2004 Annual General Meeting

Jane Austen Society of North America

October 7-10, 2004
Millennium Biltmore Hotel
Los Angeles, California

Anne Elliot in the City: Interior and Exterior Worlds



THEME


The Crystal Ballroom, site of the gala banquet
Following three years of alternative themes, we will be returning to the canon in 2004 with the selection of Persuasion, which was last discussed in 1993 at Lake Louise. Just as Bath was an integral part of this novel, we will be highlighting the city in Jane Austen's day--as well as our own exciting city of Los Angeles. Our title will be:  "Anne Elliot in the City: Interior and Exterior Worlds."
As the city played an important role in five of the Austen novels, we will examine the experiences of much-beloved Anne Elliot and other characters--as well as Jane herself--in the urban milieu. "Interior Worlds" offers speakers the opportunity to discuss the emotional, mental, psychological, social, metaphysical and physical settings of the private sphere. "Exterior Worlds" allows for papers focused on the many environments around us: social, physical, political, historical, commercial, educational, artistic, religious, economic, and more. We believe that this theme will offer a new way to look at the work of our favorite author, and it will provide numerous fresh opportunities for discussion.