Persuasion

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Anne accepts Lady Russell’s counsel against marrying Wentworth. Have you ever been persuaded against your own instincts by someone whose opinion you valued? How did you reconcile your own desires with their advice?

2. As Anne’s confidence blossoms, others begin to see her differently. Have you experienced changes in how others perceive you based on your internal emotional state? How do you think confidence shapes our outward presence? 

3. Anne finds solidarity in relationships outside her birth family. What communities have supported you in ways your biological family couldn’t or didn’t?

4. Class and status affect every interaction in Persuasion. How do you see social standing influencing relationships or opportunities in today’s world?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The Regency marriage market and inheritance laws severely limit Anne’s choices. How do these constraints shape her fate?

2. Naval officers like Captain Wentworth represent a rising middle class whose wealth came from merit rather than inheritance. What parallels do you see in contemporary society’s attitudes toward “old money” versus “new money”?

3. Anne’s status as an unmarried woman affects how others regard her worth and prospects. What similarities and differences do you see in today’s cultural expectations around singlehood and life milestones?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Compare Anne Elliot to other Austen protagonists like Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice or Emma Woodhouse from Emma. In what ways does Anne’s character stand apart?

2. The concept of “persuasion” appears as both title and theme. How does it illuminate power dynamics between characters? Which forms of persuasion are portrayed positively and negatively?

3. What does Kellynch Hall symbolize? How does its change of ownership reflect the novel’s larger messages?

4. Austen uses the technique of free indirect discourse to give readers access to Anne’s thoughts. How does this narrative choice shape your understanding of Anne’s character?

5. What position does Austen seem to take in the debate between Captain Harville and Anne about whether men or women are more constant in love? What made you come to this conclusion?

6. Anne states that “Men have the advantage of us in telling their own story” (220). How does the novel itself challenge this statement? What commentary might Austen be making about women’s voices in literature?