Is persuasion a positive force ?

2. Is persuasion a positiveforce? • Is pesuasion a negativeforce?

3. PERSUASION

4. Persuasion is theact of persuadingsomeoneto do something, tothinkdifferentlyortobelievethatsomething is true

5. Whoarethepersuaders

6. LadyRussell Lady Russell is the best friend of Anne’s deceased mother. She is good woman, but she values propriety, rank, and consequence .She serves as an advisor to the Elliot family.Anne is her favorite of the Elliot daughters and, though she means well, she sometimes gives Anne bad advice.

7. In the summer of 1806 , Captain Wentworth visited his brother in the area where he met to Anne. They fell in love and had hoped to marry but Anne's family and her trusted friend Lady Russell thought it was improper. In 1806 Captain Wentworth was without fortune or high birth. Lady Russell thought it was her duty, in the absence of Anne's mother, to persuade her not to marry beneath her social class. Sheopposed their love. Anne, very young and gentle at this time, did not want to contradict wishes of Lady Russell and she was persuaded that their engagement was improper and impractical, and she ended it.

8. “I wish said Henrietta, very well pleased with her companion,I wish Lady Russell lived at Uppercross, and were intimate with Dr. Shirley. I have always heard of Lady Russell as a woman of greatest influence with everybody!. I always look upon her as able to persuade a person to anything! I am afraid of her, as I have told you before, quite afraid of her, because she is so very clever; but I respect her amazingly, and wish we had such a neighbor at Uppercross” ( Austen 79).

9. “I do not exactly know, for Henrietta and I were at school at that time; but I believeabout a yearbefore he marriedMary. I wishshe had acceptedhim. Weshouldallhaveliked her a greatdealbetter; and papa andmammaalwaysthink it was her a greatfriendLadyRussell’sdoing, thatshedid not. Theythink Charles might not be learnedandbookishenoughtopleaseLadyRussell, andthat, therefore, shepersuaded Anne torefusehim” (Austen 68).

10. SirWalterElliot Thefather of Anne Elliot, baronet, andowner of KellynchHall.SirWalter is an impracticalman; his habits of lavishspendingand his strongdesiretomaintainappearancesthreatenthefuture of theElliotfamily. SirWalter is theveryimage of conceit. Vanitywasthebeginningandend of his character.

11. Anne is persuadedbythedisapproval of her fathertoend her engagementwithCaptainWentworth.CaptainWenthworth is not consideredworthyenoughtomarry Anne. Anne thinksshe has an obligationtofollowtheadvice of her father. SirWalterElliotthought it is a degradingalliance. Withthehelp of LadyRussell, he persuaded Anne to break off her engagementtoFrederickWenthworth.

12. “A shortperiod of exquisitefelicityfollowed, and but a shortone. Troublessoonarose. SirWalter, on beingappliedto, withoutactuallywithholding his consent, orsaying it shouldnever be, gave it allthenegative of greatastonishment, greatcoldness, great silence, and a professedresolution of doingnothingfor his daughter. He thought it a verydegradingalliance; andLadyRussell, thoughwithmoretemperedandpardonablepride, received it as a mostunfortunateone” (Austen 20).

13. Anne Elliot Anne Elliot is, likemostAustenheroines, witty, clever, andconsiderate. Anne Elliot is themiddledaughter of SirWalterElliot.She is not theprettiest of theyoungladies in thenovel. Anne becomesmostdecidedlymoreattractivewhen her betterqualitiesarenoted. SirWalteroftenoverlooks Anne, slights her, anddismisses her opinions.

14. SirWalter, wholavishlyoverspend , has broughtthefamilyintogreatdebt. WhenLadyRussell, a trustedfamilyadvisor, suggeststhattheElliotsreducetheirspending, SirWalter is horrified .He is exceedinglyvainandcannotbeartoimagine life without his usualcomforts. Anne thinkstheirspendingshould be cutevenmore, since there is muchthey do not need. LadyRussellconsults Anne . Anne makes a plan andLadyRussellwasgreatlyinfluencedby her.ShepersuadedLadyRusselltopersuade her familytousethis plan. Because her ideasare no objectforSirElliot.

15. “LadyRusselldrewupplans of economy, shemadeexactcalculations, andshedidwhatnobody else thought of doing: sheconsulted Anne, whoneverseemedconsideredbyothers as havinganyinterest in thequestion. Sheconsulted, andwasinfluencedby her, in markingoutthescheme of retrenchment, whichwas at lastsubmittedtoSirWalter. Everyemendation of Anne’s had been on theside of honestyagainstimportance. Shewantedmorevigorousmeasures, a morecompletereformation, a quickerreleasefromdebt, a muchhighertone of indifferenceforeverything but justiceandequity”(Austen 9).

16. “He wascutshortbytheeagerattacks of thelittleboys, clingingtohimlike an oldfriend, anddeclaring he should not go;andbeingtoomuchengrossedbyproposals of carryingthemaway in his coat-pocket, etc., tohaveanother moment forfinishingorrecollectingwhat he had begun, Anne waslefttopersuadeherself, as well as shecould,thatthesamebrothermuststill be in question. Shecould not, however, reachsuch a degree of certainity as not to be anxioustohearwhetheranything had beensaid on thesubject at theotherhouse, wheretheCrofts had previouslybeencalling”(Austen 37).

17. “Anne wasnow at handtotakeup her owncause, andthesincerity of her mannerbeingsoonsufficienttoconvincehim, whereconvictionwas at leastveryagreeable, he had no fartherscruples as to her beingleftto dine alone , though he stillwanted her tojointhem in theevening, whenthechildmight be at rest forthenight, andkindlyurged her tolethimcomeandfetch her; but shewasquiteunpersuadable; andthisbeingthecase, she had ere longthepleasure of seeingthem set offtogether in highspirits.Theyweregone, shehoped, to be happy, howeveroddlyconstructedsuchhappinessmightseem;as forherself, shewasleftwith as manysensations of comfort, as were, perhaps, ever likelyto be hers. Sheknewherselfto be of thefirstutilitytothechild; andwhatwas it to her ifFrederickWenthworthwereonlyhalf a mile distant, makinghimselfagreeabletoothers”(Austen 44)

18. CaptainFrederickWenthworth CaptainWentworth is a gallantNavalofficerwho, well-educatedandwell-mannered. He valuesconstancy, practicality, andfirmness of mind in women. He has made his ownfortunethrough hard workandgood sense,in directcontrasttoSirWalterwho has onlywastedthemoneythatcametohimthrough his title. Withoutlandorhighbirth, CaptainWentworth is not thetraditionalmatchfor a woman of Anne Eliot'sposition.

19. Throughtheend of thebook,Wentworth is significantlyricherthanSirWalter, is consideredworthyenoughtomarry Anne.Thoughtheyseekthesamegoal, theyareuncertainwhetherobstaclessuch as Anne'sfamilyorMr. Elliotwillkeepthemfromreachinghappiness. In the novel, Captain Wentworth develops, eventually overcoming his pride and shame at being once refused, in order to make a proposal to his chosen bride.

20. I can listen no longer in silence. I mustspeaktoyoubysuchmeans as arewithinmyreach. Youpiercemysoul. I amhalfagony, halfhope. Tellme not that I amtoolate, thatsuchpreciousfeelingsaregoneforever. I offermyselftoyouagainwith a heartevenmoreyourownthanwhenyoualmostbroke it eightyearsand a halfago. Dare not say thatmanforgetssoonerthanwoman, that his love has earlierdeath. I havelovednone but you. Unjust I mayhavebeen, weakandresentful I havebeen, but neverinconstant.YoualonehavebroughtmetoBath. Foryoualone I thinkand plan. Haveyou not seenthis?Can you fail tohaveunderstoodmywishes? I had not waitedeventhese ten days, could I havereadyourfeelings, as I thinkyoumusthavepenetrate mine.

21. I can hardlywrite. I ameveryinstanthearingsomethingwhichoverpowersme. Yousinkyourvoice, but I can distinguishthetones of thatvoice, whentheywould be lost on others. Toogood, tooexcellentcreature! You do us justiceindeed. You do believethatthere is trueattachmentandconstancyamong men. Believe it to be mostfervent, mostundeviating in. I mustgo, uncertain of myfate; but I shallreturnhither, orfollowyourparty, as soon as possible. A word, a lookwill be enoughtodecidewhether I enteryourfathershousethisevening,ornever (Austen 186).

22. Mr. William Elliot He is cousin of Anne Elliot, andheirtoKellynchHall. Mr. William Elliot is a smoothtalkerwhoeveryoneagrees is "perfectlywhat he oughtto be. Mr. Elliot is searchingfor a newbride. He is good- lookingandwell-mannered.

23. Mr. ElliotfearsthatSirWalterwillmarryMrs. Clay, have a son, andtherebydeprivehim of his title. ThankstoMrs. Smith, Anne learnsaboutMr. Elliot'shiddenpast; he planstomarry Anne toensurethat he becomesthesoleheir of theKellynchbaronetcy.He plotstoensurethat he willremainSirWalter'sheir. Mr. Elliotwasshockedthat his plan tomarry Anne has beenfoiled, when Anne wasengagedwithCaptainWenthworth.

24. “LadyRussellsaweitherlessormorethan her youngfriend, forshesawnothingtoexcitedistrust. Shecould not imagine a manmoreexactlywhat he oughtto be thanMr. Elliot; nordidshe ever enjoy a sweeterfeelingthanthehope of seeinghimreceivethehand of her beloved Anne in Kellynchchurch, in thecourse of thefollowingautumn” (Austen 124).

25. “LadyRussellwasnowperfectlydecided in her opinion of Mr. Elliot. Shewas as muchconvinced of his meaningtogain Anne in time as of his deserving her; andwasbeginingtocalculatethenumber of weekswhichwouldfreehimfromalltheremainingrestraints of widowhood, andleavehim at libertytoexert his mostopenpowers of pleasing. Shewould not speakto Anne withhalfcertaintyshefelt on thesubject, shewouldventure on littlemorethanhints of whatmight be hereafter, of a possibleattachment on his side, of desirableness of thealliance, supposingsuchattachmentto be real, andreturned.Anne heard her, andmade no violentexclamations. Sheonlysimiled,blushed, andgentlyshook her head” (Austen 122).

26. Mrs. SMITH • She is afriend of Anne Elliotwho is currentlyliving in Bath. After her husbandwentintodebtandleft her a widow, Mrs. Smithwasleftwithnothing. Nowcrippledby an illness, Mrs. Smithprovides Anne theinformationthathelps her learnmoreaboutMr. Elliot.

27. Mrs. Smithinforms Anne of her cousin'scold-heartednessandsocialambition. Anne findsoutMr. Elliot'struemotivationsbehindall his attentionsto her family.Mrs. Smith is capable of ruiningtheplans of Mr. Elliot. Anne acknowledgesthatshewouldneverhavethisimportantinformation, if it were’ntforMrs.Smith.

28. “Mr. Elliot is a manwithoutheartorconscience; a designing, wary, cold-bloodedbeing, whothinksonly of himself; who, for his owninterestorease, would be quilty of anycruelty, oranytreachery, thatcould be perpetratedwithout risk of his general character. He has no feelingforothers. Thosewhom he has beenthechiefcause of leadingintoruin, he can neglectanddesertwithoutthesmallestcompuction. He is totallybeyondthereach of anysentiment of justiceorcompassion .Oh! he is black at hear, hollowandblack!”(Austen 156).

29. SELF DECEPTIONN

30. Self-deception is theprocessorfact of misleadingourselvestoaccept as trueorvalidwhat is falseorinvalid. Self-deception, in short, is a waywejustifyfalsebeliefstoourselves.

31. Her start wasperceptibleonlytoherself; but sheinstantlyfeltthatshewasthegreatestsimpleton in theworld, themostunaccountableandabsurd! For a fewminutesshesawnothingbefore her. Itwasallconfusion (Austen 136).

32. After a shortinterval , however, he cametowards her andspokeagain. Mutualinquires on commonsubjectspassed; neither of them, probably, muchthewiserforwhattheyheard, and Anne continuingfullysensible of his beingless at easethanformerly. They had, bydint of beingsoverymuchtogether, gottospeaktoeachotherwith a considerableportion of apparentindifferenceandcalmness; but he could not do it now. Time had changedhim, orLousia had changedhim. Therewasconsciousness of somesortorother. He lookedverywell, not as if he had beensuffering in healthorspirits, and he talked of Uppercross, of theMusgroves, nay, even of Lousia, and had even a momentarylook of his ownarchsignificance as he named her; but yet it wasCaptainWenthworth not comfortable, not easy, not abletofeignthat he was ( Austen 136-137).

34. Works Cited Austen, Jane. Persuasion. Wordsworth. London. 2006. Ermarth, ElizabethDeed. RealismandConsensus in theEnglishNovel. Edinburgh. 1988.