Persuasion

Gr 8 Up–This is the final completed novel written by Austen and was published posthumously. Wealthy Anne Elliott fell in love with Frederick Wentworth in her youth but was persuaded by her elders to break off their relationship because of his lack of connections and money. Eight years later, now struggling with debt, the Elliotts rent out their ancestral home to the now-Captain Wentworth’s sister. An older, more mature Anne realizes her mistake and hopes that they can still find their way to each other. At the core of this second-chance novel is a focus on the engagements and marriages of a small circle of middle-class families, emphasizing the social and private lives of women of the era. Reflecting themes common throughout Austen’s work, this title’s protagonists must grapple with their personal pride before they can fully understand their relationships to not only each other but the people and world around them. Readers will be inspired to ponder their own roles in society, including how class and privilege impact how they move in the world. Considered her most mature work, this is also an example of Austen’s use of free indirect speech, a literary device she pioneered.