that may be biased. By successfully publishing books such as Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice Austen was able to write her own stories and provide the public with an accurate portrayal of a woman’s view point. 

Anne in Persuasion

In the beginning of the novel, Anne is introduced as the black sheep of the family. She doesn't really fit into the family like the others, but her true character starts to unravel throughout the work. She is quiet and clever. We discussed in class as to how she observes situations and acts accordingly. "Listen" and "Silent" are both spelled with the same letters and I feel like this helps us understand Anne. The first time that I noticed that she refused being persuaded was when Lady Russell tries to convince her to marry Charles Musgrove, a man of good appearance and title. However, Anne is still completed shattered from having been convinced not to marry Wentworth, the only man she ever really cared for. I like that later in the novel Austen decides to bring Wentworth back into Anne's life and lets her steer her own future. Anne doesn't regret being persuaded not to marry Wentworth for she understands her role as a woman of upper class and reasons that, "a strong sense of duty is no bad part of a woman's portion." Social mobility is what gives Anne and Wentworth the ability to call for an engagement. The family's struggle with debt caused a lot of stress, but in a way it also made them humble. Wentworth's career with the Navy granted him plenty of wealth suitable to marry Anne.

Persuasion 12/6

The conversation between Anne and Captain Harville in the last volume is very interesting. A large part of this semester has been spent talking about gender and the role of women in society. While this is not an educational tract, which we’ve spent the most time on, the discussion is still relevant and I think the most explicit Austen ever is on this subject. The societal limitations on women are acknowledged by Anne when she says “We live at home, quiet, confined, and our feelings prey on us. You are forced on exertion. You have always a profession, pursuits, business of some sort or other, to take you back into the world immediately” (Austen 241). Anne’s and even Elizabeth’s static existence at the beginning of the novel reflect this statement. Anne’s desire to have the ability to go into the world instead of living at home “quiet” and “confined” was shown through her dream of what she would have done if she were Wentworth. Anne’s insistent that books not being used as examples of women’s inconstancy is also interesting. The examples given in books is presented as unfair since “men have had every advantage of us in telling their own story. Education has been theirs in so much a higher degree; the pen has been in their hands” (Austen 243). I find this interesting because while this statement is true, there does seem to be a shift in who holds the pen during this time. This course has shown that many women are writing a large variety of things during the romantic era and even before this era. It seems that women are now the ones that have the ability to tell their own story and shape the conversations about their society and lives. This novel is doing exactly that, Austen is starting a conversation about the role of women in society and women’s nature in her own terms. It’s no longer only men dictating the conversations taking place.

Persuasion 12/6

Throughout the novel, I had been wondering whether the story is allegorical to a degree. The tension created by this idea of persuasion manifests itself in a variety of ways, but primarily, it presents the faults of either being too easily persuaded, or impenetrable. In either case, one is left with a weak mind (or a broken one). In the case of Louisa, her head (mind) is literally injured because she would not listen to a reasonable request. Is it possible that Austen is trying to say something broader about her society?  The tension manifests itself primarily in the way that persuasion occurs with the young women in the novel. It is possible that Austen is attempting to convey that the society does not allow for women (and men, in many cases) to make their own decisions. Anne is the ideal, situated comfortably upon the fine line of not being too easily influenced, or of being unable to listen to difference. Perhaps, her character is constructed in order to convey the gendered implications of how the minds of women were effected in her cultural setting.

Anne's Proposal

A scene I found particularly interesting in today’s reading is the debate between Anne and Captain Harville about how men and women experience love. As always Anne is very aware of her surroundings and knows that Captain Wentworth is listening. Anne notes that while men “…have always a profession, pursuits, business of some sort or other, to take you back into the world immediately…” (241) women do not have such a luxury. Men are allowed to move on into other things to occupy their lives while women are not. Anne falters in her conversation with Benwick and allows her own emotions to come through in this topic capturing Wentworth’s attention.

When Harville tries to fall back on the debate tactic we have seen many characters use in this course of quoting books Anne blocks this move. She reminds us, “Men have had every advantage of us in telling their own story. Education has been theirs in so much higher a degree; the pen has been in their hands.” (243) Anne has been established as a well-read character but she acknowledges that there is a problem in trying to determine the nature of women through a male lens. Both Harville and Anne are sincerely describing what they have felt in the past but neither can really claim a superior feeling of love. Their lives and perspectives are so different that they can’t come to a true understanding of the other’s experience. As Anne states they each have a natural bias to their own sex and their very different experiences have built upon it. That being said they can still try to listen to one another.

By having this discussion with Harville, Anne has revealed her side of things to Wentworth.  After Wentworth’s jealous reaction to Mr. Elliot she is sure he has feelings for her. In this time it would not have been proper for Anne to propose to Wentworth but in an indirect way she has. Anne cleverly made a full confession of her continuing feelings and made it clear that she has never stopped caring for Captain Wentworth without saying a word directly to him. She instead compels him to act. 

Tactics of Persuasion

After discussing Anne's character in class, with the decided conclusion about how she is a passive listener, collecting information and listening patiently to a multitude of others no matter how unlike herself without casting too much judgment, it was interesting to me to see another character of similar methods emerge in Mr. William Elliot. However, the two are remarkably different in their intentions and the way they use persuasion.

Anne clearly is the more morally intentional character between the two. Though she may sit and observe, allowing herself to only express her opinions more openly but still amicably later in the book, she uses whatever persuasion she may have for the better. And in the instances I noticed, she doesn't even use any information that she gains through calmly observing. One of the prominent instances of her version of persuasion was with Captain Benwick. "it fell to Anne’s lot to be placed rather apart with Captain Benwick; and a very good impulse of her nature obliged her to begin an acquaintance with him" and that acquaintance was a simple discussion. And as we've learned, Anne is much more of a listener, so I would assume their discussion still had a lot of her usual mannerisms of listening and waiting to speak and "the engaging mildness of her countenance, and gentleness of her manners, soon had their effect; and Anne was well repaid the first trouble of exertion". It's even plainly stated that this was an act of persuasion, "and besides the persuasion of having given him at least an evening’s indulgence in the discussion of subjects ... she had the hope of being of real use to him in some suggestions as to the duty and benefit of struggling against affliction". And even though she clearly had good intentions, Anne still has the worry that "she had been eloquent on a point in which her own conduct would ill bear examination", reflecting a humility and understanding that she needs to be better at practicing what she preaches so that she may influence others truly for the better.

We also see some of Anne's personal, passive persuasion take an effect on Mrs. Smith, who is cut of the same persuasive cloth as Anne. It is through these interactions, that we learn the true nature of her persuasive counterpart, William Elliot. I think you ought to be made acquainted with Mr. Elliot’s real character. Mrs. Smith places herself in the Anne's usual position through her own interactions with Mr. Elliott to whom she, "was the friend to whom he confided his hopes and plans". Mrs. Smith fills Anne in on his true nature,"Mr. Elliot is a man without heart or conscience; a designing, wary, cold-blooded being, who thinks only of himself; who, for his own interest or ease, would be guilty of any cruelty, or any treachery, that could be perpetrated without risk of his general character." Even though this was in the past, Mrs. Smith provides proof and further account that he really has not changed, but has become more cunning and persuasive. His latest efforts are dedicated to the baronetcy and ensuring his title by ruining Sir Walter and Miss Clay, "he omitted no opportunity of being with them, threw himself in their way, called at all hours – but I need not be particular on this subject. You can imagine what an artful man would do". How artful he is in how he employs his persuasion, "Mr. Elliot was too generally agreeable. Various as were the tempers in her father’s house, he pleased them all. He endured too well, – stood too well with everybody. He had spoken to her with some degree of openness of Mrs. Clay; had appeared completely to see what Mrs. Clay was about, and to hold her in contempt; and yet Mrs. Clay found him as agreeable as anybody." His methods are close to Anne's. He may not be as passive as she is when she is listening to others, which seems evident through everyone finding him so agreeable and Anne less so, but he has an ear lent to everyone he comes in contact with and an agreeable word to say to them, whether or not he agrees. And we see Anne's understanding that her similar methods of persuasion cannot alter his plans. She has to change what she will do, "It will be more painful to me in some respects to be in company with him, but I shall know better what to do. My line of conduct will be more direct. Mr. Elliot is evidently a disingenuous, artificial, worldly man, who has never had any better principle to guide him than selfishness." 

I would like to say that I do not think Austen's point of the novel is entirely based in the intention of the persuasion, but that I just happened to see such a drastic difference of intent in two characters through similar methods. However, we have seen that even with good intentions persuasion is an uncontrollable, intangible thing, such was the case of Lady Russell's persuasion of Anne to reject Captain Wentworth. While it was done out of the love of herself and probably Anne's mother and only wanting the best for Anne, it led her to a very complicated path. Though I do think this path may be what made Anne such a character opposite from her family.

Persuasion - Endings 12/6

I'm really interested in the differences between the published ending, and the alternate.  I would definitely say the published ending is more romantic - a love letter confession is much more enticing than the uninformed meeting of Anne and Wentworth in the alternate ending.  Perhaps that's why Austen chose to rewrite the ending in the first place; it's obvious she always intended for Anne and Wentworth to marry, but why force them together through two relatively unimportant character (The Crofts) at the very end?  Seems very rushed, definitely like a first draft.  Forcing them together in that way, takes away from 1. the romantic element of the letter, and 2. their choice in the matter. Technically, it still would have been their choice to marry, but with the letter, the reader understands that it was entirely of Wentworth's own accord to reach out to Anne and mend the engagement.
After discussion on Thursday, we discussed Austen's personal life, and Anne as an autobiographical character.  In both endings, Anne and Wentworth live happily every after; Austen never married, but we discussed her possible opinions on love & marriage, and how she believed to two should go hand-in-hand.  So, it's interesting (and not at all surprising), that the two characters end up together.  In fact, most of Austen's novels end in happy marriages.
One question on the ending: Anne originally does not marry Wentworth because her friends and family did not approve of his social status, and did not find him suitable to marry.  If the entire novel is a satire about social class, why does Austen choose to have Wentworth become suitable? Why not have Anne "follow her heart," and marry him despite her family's opinions?

Persuasion 12/6

     In class, we were discussing ways to describe Anne as a character. Though I do agree with such words as strategist, manipulator, etc., the idea I had during my reading for Anne was a peace maker. She was constantly looking out for what kept the world of everyone around her turning: keeping silent as to not start more trouble and coming up with solutions in hectic situations while others floundered about. There is a change in her as a character between volumes 1 & 2, I believe; Coming across as reserved in the beginning, Anne seems much more open by the end the novel. An example of this idea comes from her discussing with Captain Harville over men and women. A memorable line from her goes to say, "All the privilege I claim for my own sex is that of loving longest, when existence or when hope is gone," (pg. 244). Not only does this feel like a more bold Anne Elliot, This could also be Austen sharing her stance on the views between the two sexes. 

    Another aspect that I was intrigued in was what felt like different types of persuasion through the book. Looking at how Sir Walter was persuaded through vanity, Anne through duty, even Mr. Smith was persuaded to spend his money which ended him in debt. Austen is clever at showing the different means of persuasion and the negative and positive effects it possesses. Since most of the major characters are using or subjected to this tool of manipulation, it feels almost like an actual character itself. So it is understandable why it is the title of Austen's last novel. 

    Other discussions have addressed the notion of love vs. society and what take Austen has on the issue. I find that Austen thinks highly of a loving relationship and turns away from society standards. It feels that she makes this statement through the discussion with Anne and Henrietta. Even though Charles Hayter is not up to the standards Miss Musgrove's family may desire, they accept the marriage for he makes Henrietta happy which is enough for them (pg. 229-230). Austen makes it clear that this is how it should be. Love should dictate who marries who, not social status and wealth. 

Anne as an Observer and Strategist

As I stated in class I see Anne Elliot as a strategist. Because of the strict rules/structures of the society she is living in Anne is limited in how she can impact her world. A proper lady cannot act in an overt manner. What she chooses to do is be very careful and subtle about what she does. Anne quietly observes the people around her, she is always gathering intelligence. When she speaks, she chooses her words deliberately and considers all of the possible ramifications of them. She subtly influences others to “persuade” them to act correctly. There are instances of her manipulations throughout the first volume.

Early on in the novel there is mention of Mrs. Clay’s ambitions concerning Sir Walter. Before Elizabeth and her father leave for Bath, Anne has a talk with her. Although Elizabeth was offended by the notion Anne noted that “…Elizabeth, though resenting the suspicion, might yet be made observant by it.” (73) By planting the seed she basically assigned Elizabeth to keep watch over the situation in Bath while Anne wasn’t present.

When Anne is placed with Captain Benwick she sees it as the chance to be “…of real use to him in some suggestions as to the duty and benefit of struggling against affliction…” (129). Anne listens to him and takes an interest in his reading habits. In doing this she made herself someone he could trust when she made some recommendations of her own. Captain Benwick later attributes these books to lifting him from his melancholy and giving him the chance to move on with Louisa.

Society does not give Anne real power, but Anne takes some power for herself in her approach to life. The power she has is not given to her by blood or station, it is something she earns through the application of her mind. She observes constantly, ponders her observations, and gives careful consideration to her actions and the ramifications of them before acting. Through her depiction of this character Austen shows the reader that a women can be the intellectual equal of a man. I don’t believe it is a coincidence that we have self-made men who pulled themselves up in life through military victories portrayed in this novel. It gives us a point of comparison. Austen shows us that women are also capable of careful observation, planning, and action to achieve their goals. 

Persuasion

I find it interesting that Jane Austen uses irony throughout this novel in order to comment on certain aspects of social life and the customs that were customary in society at the time. She uses irony to show that not every couple is like Anne and Wentworth. She comments on how some couples are like Benwick and Louisa, and are together because they are going through similar situations and stages in life. I believe that Austen thinks that couples should get together for those reasons as opposed to love or because they're happy together. I think that her use of irony is also a commentary on how Austen is skeptical of true love and whether or not it's a real thing. 

I think she believes that the relationship that Anne and Wentworth have is especially rare for the time. A majority of people would typically get married if they were deemed a suitable match by society, which meant they came from the same social class. That idea was the end-all-be-all of the time. They thought that if you came from similar backgrounds, that you'd have a good life and be happy in your marriage and life together. 

I think that Austen didn't necessarily like the idea of the class system, but doesn't think that it should be disregarded completely. I think that she likes the aspect that couples are matched based on social classes and because they're going through similar phases and things in life. I think that she thinks that love isn't real or a viable reason to be together forever. 

It's interesting that Professor Porter pointed out the fact that this novel is well, novel in its use of free indirect discourse. I never knew the term, however, I did recognize that the novel reads like the more modern novels I've experienced. It's interesting to note that the Romantic period was not a time of stagnated literary forms like high school Hannah thought: the notion that the forms and tropes of the romantic period were only subject to exploring childhood and innocence, nature and sublime, the pastoral vs the growing mechanistic world is a fallacy.

Experimentation is for me what sets this novel apart from the ones we've read- this isn't to say that Wasingham or Desmond weren't experimental, but I align this novel with Shelley's Frankenstein and The Last Man in that the modern reader can see veins of that particular tradition carried through in modern novels.

The concept of free indirect discourse, for me, came so naturally reading this novel (because like I said, I've been accustomed to it- as I'm sure most of the students in this class are). However, when it comes to truly dissecting the source of this discourse, it becomes confusing and convoluted. What is the point of this confusion?

It's my theory that the "point" lies in growing realism-- novels are slowing coming out of the overly sentimental era of writing marked by sensibility and hitting at the core of where this sensitibikity comes from- from the real human psyche endowed with characteristics that are shared universally with variations subject to the individual.

When the reader chooses a passage to close read and dissect, especially when it comes to attempting to discern whose "head" we're in,  Austen gives hints but leaves the subtlties to the interpretation of the reader. Even on page 262, the narrator remarks that "the evening seemed to have been made up of exquisite events" in the middle of a paragraph describing Mr. Elliot and Anne. It begs the question- does the author superimpose her own reading of the unfolding events to call them exquisite? Does Anne think they are, or does Mr. Elliot? Does it matter whether or not the reader truly knows- is the simple fact that the narrator says so supposed to quell and curiosity? Does it change the reading of this passage?

Persuasion 12/1

The events that occur in the chapters that we read for today’s lecture question Wentworth’s views and forces him to acknowledge Anne in ways he previously avoided. Wentworth view that “it is the worst evil of too yielding and strength a character” and conviction that a person should have “decision and firmness” is challenged with Louisa’s accident (Austen 117). Louisa’s temperament was already established as firm but these words spoken by Wentworth validate her later behavior and lead to her accident. Anne’s thought that “it could scarcely escape him to feel that a persuadable temper might sometimes be as much in favour of happiness as a very resolute character” show the extremity and danger of his views (Austen 144) Mary could also function as an example of what being married to someone who’s temperament is unpersuadable would be like. Anne was indispensable during, and after, the accident and her usefulness and capability is impossible for Wentworth to ignore. He acknowledges that “if Anne will stay, no on so proper, so capable as Anne” will nurse Louisa (Austen 141). This event forces Wentworth to acknowledge and praise Anne, where he previously avoided anything besides polite courtesy. The trip to Lyme and the marked attention that Anne receives from other men also force Wentworth to acknowledge her as a woman. After Mr. Elliot’s admiration, Wentworth “gave her a momentary glance, a glance of brightness, which seemed to say, ‘That man is struck with you, and even I, at this moment, see something like Anne Elliot again (Austen 133). Anne is, if only briefly, viewed as a woman worth of admiration in a physical way.