Reading Response of Persuasion

Reading Response of Persuasion

There's one scene that impresses me most, in which Anne is sitting under the hedge-row accidentally hearing Captain Wentworth and Louisa talking as they drawing near in the hedge-row. (Pg. 68) I think this scene is of great significance for the whole novel because of the following reasons.

First of all, it is obvious that they are talking about the effects of persuasion on people when making a decision, which is the main topic of the novel. From Louisa's saying, "No, I have no idea of being so easily persuaded. When I have made up my mind, I have made it... ", We can see Louisa is criticizing her sister Henrietta for being so easily to be persuaded, and showing her character of firmness and decision in contrast. Maybe she is trying to win Captain Wentworth's appreciation, thus induce him to court her rather than her sister, but Louisa's words may expose the aggressiveness in her character at the same time.

Second, I think Captain Wentworth's long speech is of great implications, which reveals his inner world, that is, he still has feelings for Anne, though the resentment for Anne's breaking their engagement still exists as well. In fact, this talk begins with just a normal thing, which is Louisa made her sister Henrietta call on their aunt. However, such a trifle makes Captain Wentworth generates so much thoughts, from which I assume it must because that the trifle arouses the his memories, and from it, he is reflecting the story happened between him and Anne eight years ago. From his discourse - "Woe betide him, and her too, when it comes to things of consequence, when they are placed in circumstances requiring fortitude and strength of mind, if she have not resolution enough to resist idle interference in such a trifle as this." we can associates the situation where Lady Russell dissuaded Anne from marry Captain Wentworth, and left her to make a tough choice. "It is the worst evil of too yielding and indecisive a character, that no influence over it can be depended on." It may suggest that Anna obeyed the persuasion of Lady Russell and rejected the engagement eventually due to the lacking of resolution in her character. Also the words "beautiful" and "happy" occur so many times in the latter part of the speech that makes me imagine Captain Wentworth may attrite Anne's early vanishment of bloom to her unfirmness. However, on the other hand, he also says, "If you value her conduct or happiness, infuse as much of your own spirit into her as you can..." It may indicate the conflict in his inner world, for he seems to persuade himself to try to understand Anne, and thus forgive her. Overall, from such a great deal of emotions of Captain Wentworth, we may infer that he is still in love with Anne, though Anne's decision is still haunting in his