Jane Austen is considered one of the most articulate, clever, and witty of 19th Century British authors. An 1890 textbook, A First Sketch of English Literature, declares that Austen "had a keen feminine perception of character, quickened by the sympathetic insight of true genius" and that "every sentence has pith in it...enlivened by the magic touch of genius in every page, and all this charm was found in the common things of life (912-13).
Identify at least one such "genius, pithy, charming" moment in Persuasion, offering your own analysis of its charm and your own hypothesis about why it qualifies as an example of literary genius.
Each of you must write about a unique moment in the book, so read previous posts carefully.
In the first few pages of Persuasion we are introduced to Sir Walter Elliot and his descendants via an entry in the Baronetage. Austen goes on to give her readers the briefest of snapshots of specific individuals. Sir Walter, for whom "vanity was the beginning and the end of...character" (10); his deceased wife, "an excellent woman, sensible and amiable" (10); Lady Russell, "of steady age and character" (11); Elizabeth, "very like [her father]" (11); Mary, who had "acquired a little artificial importance" through marriage...and who quite frankly drives me crazy (11); and finally, Anne--Anne who is "nobody" in the eyes of her father or sisters...Anne, who is "only Anne" to her immediate family...Anne, whose "bloom had vanished early"...Anne who is, well, just Anne.
And yet we suspect that this is not entirely true. We suspect that Anne is somehow much more than what we are first shown. (After all, this is her story, and you can't have a story about "nobody.")
As you read, be on the lookout for moments that hint at Anne's true identity and character, whether that be through her actions, her words, or her thoughts and observations, which often (but not always) reflect those of the narrator.
Who is Anne Elliot, really? Are your initial impressions confirmed throughout Book I, or do they change? If so, why? As always, be sure to include page number references.
