What is Persuasion about?

Persuasion is about Anne Elliot, who gave up the man she loved because a friend persuaded her to. Eight years later, Captain Wentworth returns, and the two must find out whether they can still be together.

How does Persuasion end?

Anne and Captain Wentworth are reunited after he writes her a letter saying he has never stopped loving her. They get engaged and marry. Mr Elliot, who tried to deceive the family, leaves Bath.

What is the moral of Persuasion?

The book teaches that real worth lies in kindness and character, not in titles or show. It also shows that advice should be weighed carefully, and that a faithful heart can win a second chance.

What age is Persuasion appropriate for?

The original suits readers around 13 and older because of its long sentences and quiet themes. Our retelling is made for children aged 6 to 9.

Who is the main character in Persuasion?

Anne Elliot is the main character. She is the middle daughter of the vain Sir Walter Elliot, and she is 27 when the story begins.

How many chapters are in Persuasion?

Persuasion has 24 chapters. It was first published in 1817, after Jane Austen’s death, and is often printed in two volumes.

Persuasion summary for kids

Persuasion is Jane Austen’s last completed novel. It follows Anne Elliot, a quiet, sensible young woman who once said no to the man she loved because a trusted friend told her to. Eight years later, he comes back into her life, now a successful naval captain. The story is gentle and funny, with a vain father, a whining sister, and a sea-side adventure along the way. Children enjoy Anne because she is kind, brave and clever without making a fuss, and because they want to see her get a second chance.

Written by: Jane Austen, 1817
Setting: Southwest England, from Somerset to Lyme Regis and the city of Bath, in 1814 and 1815
The original novel: 24 chapters (published in two volumes in 1817)
Our retelling: Ages 6–9, an illustration on every page

The story, from beginning to end

Spoiler alert: this summary tells the whole story, including the ending.

A proud father and a pile of debts

Sir Walter Elliot of Kellynch Hall is a baronet, which means he has an old family title. He is also extremely vain. He loves looking at himself in the mirror and reading about his own family in a book of noble families. His wife has died, and he lives with his eldest daughter, Elizabeth, who is just as proud as he is. His youngest daughter, Mary, is married and lives nearby. His middle daughter, Anne, who is twenty-seven, is the one nobody listens to, though she is the wisest of the three.

Sir Walter spends far more money than he has, and the family is deep in debt. Their old family friend Lady Russell, who has always looked after Anne, and their lawyer, Mr Shepherd, suggest the family should rent out Kellynch and move somewhere cheaper. Sir Walter is horrified, but he agrees. The new tenant turns out to be Admiral Croft, a cheerful sailor who has made his fortune in the navy, and the Admiral’s wife is the sister of a Captain Wentworth. Anne goes pale at the name.

The love Anne gave up

Years earlier, when Anne was nineteen, she fell in love with a young naval officer named Frederick Wentworth. He was clever and lively, but he had no money and no title. Sir Walter was scornful, and Lady Russell, who truly wanted what was best for Anne, advised her to break the engagement because it seemed too risky. Anne listened. She called off the engagement, and Wentworth left heartbroken and angry.

Anne has never stopped regretting it. She has not found anyone else she cares for, and she has quietly watched her youth slip by. Now Wentworth is back in England, and he is a captain with a good name and a lot of money from the war. He is also single, and Anne must prepare to meet him again.

Uppercross and a cold meeting

While Sir Walter and Elizabeth settle in Bath, a fashionable city, Anne goes to stay with her sister Mary at Uppercross, near Kellynch. Mary is always sure she is ill and that nobody pays her enough attention, so Anne spends her days soothing her. She also grows fond of Mary’s husband’s family, the Musgroves, who are warm and noisy. The two Musgrove daughters, Henrietta and Louisa, are lively young women.

Captain Wentworth soon comes to visit, and Anne meets him again. He is polite but cold, and Anne can see he has not forgiven her. He seems to admire both Musgrove sisters, and Anne tries to hide how much it hurts. At one point a naughty little boy is hurt and everyone panics, and it is Anne, calm and capable, who helps. Wentworth notices, and sometimes he quietly does something kind for her, such as lifting a clinging child off her back.

A walk, and a fall at Lyme

One day the group walks to a farm, and Anne overhears Wentworth telling Louisa that he admires people with firm, strong minds who do not give in to persuasion. Anne understands at once that he means her, and that he thinks she was weak. Later, the party travels to the seaside town of Lyme Regis, where they meet Wentworth’s navy friends, Captain Harville and Captain Benwick. Benwick is still very sad because his fiancée, Harville’s sister, has died.

At Lyme, Louisa insists on jumping down from a high stone sea wall called the Cobb, into Wentworth’s arms. He is not ready, and she falls and lies still. Everyone panics, but Anne keeps her head and tells people what to do. Louisa is badly hurt but she lives. Wentworth sees for the first time how steady Anne is, and a stranger passing by also looks at her with admiration. He turns out to be her cousin, Mr Elliot, who will inherit Kellynch one day.

On to Bath

Louisa stays in Lyme to recover, and Anne goes to Bath to join her father and sister. Lady Russell goes too. Soon news comes that Louisa has become engaged to Captain Benwick, to everyone’s surprise. That means Wentworth is free after all, though he does not say so.

In Bath, Mr Elliot calls on the family and charms them all. He is polite, clever, and very attentive to Anne. Lady Russell likes him very much and hopes that Anne might marry him and one day become mistress of Kellynch. Meanwhile Anne visits an old school friend, Mrs Smith, who is poor, sick and lonely. Mrs Smith is cheerful in spite of everything, and Anne is glad to be her friend.

Mr Elliot’s secret

Captain Wentworth arrives in Bath too. Anne sees him at a concert, but Mr Elliot is always by her side, and Wentworth seems to think she is going to marry him. Anne is miserable. Then Mrs Smith tells her something she has kept quiet. Long ago, Mr Elliot was her husband’s close friend, and when her husband was in trouble, Mr Elliot abandoned him and left him in debt. Mr Elliot is charming, but he cares only about himself.

Mrs Smith also explains why Mr Elliot has been so friendly to the family. He is afraid that Sir Walter might marry Mrs Clay, a clever woman who is staying with them, and have a son who would inherit instead of him. Anne is shocked, and she realises she must not trust him.

A letter and a second chance

One afternoon, Anne is visiting with Captain Harville while Wentworth sits nearby writing a letter. Harville and Anne talk about whether men or women love for longer. Anne says that women go on loving even when there is no hope, and that this is a kind of strength. Wentworth hears every word. When Anne leaves, he quietly slips a letter onto the table for her.

In the letter, he says that he has never loved anyone but her and that he is half in agony and half in hope. Anne, overjoyed, meets him in the street and they talk it through at last. He admits he was proud and angry for years. She says she does not regret listening to Lady Russell, who had her best interests at heart, but she believes she was wrong to be so cautious.

A happy ending

Anne and Wentworth become engaged. Sir Walter does not object, since Wentworth is now wealthy and well-regarded, and Lady Russell admits she was wrong about him. Mr Elliot, his plans ruined, leaves Bath, and Mrs Clay goes off with him. Mrs Smith’s money troubles are sorted out with Wentworth’s help.

Anne and Wentworth marry, and she is happy to become a sailor’s wife, though she knows that war may separate them. In the end, she has found a love that was waiting for her all along.

Themes and big ideas

Second chances: Anne and Wentworth lose each other when they are young, but they get a second chance after eight years. The book shows that it is never too late to put things right, and that people can grow wiser and braver with time.
Listening to advice, and trusting yourself: Anne takes Lady Russell’s advice at nineteen, and it costs her years of happiness. The book does not blame Lady Russell, who meant well, but it asks when to follow advice and when to follow your own heart. In the end, Anne thinks it was right to listen to someone she trusted, but she says she would never do it again.
Real worth versus show: Sir Walter and Elizabeth care about looks, titles and fancy houses. The sailors, such as Admiral Croft and Wentworth, have earned their place by hard work and kindness. Mr Elliot looks perfect but turns out to be selfish, while Mrs Smith has almost nothing but is truly good.
Quiet courage and kindness: Anne is never loud, but she is the one who helps when little Charles is hurt, when Louisa falls at Lyme, and when her sick friend needs company. The story shows that being steady and caring is a real strength.
Constancy in love: Anne’s long, faithful love is at the heart of the book. When she tells Captain Harville that women go on loving even without hope, she is really talking about herself, and that is what finally brings Wentworth back to her.

Is Persuasion right for my child?

Persuasion is one of Jane Austen’s gentlest novels, but it is not an easy read for young children. The language is long and old-fashioned, and much of the story is about quiet feelings and conversations rather than adventure. It has no violence and no frightening villains. A mature reader around 13 or older will enjoy the original, and it is often loved by teens and adults for its sad, hopeful mood.

Parents might like to know about a few things. There is a serious accident when Louisa falls at Lyme, though she recovers. Captain Benwick’s fiancée has died before the story begins, and Mrs Smith is poor and ill. There is a romance, but it is very mild: a letter, a conversation, and an engagement. Our retelling for ages 6 to 9 keeps Anne’s story, the Lyme adventure and the happy ending, while using simpler words and keeping the sad parts brief and gentle. We suggest it for ages 6 to 9, and the original for ages 13 and up.

Questions to talk about

Why did Anne break off her engagement to Captain Wentworth when she was nineteen? Do you think she was right?
Sir Walter cares a lot about how he looks. Why do you think the author makes him so silly?
Anne helps everyone around her, but not many people notice. How do you think that felt?
What did Louisa do at Lyme that went wrong? What could she have done differently?
Why do you think Captain Wentworth was angry with Anne for so long?
Mr Elliot seemed very nice at first. How did Anne find out the truth about him?
Why did Captain Wentworth write Anne a letter instead of just telling her how he felt?
If you were Anne, would you listen to Lady Russell? When is it good to take advice from someone older?

Questions about Persuasion

What is Persuasion about?: Persuasion is about Anne Elliot, who gave up the man she loved because a friend persuaded her to. Eight years later, Captain Wentworth returns, and the two must find out whether they can still be together.
How does Persuasion end?: Anne and Captain Wentworth are reunited after he writes her a letter saying he has never stopped loving her. They get engaged and marry. Mr Elliot, who tried to deceive the family, leaves Bath.
What is the moral of Persuasion?: The book teaches that real worth lies in kindness and character, not in titles or show. It also shows that advice should be weighed carefully, and that a faithful heart can win a second chance.
What age is Persuasion appropriate for?: The original suits readers around 13 and older because of its long sentences and quiet themes. Our retelling is made for children aged 6 to 9.
Who is the main character in Persuasion?: Anne Elliot is the main character. She is the middle daughter of the vain Sir Walter Elliot, and she is 27 when the story begins.
How many chapters are in Persuasion?: Persuasion has 24 chapters. It was first published in 1817, after Jane Austen’s death, and is often printed in two volumes.