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.