Persuasion
Jane Austen
Contains spoilers for the entire book.
Discussion topics
Topic 01 of 08
Eight years before
Was Anne right to be persuaded to break off her engagement to Wentworth?
Keep the conversation going
- How fair is Lady Russell's advice, seen from both then and now?
- What has the decision cost Anne?
There is no single right answer. Bring your own reading.
Discussion topics
Was Anne right to be persuaded to break off her engagement to Wentworth?
Keep the conversation going
- How fair is Lady Russell's advice, seen from both then and now?
- What has the decision cost Anne?
What does Sir Walter Elliot's vanity, and his need to let Kellynch, say about the world of the novel?
Keep the conversation going
- How does Anne's family overlook her?
- What do the navy officers have that the Elliots lack?
How does Wentworth treat Anne when they meet again, and why?
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- What does his flirtation with the Musgrove sisters say about him?
- When did you first see his feelings for Anne return?
What does Louisa's fall at Lyme change for Anne and Wentworth?
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- What does Anne's calm in that crisis show Wentworth?
- Is firmness of mind always a virtue, as Wentworth once believed?
What did you make of Mr Elliot, and how close did Anne come to accepting him?
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- What does Mrs Smith's story reveal?
- Why does Lady Russell favour him?
What do the Crofts and the Harvilles show about marriage?
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- Why does Austen make the navy the heart of the book?
- How does Mrs Croft's life compare with what's expected of a lady?
What does Wentworth's letter reveal, and why does it come at that moment?
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- What did you make of Anne's argument with Captain Harville about who loves longest?
- Why can he only say it in writing?
What does Persuasion say about second chances, and about being older and wiser?
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- Is their love stronger for the years apart?
- How is Anne different from Austen's younger heroines?
There is no single right answer. Bring your own reading.