Swoons and Sadness

Have I mentioned yet how much I freaking love my book club's pick this month, Jane Austen's Persuasion?! I love, love, LOVE it!

Right now, I've just finished up chapter four, which tells the tale of Wentworth and Anne. And ohmygoodness! ALL THE SWOONS! ALL THE SADNESS!

When they met, Wentworth had not yet established himself in a successful career in the military. Despite that, he is described as "a remarkably fine young man, with a great deal of intelligence, spirit, and brilliancy." Anne, at the time, was "an extremely pretty girl, with gentleness, modesty, taste, and feeling." The two gradually were introduced to each other, and immediately fell deeply in love.

"Half the sum of attraction, on either side, might have been enough, for he had nothing to do, and she had hardly anybody to love; but the encounter of such lavish recommendations could not fail."

He proposed, and she happily accepted.

But all was not bliss for long. Sir Walter, while not outright stating his refusal, was cold, silent, and flatly said he would do nothing for his daughter when she entered such a degrading match. Lady Russell, feeling it her duty as a mother-figure and mentor, strongly opposed the engagement. She felt Anne much too young to throw herself away on such a gamble of a man. After all, Wentworth had no family or fortune, and even though he was confident he would quickly rise through the ranks and find success in the navy, Lady Russell viewed his confidence, passion, and daring as a danger that must be mitigated at all costs.

Under the pressure of such disapproval, Anne caved. She could withstand her father's displeasure, but not the wise and loving negative opinion of Lady Russell. Anne was persuaded to think the engagement was imprudent, and incapable of success. Not only that, she truly felt that it was in Wentworth's best interest for her to call off their attachment.

Wentworth was devastated. He was angry that Anne felt forced to give him up, and quickly left the country in pain and resentment.

Anne's broken heart over the ordeal stole her youth, good looks, and spirit. In the seven years that passed, no man compared in her mind to the dashing fellow she let go.

At one point, Charles Musgrove asked her to marry him. It would have been an excellent match- his property and importance in the area was second only to Sir Walter's, but Anne refused. He was no Wentworth. Instead, Musgrove married her younger sister, Mary. Lady Russell was distressed at Anne's refusal, but even her advice could not sway Anne. Now Lady Russell worried that Anne might never marry.

Though it was never discussed, Anne felt very differently now than she did at nineteen, when she allowed her friend's influence to alter the course of her life. She did not blame Lady Russell, or even herself for having listened to her, but she did sincerely feel that she would have been much happier had she maintained the engagement, even if delays and disappointments had transpired.

Wentworth, in this time, had achieved everything he claimed he would and more. Anne gathered through the navy lists and newspapers that he was quite successful, rich, and unmarried.

Now, with his sister coming to stay at Kellynch Hall, all of Anne's emotions are stirred up. She takes comfort in the fact that the only ones who know, or remember, the details of the history are herself, Wentworth, and Lady Russell, and she feels confident that little awkwardness should arise.

My overall impressions from this chapter include feelings of anger, frustration, and sadness. One, I'm pissed at Sir Walter and Lady Russell for forcing Anne to break up with Wentworth. But then again, I'm ticked at Anne for giving up her love so easily. I can understand wanting to respect one's elders and take good advice, but if he were really that important to her, how could she send him away? I wish Austen explained more about how Anne felt it was in Wentworth's best interests if she ended things with him. That might give a better explanation as to how on earth she could give up on her love. Maybe this is just an area where I can relate, and that's why I'm feeling so emotional over the whole thing, but Sir Walter and Lady Russell are most definitely on my shiz list. Whether or not they can redeem themselves remains to be seen.

Also, I love Wentworth! I know I haven't been formerly introduced to him yet, but he sounds so confident, optimistic, brave, passionate, and sexy! *sigh* *swoon* It hurts that I know he had his heart stomped on by Anne, and I hate that Anne is STILL broken up about it. Such a sad, sadday.

Chapter four was definitely all about swoons and sadness.

What do y'all think? What were your thoughts on this portion of the book?

As always, happy reading, everyone!

I Want to Punch Him

Have you ever encountered a literary character that makes you want to jump through the pages of the book and slap their silly face?

That's how I feel about Sir Walter in Jane Austen's Persuasion.

As you know, the story of Anne Elliot is my book club's pick this month, and reading chapter three makes me growl in frustration.

In chapter three, we read about the possibility of a naval officer renting Kellynch Hall. Many navymen made a fortune in the war, and now that there's peace, are looking for a home. Mr. Shepard suggests this, and points out what excellent tenants a member of the navy would be…  But Sir Walter only has disparaging words:

"The profession has it's utility, but I should be sorry to see any friend of mine belonging to it." He finds it offensive on two counts- "First, as being the means of bringing persons of obscure birth into undue distinction, and raising men to honours which their fathers and grandfathers never dreamt of; and secondly, as it cuts up a man's youth and vigour most horribly; a sailor grows old sooner than any other man."

Mrs. Clay of course flatters him by saying, "We are not all born to be handsome," and claiming that only the landed highborn, who have no profession, are able to maintain their good looks without having them worn out by labor. (*cue song* "Now I ain't sayin' she's a gold digger…")

An Admiral Croft, a very wealthy member of the Navy, heard rumors of the Elliot's situation and intention to let Kellynch. He made his desire to rent the place known to Mr. Shepard, who brought the prospect to Sir Walter. Of course, the baronet was snobby and suspicious.

Mr. Shepard tried to convince Sir Walter of what an excellent tenant the Admiral would be- married and childless, and whose wife was "not quite unconnected in this country… She is sister to a gentleman who did live amongst us once." He then became exasperated because he could not recall the man's name. After several minutes of grumbling and fumbling for a name, Anne helped him, "You mean Mr. Wentworth, I suppose?"

Sir Walter, of course, was his usual, arrogant self when he heard this. "Oh! ay, Mr. Wentworth, the curate of Monkford. You misled me by the term gentleman. I thought you were speaking of a man of property: Mr. Wentworth was nobody, I remember; quite unconnected…" (So the only thing that makes a man a "gentleman" is having land or belonging to an important family?! Ugh!!)

Seeing that he wasn't getting anywhere with Sir Walter, Mr. Shepard changed tactics and appealed to his vanity. He made it sound like the Admiral and his wife held Kellynch in very high regard, and that they felt it would be such an honor to be tenants of the esteemed Sir Walter Elliot. Since Elizabeth had no objections and wished to depart to Bath as soon as possible, it was a sealed deal. Sir Walter felt that an Admiral was just barely good enough to be a renter, at least preferable to a mere Mr., and yet not so great in importance as to ever overshadow himself.

Anne, of course, was never consulted for her opinion. She fled the room for the shelter of some trees, where she walked with flushed cheeks and said, "A few months more, and he, perhaps, may be walking here."

Where to begin with overall impressions of this chapter… Ugh! Am I allowed to call Sir Walter a pretentious prick? Because he is!

Looking down on the navy because it enables men to rise above their social rank and earn wealth, prestige, and influence? What an elitist! I know that this was a common view amongst nineteenth century aristocracy, but to have it so blatantly stated like that was an offense to my very American sensibilities. Being able to work hard and make something of oneself is an ability I hold very dear, so it ruffles my feathers quite a bit to read Sir Walter's condescending worldview.

Also, what a peacock! To discredit the navy as a profession because it has a negative impact on a man's LOOKS?! What the even heck! Even Anne jumped into this by saying that the navy, as the brave men who keep the nation safe, deserve honor and respect, and I 100% agree! But no, Sir Walter thinks "it is a pity they are not knocked on the head at once" before they become orange and weather beaten. Jerkface!

I find it interesting to see in this chapter how the only way to really persuade Sir Walter to do something is to appeal to his vanity. Not facts, reason, or honor, but by what makes him look and feel more superior than anyone else. Mr. Shepard is a shrewd man for manipulating Sir Walter's conceit in this way.

At the tail end of this chapter, we also discover that, even after all of this time, Anne still has feelings for Wentworth! But now I'm getting ahead of myself, that's another blog post for chapter four…

What about you guys? Do you share my same dislike for Sir Walter's character, or do you have your own literary figure that makes you want to scream in frustration? Share your thoughts by posting a comment!

Happy reading, everyone!

Anne with an "E"

So I am deeply immersed in the first few chapters of Jane Austen's Persuasion, my book club's first book selection, when it hit me- The protagonist in this novel is Anne, more specifically Anne with an "e."

This may seem like a silly observation to most, but to a literature lover with a special fondness in her heart for a fellow ginger in the character of Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables, this caused a freak out moment of epic proportions. Go gingers! Go Annes!

Anywho. Back to the Anne I'm supposed to be studying for book club.

Anne Elliot is the middle daughter of a pompous and conceited baronet. She is quiet, sensible, and selfless. It is clear that her arrogant, fool of a father (Oops! Is my absolute disdain for this figure showing? I'll try to reign it in...) does not see any value in his daughter, because she is neither especially beautiful or as concerned with keeping up appearances as he and his eldest daughter are. Still, Anne faithfully serves her family to the best of her ability.

When she was young, she fell in love with a dashing nobody of man, and was superbly happy. But her father and mentor were not impressed. Weighted down by their disapproval of what they considered such an imprudent match, Anne broke off the engagement, and has been brokenhearted and filled with regret ever since.

Having read the book multiple times before and watching the movie version on many a blustery evening, I have the comfort of knowing how this story plays out. But for the sake of the book club, I'm trying to pretend that I don't know the outcome, and reporting my thoughts and feelings as they occur, chapter by chapter.

With that in mind, I'm sure I'll have many more "GRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!" and "What the even heck?!" moments regarding her friends and family, the breakup of her relationship with Wentworth, and her daily adventures.

For now, I'll try to focus on the first two chapters.

The story begins with Sir Walter Elliot, the baronet owning Kellynch Hall. Sir Elliot is vain, pretentious, and preoccupied by rank and social status. He is obsessed with the Baronetage, a book detailing the family histories of all the muckety mucks in England.

We learn that Sir Elliot's wife has died, leaving behind three daughters- Elizabeth, Anne, and Mary. Elizabeth is by far her father's favorite, and follows after him in conceit and entitlement. Anne is the most like her deceased mother, being practical, humble, and kind. Mary, the youngest, is the only married daughter, which gives her a tremendous feeling of importance.

We're also introduced to Lady Russell, a friend of the late Lady Elliot, who has become a trusted family advisor.

Since Sir Elliot had no sons, his fortune would fall to a cousin, Mr. William Elliot. It was Sir Walter's deepest wish that William marry Elizabeth, but the heir wanted nothing to do with the scheme. He spoke poorly about them behind their backs, and opted to marry a wealthy woman of little rank in order to be more independent. Sir Walter and Elizabeth never forgave him for it.

In the beginning of the book, we also discover that Sir Walter was facing significant money troubles. With his wife's practical guidance and frugality gone, nothing held him back from spending lavishly to live a lifestyle in keeping with his high rank. Debts were piling up around him, and Mr. Shepard, his advisor, along with Lady Russell, try to come up with a plan to get him out of his financial mess.

He must retrench, making cut backs in order to get out from under the mountain of debt he created for himself. Anne agrees, and in fact, wishes harsher cut backs would be made in order to pay back what the family owes even sooner.

Unfortunately, Sir Walter feels the restrictions can't be borne with; that doing without the comforts and customs he presently enjoyed would be disgraceful to a man of his rank. Instead, he opted for Mr. Shepard's suggestion of leaving Kellynch Hall, and moving to Bath where a household could be run in a more modest way without lessening his status among his peers. Once again, Anne's wishes against going to Bath were dismissed, and Sir Walter agreed to rent Kellynch Hall, as long as a suitable tenant was found.

These first couple of chapters illustrated two things. First, Sir Walter's character illustrates the self-importance and snobbishness of members of high society in general. Appearance was everything. It meant nothing to him that he abandoned responsibilities and obligations, because maintaining the illusion of wealth and prestige was his highest value. Honoring one's debts and being a man of integrity never entered his head. By contrast, Anne was deeply disturbed that the family had fallen so far into debt, and wished to rectify the situation as quickly as possible and by any means necessary. (Her reaction reminded me of Dave Ramsey's "gazelle intensity" of getting out of debt, but that's another blog post! Haha!) The difference in these two's approaches to their money problem speaks volumes.

Second, the beginning of the novel sets up the unique Elliot family dynamic. We get a character sketch of each of the family members, as well as secondary characters like Mr. Shepard and Lady Russell. We know that Sir Walter values appearances, Elizabeth her good looks, Anne honor and good sense, Mary her marriage, and Lady Russell respectability. Sir Walter's idiocy is on full display, as well as Anne's attempts to clean up his messes. Yet Anne received no reward for her dedication to her family; instead, Anne's desires are cast aside, and even Elizabeth prefers the company of a woman of questionable motives, Mrs. Clay, to that of her sweet sister.

I think Persuausion, more so than any of Austen's other novels, is the most blatantly cynical and satirical. The sharp contrasts are very present for the reader. Her social statements are hardly subtle, even from the very first few chapters! Even though I've read this book before, it's easy to forget all the details and nuances and humor found in Persuasion's pages. I am so excited to continue reading, and I'll be sure to keep y'all informed of my impressions!

Happy reading, everyone!

Apology and EXCITING NEWS!

I've been beyond neglectful of this blog, and for that, I apologize. I have no legitimate excuses. I'm just lazy.

All of that is about to change, however, because… *EXCITING NEWS!* I'm part of a startup bookclub! EEEEEKKKKK!!!!

It all started last week when I met up with an old high school friend {we'll call her Penny}, who I haven't seen since our mutual high school friend {we'll call her Ally} got hitched five months ago. We got to chatting about work, life, love, and BOOKS! Suddenly, I had a light bulb moment, and blurted out, "WE SHOULD START A BOOK CLUB!"

A couple of texts to Ally, a long Facebook thread, and an initial meeting later, VIOLA! Our book club was born.

Last night was our first meeting at Ally's new house. There was soup, cupcakes, cider, and BOOK SELECTIONS! We each wrote down our picks in each of the following categories- fiction, nonfiction, and classic; put them on paper; and had Ally's hubby draw two slips from the pool.

Are you ready to find out which books were picked?! *drum roll, please!*

Jane Austen's Persuasion and C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity. Yes, two classics ended up getting picked, but honestly, I'm ok with that.

I LOVE Persuasion; it's one of my favorite of Austen's novels. I even own the movie. We're starting with this one first, and are breaking it up into two parts that will cover our next two meetings (we meet the first and third Tuesdays of every month). We'll go over discussion questions, watch the film, and maybe even enjoy yummy Austen-inspired food!

The second selection may be a little iffy for me. I remember having to read Mere Christianity in high school and college, but don't really recall many details from it. It just sounds dense and serious and … I'm ashamed to admit this… BORING. I'm hoping that even though it's a little bit heavier than a Jane Austen novel, I'll still be able to really enjoy it. I'm sure I will. I mean, C.S. LEWIS. Hello! It's bound to be a good read.

Anywho. Thanks for sticking around with me as I exhume and resume this blog. I'd love to hear from you! Any suggestions for our book club name? (Ally is currently cheering for "Bodacious Book Babes Book club"… clearly, we need your help, haha!) Who's your favorite character in Persuasion? Any encouragement on how I'm going to end up loving Mere Christianity?

Happy reading, guys!