WeBuzz
Reader discussion: Persuasion
Public reader discussion about Persuasion in the WeRead Catalog by Jane Austen.
What are your ‘must buy’ books, or books that you need to keep handy on the shelf for the future (compared to borrowing from library)?
By shelfEnzyme
I’m a pretty big library person—I usually borrow since it’s free, and I’ve been moving around a lot. But I’ll actually be in one place for a while, so I want to start buying some books. Only thing is, I don’t want to buy stuff I won’t reread, so I’m kind of wondering which books are worth owning and keeping on the shelf instead of just borrowing. What do you all think?
[Scheduled] Persuasion, chapters 1-7
By Ink_Tide
Hey everyone!! Kicking off our first chat for *Persuasion* and I’ll drop a quick rundown plus a couple questions, but please jump in with whatever you’re thinking too. I’m honestly really curious what you all make of this so far.
Chs 1–2: We meet the main characters and you start to see what’s going on in the Elliot family. They’re pretty much broke, but they’re not willing to give up their little “comforts” and downgrade their lifestyle (which feels… stubborn, to say the least). Sir Walter is like the baronet who can’t stand the idea of cutting back, especially if it means “basing” himself in any way. And Anne is kind of the one in the middle getting dragged along.
Chs 2–3: Lady Russell and Anne try to come up with a way to save money, but Sir Walter refuses. The workaround is renting out the house secretly and then moving to a smaller place in Bath. Also, Lady Russell wants to pull Elizabeth away from Mrs. Clay because she doesn’t think that friend is a good influence.
Chs 3–5: Mr. Shepherd talks Sir Walter into renting, and somehow they end up getting it rented to Admiral Croft and his wife specifically. Then we get the backstory about Anne and Captain Wentworth—her engagement gets messed up pretty badly because of her dad and Lady Russell pushing it. Then the family leaves Kellynch Hall, Sir Walter and Elizabeth head to Bath, and Anne goes to Mary’s because Mary’s “ill,” which I’m not totally sure is illness so much as being stuck alone and bored.
Chs 6–7: Anne settles into Uppercross and everyone kind of tries to use her to get what they want. The Crofts visit after moving in, and they basically confirm that Wentworth is coming soon. The Musgroves want to see him too since their son worked on his ship and died. Wentworth shows up, eats with them, and Anne ends up having to skip because she’s dealing with her nephew after a fall. Then Mary tells Anne that Wentworth wouldn’t have recognized her because she looks so different now—yikes. And on top of that, he seems ready to marry literally anyone who says yes, except Anne. That part is just… brutal, honestly.
Is there really a media literacy crisis?
By pineChapter
I’ll just say up front: I’m 16 and in junior high, and I like to think I can usually follow books/movies/stories in a decent way. I don’t really hang out in literature groups or anything, so I’m honestly just curious what other people think about this kind of stuff.
A lot of people always talk like “younger generations don’t have media literacy” and whatever, and I mostly agree… but also I’m not sure if I’m actually any good at it. I feel like my classmates could go a bit deeper sometimes, but then again our language arts classes don’t really push us to think that far, so maybe that’s not entirely their fault.
Like, for example: I read *The Metamorphosis* by Kafka this summer (or last year, I guess, since it’s a new school year). At first I was basically just thinking “that’s really sad. I wouldn’t want to be a cockroach.” But then a couple days later, after I had time to sit on it, I started thinking it was also about depression—like how a depressed person can see themselves as gross or disgusting. And I also got this other idea that it’s about how disabled people get treated. I know that sounds like it’s reaching, but that’s what it felt like to me. I’ve dealt with depression before, but I’m not disabled. I have a health condition and I’m kind of dyslexic, though, and I wouldn’t say it counts as disability for me personally. Still, I’ve seen how other people treat disabled folks, and that part felt pretty close.
But then there are other books where I just kind of hit a wall on what I’m supposed to take from them. *The Great Gatsby* was one. When I finished, I felt sort of… “okay?” I might be too young to get it. My main thoughts were that basically nobody cared about Gatsby except Nick, his dad, and that one guy with the glasses who shows up at the funeral. And also that you can’t really relive the past, which I know was kind of the point, but besides that I didn’t feel like I got much.
Same with *The Shining*. I liked it, but the meaning felt unclear. Maybe you could argue it’s about trauma or repressed stuff, but I don’t know.
And a lot of Lovecraft stuff too. I genuinely like those stories, even if I’m not sure I “understand” anything deeper. I know it’s supposed to make you feel small and scared and like nothing matters, but I’m still not sure how much I’m actually grasping.
So I guess my question is: what can I do to understand stories better—like actually get the themes and not just the plot? Also, please don’t be afraid to be blunt if I’m missing something. I’d rather hear “yeah you’re not getting it” than someone pretend I’m totally reading it right. And if anyone thinks there’s really a media literacy crisis, I’d love to hear that too.
Also, sorry for any typos—I’ll fix the ones I notice. And thanks in advance. (Edit: thank you to everyone who responded—there were a lot of good suggestions, like learning about the author and the time period, and sitting with the book longer instead of just finishing it. I’m going to try that with my next one.)
Comfort book
By hidden_otter465
I keep coming back to the same book every year: *Coming Home* by Rosamunde Pilcher. If I’m having a rough time or I feel overwhelmed and I can’t handle anything else, I just read that one. I first picked it up when I was 14—so that’s been about 8 years—and it’s also my mom’s comfort book. She always tells me, “Every time I open it, it feels like home,” and honestly I get it now.
Do any of you have a book like that, where all your worries just fade for a bit?
Are there any books you'd recommend on the psychological of manipulation or persuasion?
By quilljar5
I’m honestly just curious what kinds of tactics people are using—so you can spot them, and also figure out what you’d use yourself to persuade your way forward in life.
Which Persuasion movie adaptation?
By martenreader56
I’m totally hooked on this story right now (it’s become my favorite Jane Austen novel), and I’m curious what people think about the movie versions.
Persuasion deserves to be included in the top Austen novels!
By Eclipse_Imber
Every time I see people bring up Jane Austen, it’s always either Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility.
I do love those, but why does Persuasion barely get any attention? I feel like it’s just as good. I got really attached to Anne Elliott and Captain Wentworth too—they’ve quickly turned into one of my favorite literary couples now. <3
February romance read schedule - Persuasion by Jane Austen
By WandersParcel1972
Hey everyone! I’m really pumped for next month. I’m into classics and I’m also a sucker for romance, so getting *Persuasion* for both reasons feels perfect. The only Austen I’ve read so far is *Pride and Prejudice*, and I liked it a ton, so I can’t wait to jump into this one. Also, if you need it, you can grab *Persuasion* for free on Project Gutenberg.
It’s not super long—my Paper Mill Classics copy is 263 pages. We’re doing four Sunday check-ins, so one of the conversations lines up right with the romance-y day itself. Kind of funny how that worked out, honestly.
I tried to split it up as evenly as possible. On my copy, it comes out to about 65 pages a week or so (depending a bit).
Schedule:
Feb 7: Ch 1–7
Feb 14: Ch 8–13
Feb 21: Ch 14–20
Feb 28: Ch 21–24 (finish)
I’ll post something for marginalia once the full group schedule is up. If anyone has questions, feel free to ask—I'm genuinely excited to read this with you all.
PERSUASION by JANE AUSTEN BOOK REVIEW [spoiler-free]!!!
By OpensNovel
Just got back into reading classics and went with Jane Austen again. I’ve been trying to pick out the big themes she’s trying to get across in her novel, but I’m not totally sure I’m nailing it. Either way, I really enjoy reading and I’d love to hear any thoughts or discussion ❤️
[deleted by user]
By Prologue-Gold
Honestly I’m just here for anything Jane Austen—her books, the short stories, and all the screen adaptations too, pretty much whatever comes out.
who's your favorite character in persuasion and why?
By Lake_Frog
I’d really like to hear what your favorite part was too.
I just want to talk (or rant) about this Netflix persuasion
By readsneedle
I know folks have already said stuff about this, but I finally watched it with my friends last night and I’m honestly pissed. Like, even my friends who haven’t read the novel think it’s garbage. One of them was even laughing about how it looks so modern that Anne could just pull an iPhone out of her pocket while holding a Starbucks cup and take a selfie—like it doesn’t even feel out of place in the movie.
And it drives me crazy how modern screenwriters act like they need to “update” an older female character by turning her into a girlboss. Apparently we can’t have shy, sweet, humble, innocent women anymore, and Hollywood only thinks girls are interesting if they’re snarky and weird and always bad-mouthing people. They take a character written by a woman, decide she’s going to be some kind of feminist icon, and then change what made her work in the first place. But Jane Austen’s heroines already are feminist icons without all that extra crap—you don’t need to rewrite the personality to make it empowering.
I really hope this girlboss trend just stops soon because I don’t know how much longer I can deal with it.
Book that gives knowledge on psychological hacks, persuading, impressing and getting things done.
By windowOrange
I’ve read a couple psychology books, but none of them really matched what I was hoping for. Does anyone have a recommendation for a book that specifically focuses on psychological persuasion? I’m not totally sure what to look for.
What book would you be in Fahrenheit 451?
By pencil_cliff60
By the end of Fahrenheit 451, Montag runs into this kind of messy crew of people who are out there remembering bits and pieces of books. Together it’s like the last little library, except it’s all in their heads, and they just keep passing it along. Some folks can recite whole books, and others only have fragments. Montag, for his part, has Ecclesiastes and Revelation memorized.
So if that dystopian world ever actually happened (somehow) and I was stuck with a group like that, what book would I even know well enough to claim and start reciting?
Persuasion by Jane Austen - marginalia
By bisonsun
This is basically for your marginal notes—stuff you underlined, lines you liked, pages you stuck a corner on, and even random thoughts/connections you made. Write whatever, it doesn’t have to be super deep or kick off some huge discussion.
Also, when you post, start with what chapter or general part it’s about so people can steer clear of spoilers if they haven’t gotten there yet.
What am I missing about Persuasion?
By CarriesAtlas
I usually really like historical fiction, and I’ve got Mansfield Park in my favorites, but I couldn’t get into Persuasion at all. The only real thing I came away with was this hazy sense that Wentworth was kind of a plain, throwaway sort of guy—like not even especially interesting on his own—and that Anne’s “thing” was basically managing everyone else emotionally, in a world where people were mostly just doing stern sermons. And honestly I’m kind of wishing there was some really well-done Mrs. Clay fanfic, because an unappealing adventuress feels more fun to read about than most of the rest.
I know that’s probably me missing things, though, because with classics like this there’s often all these layers other people catch. Like how in Pride & Prejudice you can see the nastier side of Mr. Collins’s whole message, or how little moments in Mansfield Park show how picky people are about what Fanny “should” be doing—those kinds of details feel like Austen being sneakily good. With Persuasion, I mostly just felt like the tone slid toward that whole “religious martyr, kind of grim” vibe, like Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.
So… what actually made this book click for you?
I just wanted to share the most beautiful letter ever, in Persuasion by Jane Austen. Just finished reading it! What a great book.
By CuriousShelf
I can’t just sit here in silence anymore—I have to get this out any way I can. You really get under my skin. I feel like I’m stuck between pure misery and real hope, and please don’t tell me I’m too late or that whatever we had is gone forever. I’m coming back to you again, with my feelings even more tied to yours than they were back when you almost broke my heart, years ago. Don’t try to say a man forgets faster than a woman, or that his love fades sooner. I haven’t loved anyone but you.
I know I’ve probably been unfair and sometimes weak or resentful, but I’ve never been wishy-washy. You’re the only reason I’ve come to Bath. I’m constantly thinking about you, and planning for you. Have you not noticed? How could you not have understood what I wanted from you? I didn’t even wait these ten days if I could’ve helped it—I feel like you must’ve seen my feelings too.
I can barely write because I keep getting overwhelmed the whole time. Even when you lower your voice, I can still pick out your tone like other people wouldn’t. You’re too good, too wonderful. And you really do believe people can be genuinely loyal and steady, which makes me think it’s the strongest and most unchanging kind.
I have to go now, not knowing what’ll happen to me, but I’ll come back here or join your group as soon as I can. One look, one word—either I’ll be going into your father’s house this evening, or I won’t, for good.
Persuasion
By Fuzzy-Cougar
I really love Jane Austen, and I keep wanting to fully get into *Persuasion*, but it just doesn’t click for me. Whenever I do a full reread of all her novels, this one is the hardest to get through. I don’t hate it or anything—I do like Anne, and Wentworth seems okay—but honestly it’s my least favorite. I can’t reread it the way I can with the others. With it, I never really feel like I’m getting into a good rhythm. A bunch of the side characters don’t stick with me, and the plot feels just decent, not amazing.
So for people who love *Persuasion*—what is it about it that you’re obsessed with? I’ve been trying to love it for like eight years and I’m honestly a little bummed that I still don’t.
Is it a bad idea to read Persuasion after p&p?
By solar_badger
I was thinking I’d read it next since it’s shorter and I already have it, but I’ve also heard people say to keep *Persuasion* for last because it’s their absolute favourite. Supposedly it’s also a totally different vibe and style from the usual Austen stuff, but I might be mixing things up.
Either way, what do you think about the reading order?
Also, I’ve got *Emma* too, so that could be an option.
Persuasion is really sad.
By basilcomet77
Persuasion is still my favorite Austen, and after a few more re-reads I’m realizing I just love how crazy emotional and honestly depressing the whole story is even though it ends happily. I swear on my 4th time through I started crying like an idiot, and none of the other Austen books really get me like that because they’re usually more funny. Maybe it’s because I’m finally 20 now lol and I’m picking up different stuff.
I really like seeing Anne slowly open up and actually “bloom” once she’s around people more, but before that, the way she talks about losing her youth and watching the man she loves basically pull away is brutal. She keeps describing him dodging her and not really wanting to talk, and it’s painful in a very specific way. Even that little moment with Fred taking Mary’s kid off Anne’s head—she just gets stuck on the fact that he’s being civil but still avoiding her. Somehow it takes her this long, heavy heartbreak (8 years!) to look at something that should be simple, and it just becomes this huge ache.
And I’m also way more on board with Fred’s anger than I used to be. Like, he loves her and being away at sea for 8 years didn’t erase it, so it makes sense he’s hurt and mad. The way he keeps making a point to target Anne and then keep his distance just shows how deep the pain still is. Between Anne’s sadness and Fred’s rage, I felt wrecked for both of them the entire time. I also don’t even blame Anne for being 19, with no mom and a terrible dad and sisters to deal with—she was kind of stuck trusting the only women she could. The fact she thought she was helping him is just heartbreaking.
Yeah the plot has some weird coincidences, sure, but their relationship is top tier. It’s so easy to get pulled into all the hurt and love as a reader, especially if you’re the emotional/sensitive type like me.