Austen in August Read-A-Long Week Two of Three

This month, one of my favorite book bloggers, Misty @ The Book Rat is hosting "Austen in August," two weeks full of giveaways, guests, interviews, reviews and more of all things relating to Jane Austen. She is also having a Persuasion Read-A-Long where you can discuss and interpret with everyone else participating. For the read-a-long, Misty provided us with some questions to help guide us for discussion and you will find my answers to those below for the "Middle: Chapters 8-18." You can also see last weeks responses here.

Now that we've gotten to know most of them a bit, discuss the side characters: who is your favorite? least favorite? Were there things Austen did with these side characters that you absolutely loved or hated?

My favorite side characters are the Crofts, Musgroves & the Harvilles. Mostly because they treat Anne well, something she doesn't get that often. Also there is a point where Admiral Croft asks Anne if they should get Wentworth to Bath, I mean how did he know? As for the least favorite characters it would have to be Anne's family, except for Lady Russell. I mean Anne is way more sane than she should be! First all of them are snob-nosed, greedy little imbeciles who feel more like white-trash than anything respectable. Plus there is Mary who is completely annoying with the constant illness and that "Elliot pride." Ugh, that Elliot pride! I also never cared for Mr. Elliot either, there was just something about is presence, probably because I saw him as a threat to true happiness but still he felt quite "douchey" to begin with.

As Anne and Wentworth are thrown together more and more, how do you feel about the fact that they never address their shared history? Do you find either to be irrational or unjust in not being open with the other and broaching the topic? Do you find Anne too self-sacrificing?

Hello? Let's just ignore the big elephant in the room shall we? I mean how has there past not come up yet? I think that they are acting childish, although if I were in their shoes, well Anne's anyway  I would be the same way. I don't like conflict and I feel Anne doesn't either, especially with trying to keep the piece all the time. Anne can be a little too self-sacrificing indeed in those times where she just wants to please everyone that it get's tiring. I think the reason why I don't like Anne at times is because I can see similar characteristics between her and me. But as for Wentworth, I really don't quite understand. He should be used to conflict with his profession, but I can see how hurt he is that to learn more from Anne might hurt him even more and he doesn't have the strength to deal with it. 

Is there ever a time you dislike Capt. Wentworth? Were you put off by his treatment of Anne?

I don't think there was ever a time that I disliked Capt. Wentworth to be honest, however I did not care for the yo-yoing he did with Anne. I'm sorry, but they entire time of Wentworth/Anne contact Katy Perry's Hot 'n' Cold song played in the background in my head. You can see how hurt he is, but in return he forgets how he is confusing and hurting Anne while he is trying to figure out the mess inside is head. So I really can't blame him. 

Discuss the incidents at Lyme; consider Louisa's fall from the cob and Wentworth's subsequent praise of Anne, the appearance of Mr Elliot and his reaction to Anne (and Wentworth's reaction to him), etc.

Oh Lyme, how I love Lyme! It really was a pivotal time that closed some open ended issues but also added more in ways of interrupting Wentworth and Anne's reunion. Am I the only one who had a very short victory dance when Louisa fell? Don't get me wrong, I liked Louisa but she was just messing everything up. But with her fall Anne could show how she hasn't changed as much as Wentworth thought, she is still the caring, loving soul she has always been. As for the introduction of Mr. Elliot, well from my previous discussion up above I'll just let you draw your own conclusions of how I feel about that whole mess. 

Discuss Anne's arrival in Bath, considering the continued presence of Mr Elliot, Anne's reaction to her family and the way she begins to distance herself from them and stand up for herself more than she has been known to do.

All I can say is, "it's about freakin' time Anne!" I have never felt more proud of Anne than when she started to see her family for what they really are and realize she didn't want to be a part of that anymore.