Persuasion

Last evening my friend, Marjon, stayed overnight. We had a delicious night, watching a Jane Austin film and drinking hot chocolate. The film we watched is called Persuasion, which is my all time favorite of the Jane Austin stories. Most people don’t really notice. I think it’s my favorite because I learned an important lesson from it. I was thinking about the Jane Austin stories recently and realized that most, if not all, of them have a very important lesson that comes with them. I can’t remember them all, but there are a few.

Pride and Prejudice (the current rage) – don’t let your pride put you above others, and don’t form a prejudice about a person based on what you see…there’s always more to the person inside (and sometimes those who you deem as more worthy of your company have much less inside).

Persuasion – don’t try to make up people’s minds for them. Listen to them, but don’t try to make them do things your way. You could end up stealing their happiness away from them.

Mansfield Park – true love comes in the form of a best friend, not in the pretty face or flamboyant personality.

Sense and Sensibility – stay true to the love of your heart, and that love will come to honor you and make you happier than you thought possible in return. (it’s been a long time since I’ve read it, so it’s not fresh in my mind. I can’t think of the entirety of the moral behind it, but a small part at the very least).

Emma – you have plenty enough to be busy with in your own life. You don’t need to concern yourself with the lives of others, especially if that concern has to do with matchmaking. Let people find their own perfect match.

I haven’t yet read “Northanger Abbey” and “Lady Susan”. I guess that they’ll have to be added to my “to read” list. First, I have a few Dutch books that I have to finish and then perhaps I’ll be able to tackle those two.

Persuasion was my favorite because I'd noticed that I was often, if not always, busy trying to persuade my sisters when it came to their relationships. I always had an opinion and was always quick to give it. After reading the book I came to realize that even if my opinions had been right (which isn't necessarily true) I had made my sisters' lives much more uncomfortable through my opinions, suggestions, and persuasions. Sometimes I still play the part of the persuader. Maybe it has nothing to do with a person's love life. Maybe it has to do with a person's family relations, or how to raise their kids (I'm not really qualified to comment on that entirely), or maybe on how they should live their lives or what choices they ought to make. I don't really want to play that part, but then, I'm not perfect and am still learning very much.