Pamela, or, Virtue Rewarded | Short Essay Answer Key

Short Essay Answer Key

1. In the preface to the novel, reference is made to the comment by the editor of "Pamela" that the book will become the standard for this style of writing. To what style of writing does the novel belong?

The novel is usually classified in two ways: first it is a "novel of manners" which describes a category that consists of stories about the conventions and lifestyles of a limited group of persons in restricted settings. Such novels provide the reader with an insight into a relatively small section of a society. Pamela also belongs to the category of epistolary novels. This is because of the extensive use of letters as a narrative device.

2. What important aspects of the plot are revealed through Pamela's first letter to her parents?

Pamela's first letter sets the story in motion. She writes that her lady...
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