Persuasion

By the end of Volume I, Louisa has suffered a serious head injury (the fact that it was an injury to the head shouldn't be brushed off as coincidence) and has been safely (more or less) delivered to the Harvilles' home and is awaiting recovery. The incident leading to her accident becomes a point of further reflection for Anne, who, as she is traveling back to ruminates upon 'persuasion,' and how, in the case of Louisa's 'firm mind', foolishness overrided her rational faculties. It is likely that when Anne thinks to herself that "it could scarcely escape [Wentworth] to feel that a persuadable temper might sometimes be as much in favour of happiness, as a very resolute character." (144) Louisa's resolute decision to continue playing on the stairs (I think they were stairs?) even through Wentworth's attempt to persuade her that it wasn't safe resulted in a serious head injury, followed by a prolonged unconsciousness. Anne seems to insinuate in her reverie that to have a mind open to suggestion might, in some cases, result in foolishness being intercepted before it can conk you out.  On the other hand, a mind fully influenced by suggestion can do the same damage. The tension of the novel hinges on this idea of persuasion being a wall that one should have to walk upon, being very careful not to lose footing and fall too far over one side.