Appearing to Diminish

Through analyses of The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless, The Female Quixote, Evelina. Emma, Pride and Prejudice, and Jane Eyre, this genre study argues that these protagonists construct themselves as subjects by manipulating the signs of their objectification. By learning how the male gaze functions in their society, heroines learn to manipulate their appearance and behavior in order to gain some control over the self they project for others.