Persuasion and Prayers Read-Along: Day 7

Welcome to Day 7 of the Persuasion and Prayers Read-Along! You can follow along on this three-week discussion of Persuasion and The Prayers of Jane Austen by checking out the read-along tag or by clicking the button in the sidebar.

Today we're going to discuss chapters 11 and 12 of Persuasion. If you came prepared, go ahead and share your thoughts below! Otherwise, feel free to check in later today after you've had a chance to read today's chapters. Can't wait to hear your thoughts!

P.S. If you're a blogger, please feel free to put together your own post using the button above and linking back to the Persuasion and Prayers Read-Along tag, if you'd prefer to participate in the discussion that way. :)

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Persuasion Chapters 11 and 12
Discussion Format: One quote to ponder, one observation, and one question for each day's reading.
Quote to Ponder

"Anne could not but be amused at the idea of her coming to Lyme to preach patience and resignation to a young man whom she had never seen before; nor could she help fearing, on more serious reflection, that, like many other great moralists and preachers, she had been eloquent on a point in which her own conduct would ill bear examination."

[Side note: I'm getting ahead of myself, but this quote reminds me of Jane Austen's prayers! Consider this line from Part III of The Prayers of Jane Austen: "Incline us, O God, to think humbly of ourselves, to be severe only in the examination of our own conduct, to consider our fellow-creatures with kindness, and to judge of all they say and do with that charity which we would desire from them ourselves."]

Honorable Mention:

"She ventured to hope he did not always read only poetry, and to say, that she thought it was the misfortune of poetry to be seldom safely enjoyed by those who enjoyed it completely; and that the strong feelings which alone could estimate it truly were the very feelings which ought to taste it but sparingly."

[Side note: These thoughts on poetry could very well suit the heroine of Morning Glory, my current WIP. So I had to include it! Plus, as a fan of poetry, I find this a good warning to remember.]

Observation

Some of you have brought this up before, but it's interesting to me that so much happens around Anne. As the heroine of the book, she instigates very little and is forced to react to quite a lot.

In these chapters, she is caught up in Louisa's scheme to bring their group to Lyme; she is introduced to Captain Wentworth's friends and feels the need to befriend Captain Benwick (a kindred spirit, of a sort); she is brought along for their one last walk along the coast; she is called upon to give advice in caring for Louisa, whose eagerness and stubborn (dare I say immature?) spirit caused her to fall; she is asked to stay and care for Louisa (which she'd like to do), but then is sent away so Mary can take her place (so she must endure Wentworth's quiet "displeasure"). In short, poor Anne is pulled this way and that and barely has a chance to make up her own mind or set her own course!

But perhaps Louisa's flighty choices have made Anne's quiet constancy shine all the brighter?

Wentworth certainly has his moments of noticing Anne's brilliance. In times of trial, he turns to her for advice and trustworthiness. And Austen made sure we understood that Wentworth noticed when Anne was gaining attention from other men! But I'm feeling torn, especially with the discussion from yesterday and then Wentworth's odd behavior in these chapters...

Question

Anne appears to value Wentworth's attention and his "care" of her very highly: from his noticing she needed rest (back in chapter 10), to his choosing her to stay behind with Louisa - and then asking for her opinion on whether or not his plan was a good one.

Do you believe that Wentworth's intentions are noble? Do his actions and thoughts regarding Anne arise from genuine concern and admiration? Or is Anne seeing only what she wants to see? 

(Forgive me if this question seems irrelevant based on what happens later in the story! I'm curious, though, if you have any supporting evidence solely from what we've read so far. :))

Giveaway!

Don't forget to log your giveaway entries this week using the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win a hardcover copy of The Prayers of Jane Austen !

(Giveaway open to US residents only. Prize donated by the book's editor, Terry Glaspey. Thanks, Terry!)

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Which quote to ponder, observation, and question/response would you like to share?

Join us tomorrow to discuss chapters 13 and 14!