The historical area I would like to examine is located in Chapter 5 of Mansfield Park, and pertains to the bringing up of young women and the concept of being "out," as Miss Crawford asks Edmund of Fanny and her behavior as a young eighteen year old woman. This seemingly was very typical of society at the time, and the chapter seems to focus on the appropriate behavior associated with being a woman of society. This particular section interested me particularly because of Fanny's role as a confused part of her family structure, and particularly because Sir Thomas makes it very clear in earlier chapters that Fanny should always remember that she is not a Miss Bertram, despite her upbringing with their family. however, Miss Crawford seems fascinated by how Fanny is expected to fit into the social strata, especially because her two cousins are considered to be the most "handsome" girls in the county, attending balls and considering suitors to wed. Edmund does not want to speak for Fanny. They discuss how women are "ill brought up" which is also definitive of the time period, the expectations young ladies were inclined to uphold as an obligation to their family names. The quotation that was most interesting is spoken by Edmund:

"The error is plain enough," said the less courteous Edmund; "such girls are ill brought up. They are given wrong notions from the beginning. They are always acting upon motives of vanity, and there is no more real modesty in their behaviour before they appear in public than afterwards."

This "appearing in public" could ruin a young ladies entire image and her upbringing was a direct reflection of being "out." This is why this particular historical moment strikes me as it does.