Letters

The novel is conveyed in a series of letters, which is its main structure and also represents the characters' inability to communicate in the open. The public forum of Victorian society is a place marked by much hypocrisy and reliance on appearances. People cannot say what they think or feel. Private letters are a wire into the characters' true motivations. While it is entertaining, Austen is also commenting on and lampooning the necessity of lying. Even the most sympathetic characters are not genuine, meaning no one can be completely genuine in such a world that prizes superficial harmony.

Frederica's Silence

Frederica's silence is a symbol for how children-specifically Victorian girls-are given little agency and the unhappiness it can cause. Lady Susan commands Frederica to stay quiet about her betrothal to Sir James and Frederica suffers in silence. Frederica offers a cautionary tale about the dangers of...