Content Warning: The section discusses suicidal ideation, alcohol and substance use disorders, pregnancy loss, abuse, and involuntary hospitalization.

The experiences of most of the text’s female characters highlight how resilient women must become in a world controlled by men. Before the text’s beginning, the earl, who Sara’s mother worked for, took advantage of her, and she lost her job and quality of life as a result. As the narration describes,

Perhaps she lived a different life in her imagination, one where his lordship made her his countess after getting her with child, instead of the reality, where she toiled day in and day out until her shaking made even holding a teacup untenable (15).

The fact that the text never gives Sara’s mother a name is symbolic of the universality of her experience: Her exploitation by a man is not unique but, rather, all too common in the text. Her namelessness is also a symbol of her dispensability to her community and how universal her experience of female perseverance is.

Both Sara and Bailey are also subject to the decisions made by men in their lives, compelled to contend with—and overcome—their consequences. Railroaded by Mr. Douglas, who suggests that her womanhood makes her easily tempted and naturally dishonest and lies about her returning to England to avoid scandal, Sara is unjustly incarcerated.