Persuasion – Austen’s final completed novel.
The JASNA Southwest Florida region met on Saturday, April 14th from 1-3 pm at the Bonita Springs library. As this year’s Novel is Persuasion, our members were asked to read, prior to the meeting, Esther Moon’s article “Almost Too Good for Me”: The Seasoning of Anne Elliot’s Idealism, which appeared in Persuasions On-Line, Volume 38. The title of the article is taken from a quote of Austen herself written in a letter to her niece, Fanny Knight in March of 1816 where she writes to her about Anne Elliot; “A heroine who is almost too good for me”.
Was Lady Russell right in advising Ann as she did?
The article initiated a lively discussion among the more than a dozen enthusiastic members as we debated the merits of Anne Elliott as a character and her growth throughout the novel. We, of course, also had to argue about Lady Russell’s advice to Anne about giving up Captain Wentworth. We compared Anne’s possible fate to that of Fanny’s mom in Mansfield
Park.
Already Planning our Next Season!
Toward the end of the meeting, we began brainstorming our 2018-2019 program. We are going to devote the season to Northanger Abbey since that will be the topic of the 2019 annual meeting in Williamsburg, VA. Members are also excited about planning a full day event next winter, which will include dance lessons, a mini ball, a talk about clothes in the Regency period and maybe some hands-on sewing lessons. Vicky Hinshaw has promised us a talk about Abbeys. JasnaSWFL welcomes other ideas.
Our Evergrowing Region!
Our region welcomes two new members this month; Jennifer Cunha and Cheryl Stryker. Our little region has grown over the last three years to 30 members. We have many seasonal members so even if you don’t live here full time we would love to have you join.
Mark your calendars and be sure to attend our next meeting on Saturday, May 5th meeting at the South County Regional Library in Estero and brainstorm with us.
I am so pleased to have been introduced and welcomed into JASNA-SWFL! It’s my good fortune to have stumbled upon this group and the chance to share in its collective passion for learning by reading, exploring, and exchanging thoughts and feelings about Austen’s gifts.
I look forward to getting better acquainted with each of you!
Thank you, Cheryl! We feel equally fortunate that you found our group as well. Looking forward to getting to know you better and to all the exciting things on the agenda.