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Letter 7
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’s father and mother write her again to warn her about Mr. B’s gifts, particularly the stockings. They write that she should rather lose her life than her virtue. In a postscript, they remind Pamela not to celebrate her own good looks, since she did nothing to earn them.
The wording of Pamela’s parents’ letter might sound extreme—that she should lose her life before her virtue—but it makes sense in the context of their Christian, which teaches them that leading a sinful life could lead to an eternity in hell. Pamela’s parents also preach humility, which helps explain why Pamela herself values that trait so highly.
Themes
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