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Letter 21
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Pamela, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Value of Virtue
Class and Morality
Religion and Marriage
Sexual Politics
Summary
Analysis
Pamela writes again to her father and mother about how people in the house have been whispering about Pamela’s impending departure. Mrs. Jervis has spread the rumor that Pamela is going back to care for her aging parents. The most recent time Pamela saw Mr. B, he complained about how Pamela is always working on her waistcoat and how she seems to use “witchcraft” to charm people around her. Meanwhile, some of the other servants, including Mr. Jonathan the butler and Mr. Longman the steward, have said they are going to miss Pamela after she leaves.
As Pamela looks around and sees how much people at the house like her, she begins to reconsider whether she really wants to return to her parents. Her parents themselves suggested in an earlier letter that perhaps it would be good for Pamela to try to stay and try to make some money to provide for the family. Mr. B continues to try to turn people against Pamela, this time by suggesting that Pamela uses “witchcraft” to influence people in order to make her likeability seem nefarious instead of endearing.
Themes
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