Explore social, cultural and historical context influences aspects of texts, or the ways in which changes

in context lead to changed values being reflected in texts.

Weldons Letters to Alice: On First Reading Jane Austen (Letters to Alice) is an epistolary novel
containing a series of letters from Aunt Fay to her niece Alice who is currently studying English
Literature at college. Alice has been told to read Jane Austen but thinks that Austen is boring, petty
and irrelevant (Letters to Alice, Page 7). Aunt Fay attempts to convince Alice to read Jane Austen by
talking about the life and work of Jane Austen, and tries to explain Literature to Alice. She encourages
Alice to put off writing her own novel until she is more familiar with proper Literature. Aunt Fay then
creates the metaphor of the City of Invention where writers create their Houses of Imagination
(Letters to Alice, Page 11) and readers come and go. Alice finally creates her novel The Wifes
Revenge which becomes a bestseller and manages to sell more copies of it in three months than Aunt
Fay has done with all of her novels. However, Aunt Fay still offers advice on what to do and read. This
series of letters are similar to the letters which Jane Austen wrote to her own niece. Austens Pride and
Prejudice is about Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy who are blinded by pride and prejudice.
Letters to Alice - the 'explosion' of change that was occurring at this time with respect to the roles of
women within society and the fact that they could now partake in the workforce. Pride and Prejudice there was not much change occurring during this time which involved the characters of this novel.
Letters to Alice the City of Imagination is the world which is created by writers and that this Literature
is the very essence of civilisation (Letters to Alice, Page 9). Romance Alley which is described by
Weldon in Letters to Alice; many of Austens novels would be found in this alley in which [e]verything
is lavender-tinted, and the cottages have roses round the door, and knights ride by in shining
armour, and amazingly beautiful couples stroll by under the blossoming trees(Letters to Alice,
Page 20). The changing positions of authority within the family unit - Lady Catherine deBourgh has the
most influence in this society, compared to Elizabeth who is of a lower class. In this society, family
relations were extremely important when considering who to have relationships with.
In Letters to Alice, Alice is somewhat more equal to her Aunt Fay and Alice demonstrates a lack of
respect for persons of authority and the disregard for those who have, in the past, had a considerable
influence over your life. I am referring to Alice's relationship with her parents and, to a lesser extent, her
Aunt. Towards the end of the novel we can begin to imagine Alice disregarding any advice given by her
Aunt due to the fact that her novel's success has surpassed any of her Aunt's minor successes. Her Aunt
however still clings to her sense of superiority by patronising Alice and recommending that she read a
few of the books she has prescribed which shall make her a better writer, even though this reading has
clearly not benefited Aunt Fay.
Lady Catherine deBourgh can be described as rude, intrusive and insensitive. She takes pleasure in
interfering in the lives of those that she views as beneath her and shows no hesitation in delivering her
opinion on every subject discussed in a decisive way. She also dictates to others and expects that her
requests will always be followed. An example of this would be Lady Catherine deBourghs request that
a clergy man like [Mr Collins] must marry. Aunt Fay and Lady Catherine deBourgh are similar in
nature, with both of them giving advice and influencing people who they know. Aunt Fay also shares her
views on many subjects with her niece Alice and encourages her to take the same view.
Family is shown to be of the greatest of importance in Pride and Prejudice. The importance of family has

changed enormously since the 18th Century. We are shown this in Letters to Alice through the lack of
communication between Aunt Fay and her sister, and the lack of communication between Alice and her
parents. None of these parties experienced anything disadvantageous as a result of this and wealth and
your birth are relatively unimportant in determining how successful you are or who you have
relationships with during this time. However, during the 18th Century your family was extremely
important and social class, which was determined by your familys position in society, could prevent you
from marrying happily. In Jane and Elizabeth Bennets case, they could not have hoped to marry so
advantageously due to their rapidly diminishing fortune; their rude, coarse and ignorant mother; their
social standing and the scandal of their sister Lydia eloping with Mr Wickham. However, they manage to
marry happily due to Janes beauty and cheerful disposition, and Elizabeths intelligence and easy,
natural, unaffected manners (Pride and Prejudice, Page 70).
Austen uses a number of marriages in Pride and Prejudice to determine the nature of a perfect marriage
and to expose and satirise the values of that time (ETA, Section 5: Themes, Marriage, Page 13). The
perfect marriage is the union of Elizabeth and Mr Darcy because they respect and love each other, they
are of the same intellect, have economic security and they are of a high social status. The marriage of the
Bennets is shown as a bad match between an intelligent man and a stupid woman. They married out of
physical attraction and nothing more. Jane and Bingley have a good relationship but their marriage is not
as good as the Darcys because they are lacking in intelligence. They are said to be so complying, that
nothing will ever be resolved on: so easy that every servant will cheat you: and so generous, that
you will always exceed your income (Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 55, Page 358).
During Austens time women were dependent on fathers and husbands, and as such women viewed their
sole purpose as marriage and reproduction. At the time there was the notion that what women need is
the moral care and protection of men (Letters to Alice, Page 127). Marriage was often viewed as an
economic transaction because it was not only a matter of mutual affection and social compatibility,
but also an institution through which the landed gentry maintained and increased its financial
position. (Gornall, J.F.G. Marriage and Property in Jane Austens Novels, History Today 17 (1967)
805-11) A man was granted access to his wifes body which was assured by the law and the vows a
woman made at her marriage. This meant that every man had the right to force his wife into sexual
intercourse and childbirth. All of a womans property was given to the man upon marriage and the
system of entailment is depicted as unjust to women because it is shown to force women into such
situations where they must pursue husbands and make marriages purely for an economic advantage.
Thus, this shows why Mrs Bennet was so preoccupied with getting her daughters married, because it was
of economic necessity. A single woman without an establishment of her own would be lacking in dignity
and status, and a young woman who is around 27 would find that her opportunities are rapidly
diminishing and the need to find a husband has become somewhat urgent. This explains why Charlotte
Lucas marries Mr Collins even though she finds his company irksome. She accepts Mr Collins hand
solely from the pure and disinterested desire of an establishment. Charlotte acts against her
intelligence and integrity when she sacrifices every better feeling to worldly advantage (Pride and
Prejudice, Chapter 22 Page 166) in accepting Mr Collins proposal.
Times had, however, changed dramatically by the 1980s. Women still worried that they may not secure
a husband and most still wanted to be married by the age of 21. But marriage was not as important and
was mostly for love, not economic security. Women protested the loss of identity when married because
they lost their last name and feminist ideals were emerging. Women were now more independent, as
shown in Letters to Alice with Aunt Fay being single and enjoying her independence and freedom by
travelling the world on her book tour. The changing roles of women in society, in relation to education
and employment are demonstrated through the comparison of Pride and Prejudice and Letters to Alice.
Women in Jane Austens time were expected to find a husband, reproduce and take care of the husband.

They were mothers and housekeepers and were only taught basic reading and writing skills. Most
women were discouraged when they attempted to achieve more education as they were barred from
universities. Women were excluded from most professions except for writing and teaching, and they had
no right to own a business or to hold property once married. Women received less education than boys
because it was considered more important for them to learn accomplishments like embroidery and
music rather than academic subjects. Women would have learnt the piano, sketched, read books, engaged
in some needlework such as embroidery or carpet-work and go to dances. Females were only able to
have low paid jobs and if they were to receive any family wealth it was usually only a small percentage.
This is very different to what was experienced by Alice and her Aunt Fay in Letters to Alice. It has
become more accepted and therefore easier for women to work. New laws and opportunities were
introduced which made it easier for women to have a family and a career. More that half of all women
worked in the 1980s and they were mostly employed in the service sectors: admin, retail, teaching,
banking and finance. However, women still werent paid the same rate of pay as men in the same areas
and it was still very uncommon for women to participate in many outdoor or laborious occupations. In
Letters to Alice, Aunt Fay suggests that women who are successful will not need to depend on men as
they have done in the past, saying that Success kicks away the stool of masochism, on which female
existence so often depends. (Letters to Alice, Page 95). Education for women had also improved with
it now acceptable for women to further their education and go to university. Governments encouraged
teachers to give girls extra help to study those subjects which were predominately male subjects like
maths and science. As a result of furthering their education women gained more skills which meant that
they were able to participate in a range of high rank occupations like doctors and lawyers.
Throughout her novel, Austen's characters are often worrying about money, especially Mrs Bennet. It is
most probable Mrs Bennet reflects Austen's own financial insecurities and the economic pressures she
felt. Austen's self imposed spinsterhood meant she never married and therefore never elevated her
economic situation. The reason that she never married is probably due to her belief that one should only
marry for love. Her novel reinforces this belief and maybe this is why she never married, because she
never fell in love.
The Connections between LTA and P&P
Weldon attempts to mimic Austens style use of irony and formal language.
Jane Austen uses balanced sentences and paragraphs to help build up the idea that balance, logic
and order are important values.
Jane Austen also satirises the human weakness, social malice and marital warfare operating
beneath a surface world of formality, polite manners and civilised conventions.
Use of humour to instruct and interest the reader
Novel as an instructive tool
Female protagonist under goes self learning as a vehicle for instruction
Women are easily diverted
Letters are helped to reveal character and to reflect the historical developments of the novel.
Jane Austens books are all about their fathers indifference to their families welfare; and male
whims taking priority over female happiness. LTA expresses this to a certain extent with Alices
boyfriends comments about her novel persuading her to not have her novel published and her
father does not show as much of an interest in Alices life as her aunt or mother. And, like in Jane
Austens books, they do not condemn the men.
Weldon is seen as more radical (a feminist) than Austen. Austen did not necessarily like to see the
social boundaries between the classes broken down. Elizabeth was still of the same class as
Darcy she was a gentlemans daughter.
They both see the importance of marriage for love etc. Instead of the ideas expressed in Austens

time where marriage was for money, security and social advancement.
Pride and Prejudice is essentially a critique of societal institutions - this perspective can also be
read in LTA. What these does is it shows that certain values in human nature are transcendental
such as the liberation of the self. The critiques also shows different values and ethical systems
and make us appreciate the 20th and 21st century society's and its more open and, to a small
extent, our equal' society. The contrast in values systems also make us feel empathetic towards
those that were less fortune in P&P and allows us to truly understand the choices (both good and
bad) of characters.
Weldon finds that Austens novels are real literature timeless