Persuasion: Pace
16 lenses on pace for Persuasion by Jane Austen. Count lenses are exact for our text. AI lenses are our reading and cite only quotes that passed a word for word check.
Jump to: D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 D10 D11 D12 D13 D14 D15 D16
D1. Chapter length in words, as a chart. Count
24 chapters, median 3,322 words. See the full lens on the book page.
D2. Mean sentence length per chapter. Count
Mean 23.4 words. See the full lens on the book page.
D3. Paragraph length per chapter. Count
Paragraphs average 83 words.
Mean paragraph words, chapter by chapter
D4. Scene against summary: how much is shown live? AI
The book balances scene and summary throughout. Chapters 7 to 12 and 20 to 23 show live action, while chapters 1 to 2, 4 to 5, 13 to 14, and 17 use summary to cover time and reflection. Overall roughly 55% shown live, 45% summarised.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 4, Ch 5, Ch 7, Ch 8
D5. Action against reflection, per chapter. AI
Early chapters (1 to 6) favour reflection and summary as Anne processes her situation. Middle chapters (7 to 12) shift to action and dialogue during Wentworth's arrival and Lyme visit. Late chapters (13 to 24) alternate between Anne's internal struggle and dramatic scenes of revelation and reunion.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 7, Ch 12, Ch 13, Ch 20, Ch 23
Once so much to each other! Now nothing! There had been a time, when of all the large party now filling the drawing-room at Uppercross, they would have found it most difficult to cease to speak to one another. (Ch 8, para 3)
It was agitation, pain, pleasure, a something between delight and misery. (Ch 19, para 6)
D6. Tension score per chapter (1 to 5) as a curve. AI
Peak 5 of 5, mean 3.2. See the full lens on the book page.
D7. Emotional arc of the whole book, matched to the six shapes. Count
Oedipus (fall, rise, fall). See the full lens on the book page.
D8. Chapter endings: cliffhanger, question, reveal or quiet close. AI
17 of 24 chapters end on a hook. See the full lens on the book page.
D9. Chapter openings: in scene, in summary, or after a time jump. AI
Most chapters open in scene or with immediate action. Chapter 1 opens in scene with Sir Walter. Chapters 2, 4, 5, 13, 14, 17 open in summary or reflection. Chapter 23 opens with Wentworth's letter. Chapter 24 opens in summary to resolve all fates.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 4, Ch 5, Ch 13, Ch 14
D10. Do chapters and sentences get shorter near the climax? Count
In the last fifth, chapters run at 1.69 times the length of earlier ones, and sentences at 0.88 times. So things speed up near the end.
D11. Dialogue density against pace. Count
Link between dialogue share and chapter length: 0.58 (1 is a perfect match, 0 none). Between dialogue share and tension: 0.46.
Dialogue % per chapter, chapter by chapter
D12. Time jumps and how they are signalled. Both
15 time jump phrases in the narration, such as 'next morning' or 'years later'.
| Where | Phrase |
|---|---|
| c7p7 | next day |
| c7p22 | next morning |
| c11p8 | next day |
| c12p1 | next morning |
| c12p64 | next morning |
| c13p2 | next morning |
| c13p4 | next day |
| c13p14 | four days passed |
Time jump phrases, chapter by chapter
Ch 7, para 7: The child had a good night, and was going on well the next day. It must be a work of time to ascertain that no injury had been …
Ch 7, para 22: Her brother and sister came back delighted with their new acquaintance, and their visit in general. There had been music, singing, talking, laughing, all that was most agreeable; …
Ch 11, para 8: The first heedless scheme had been to go in the morning and return at night; but to this Mr Musgrove, for the sake of his horses, would not …
Ch 12, para 1: Anne and Henrietta, finding themselves the earliest of the party the next morning, agreed to stroll down to the sea before breakfast. They went to the sands, to …
Ch 12, para 64: One thing more, and all seemed arranged. Though it was rather desirable that Mr and Mrs Musgrove should be previously alarmed by some share of delay; yet the …
Ch 13, para 2: They had an early account from Lyme the next morning. Louisa was much the same. No symptoms worse than before had appeared. Charles came a few hours afterwards, …
Time jumps are signalled through summary and narrator statement rather than explicit markers. Chapter 5 moves from spring to Michaelmas. Chapter 13 jumps from Uppercross to Bath. Chapter 18 reports news of Benwick's engagement. Most jumps occur between chapters rather than within them.
Chapters: Ch 5, Ch 13, Ch 14, Ch 18
D13. Info dump spots: long runs with no action or speech. Both
8 stretches of 900 words or more with no speech at all. These are where description, summary or backstory pile up.
| Starts at | Words | Paragraphs |
|---|---|---|
| c4p1 | 1954 | 14 |
| c10p48 | 1617 | 13 |
| c24p1 | 1585 | 13 |
| c1p7 | 1441 | 11 |
| c11p21 | 1246 | 9 |
| c15p3 | 1227 | 9 |
| c19p1 | 1004 | 10 |
| c16p22 | 952 | 9 |
Chapter 4 contains a long info dump summarising Anne's eight year history with Wentworth, his prosperity, and her regret. Chapter 17 has extended reflection on Mr Elliot's character. These passages lack action or dialogue but deepen understanding of Anne's emotional state.
Chapters: Ch 4, Ch 17
She was persuaded to believe the engagement a wrong thing: indiscreet, improper, hardly capable of success, and not deserving it. But it was not a merely selfish caution, under which she acted, in putting an end to it. (Ch 4, para 5)
D14. Reading time per chapter. Count
About 5.6 hours to read at 250 words a minute. The longest chapter takes 28.0 minutes.
Minutes per chapter, chapter by chapter
D15. Micro tension in quiet scenes. AI
Quiet scenes gain tension through Anne's internal conflict and observation. Chapter 10 shows tension in a country walk where Anne overhears Wentworth praise Louisa. Chapter 17 creates tension through Anne's growing doubt of Mr Elliot despite external pressure to accept him. Chapter 19 builds tension through chance encounters in Bath streets.
Chapters: Ch 10, Ch 17, Ch 19
It was agitation, pain, pleasure, a something between delight and misery. (Ch 19, para 6)
If she could only have a few minutes conversation with him again, she fancied she should be satisfied; and as to the power of addressing him, she felt all over courage if the opportunity occurred. (Ch 19, para 32)
D16. Section breaks per chapter. Count
0 section breaks marked in the text, in 0 of 24 chapters.
Ask Persuasion a question about its craft (free beta)
Answers cite chapter and paragraph, and every quote is checked against the text. (3 free questions a day).
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