JASNA Newsletter Tampa Bay Regional Chapter

October 2, 2004
by: Jill Henaghen

Volume 1                                                                                                                                             Number 4

“Anne was tenderness itself, and she had the full worth of it in Captain Wentworth’s affection … She gloried in being a sailor’s wife. “ Could ever we ask for an ending more amiable and gratifying?

OUR MERRY PARTY:
          Kathy Blackwell, Jill Henaghen, Terry Hubener, Kersti Linask, Kathy Murray, Dede Natale, Carol Sommer.

OUR SPIRITED DISCUSSION:
          We were once more delighted to be meeting and to have that meeting at Terry’s home. A Happy, Happy Birthday to Terry and, again, a thank you to Terry for giving birth to our Tampa Bay Regional Chapter which has, even in this short time, afforded us pleasure not only in the re-reading and discussion of our Jane, but in the happiness of our new-found friends! Thank you to Dede for the delicious birthday cake!

          We began our discussion with what we, and certainly others, consider the truly dreadful family surrounding Anne and agreed that as the book opened there was an almost Cinderella-like quality to Anne which faded as the book (and Anne’s bloom) progressed.

          Sister Mary was quickly disposed with other than to mention that the actress who played her, Sophie Thompson, also played Miss Bates in the Gwyneth Paltrow Emma.

        Elizabeth was certainly one of Jane’s least appealing female characters. There seemed not much more to say of Elizabeth as her character was pretty much uni-dimensional.

          Sir Walter Elliot, we decided, was in part one of Jane’s wickedly drawn comic characters much in the way of Mr. Woodhouse, however with selfish and mean spirited qualities that were totally unknown to Mr. Woodhouse.

          In addition to Anne’s increasing bloom as the book progressed, we discussed “bloom” as it was used in Sense and Sensibility by Elinor’s half brother to describe what he felt was Elinor’s loss of that quality. This seemed to be but another example of “Austenian continuity”.

          We agreed that the return of Anne’s bloom definitely began during the visit to Lyme and was due in part to the weather and in part to the attention afforded her by Captain Benwick. It was in Lyme, also, that Mr. Elliot first cast a not-disinterested eye at Anne and we could not but remark that attention from the male of the species is quite of benefit in the bloom department! We wondered if Jane’s own failing health when she wrote Persuasion contributed to this theme. We discussed, but didn’t come to any conclusion about, the use of make-up in that day. There is definitely a reference to it, but we need to do some research here. Carol is sure that she remembers reading somewhere that what make-up there was had a lead base (ugh!).

          We held quite a long discussion of Captain Wentworth. Some of us felt that he, despite a broken heart, had been too unkind to our dear Anne in any of the scenes with the Musgroves as well as in Lyme and that it wasn’t until they met in Bath that his manner changed.

          The trip to Bath, we decided, afforded her increasing male attention. The looks and conversations (short though they were) between Anne and Captain Wentworth restored her good looks and spirit to a great extent. So did, although she did not truly desire it, the romantic behavior of Mr. Elliott, which at the very least took away any of the stigma of the wall-flower who played piano for, but did not join in, social events. In Bath she was noticed – and not just by the men – and spoken of in positive terms by all with whom she came in contact. All, that is, except Sir Walter and Elizabeth. By that time, however, their opinion of Anne counted for less and less.

          We noted that as good as the movie is, we had to go to the book to see the resolution, by Captain Wentworth, of the troubles of Mrs. Smith. In fact, as good and enjoyable as the movies are, the books are the books are the books. (Forgive me, Gertrude Stein!)

OTHER BUSINESS:
          We will attend the musical “Crossing the Bay” in January. See our website under “events” for details. Terry can get us group rates if at least 10 attend.
          We will try to plan a trip to the Salvador Dali Museum with a private tour led by Jill, our resident Dali Docent, in Feb. or March
          We decided to make our meetings every 6 – 8 weeks instead of once a month.
          We agreed that everyone attending our meetings should give a small $ amount each time to pay for goodies. Anything left over at the end of the year will be put to paying portions of tearoom meetings, events such as “Crossing the Bay” etc.
          Speaking of tearooms, the Oxford House English Tearoom in Tarpon Springs has re-opened. The closed signs were only to repair minor damage from the hurricanes.

JASNA NEWS BEYOND THE BAY:
          JASNA 2004 Essay Contest: The winners have been announced and the essays of the High School, undergraduate and graduate College winners posted on the official JASNA site: www.jasna.org. They are scholarly and fun to read! Don’t miss them!
          We await Terry’s report of the AGM in Los Angeles!       

NEXT MEETING OF OUR TAMPA BAY REGIONAL CHAPTER:
          To be announced. We may decide to have our next meeting be our celebration of Jane’s Birthday. This is because of the many and different obligations we all have at Holliday Time.