In The
Voice of the Preceptress: Female Education in and as the Seduction Novel, Shelly
Jarenski talks about the political, social, and educational values behind the creation of seduction novels. She starts by giving an extensive narrative of the “contemporary anxieties over the education of women and narratives of female seduction” (59). She then proceeds to address the social and political influences over these novelists or narratives. Throughout her narration, she protrudes the question or the existing debate of whether women should have an education and if yes, how should they be educated (59). Based on the information she extends to the reader, she presents her opinion of the function and intention of the seduction novels during this …show more content…
Women’s roles as mothers and wives were magnified. Women were perceived “as a source of guidance within the nuclear family” because they were a “moral support to [their husbands]” and
"prepared their sons for their roles as public citizens” (60).

This called for women to have at least a basic education to accomplish the new demands of the “new nation” (60). Of course, this epiphany and understanding brought to the surface the established social belief that giving knowledge to women was dangerous to the roles they played as influencers, and protectors of society (60). This belief was the foundation of the opposition towards women's education or at least the fear of men. The fear did not stop women from embracing this new expectation to
“promote and engage in female education” despite the objection or skepticism
(61). During this political, social, and educational shift, seduction novels made their entrance to add to the persisting debate.

Seduction novels were often deemed non-educational because American novels written by women were often valued for how they “allow women to re-imagine” the power structure and domestic or private life (59). Jarenski believes this way of analyzing the American …show more content…
Amelia is an example of an uneducated woman who was totally dragged into a situation without awareness or a choice. Amelia was unaware of the world outside of her cottage in Long Island. She only had her father as company and did not receive the education Eliza had or Charlotte got in school despite the bad teacher. Amelia was innocent as she “was incapable of deceit, and unacquainted with suspicion” (5). The narrator of the story tells how the virtue of Amelia solely depended on the protection and care of her father (3). When her father left her alone with the British soldier, he exposed
Amelia to being seduced and tricked. Amelia undergoes all the suffering and consequences without a choice because she had no knowledge. Amelia says, “ I have been solicitous to preserve my innocence and honour; but am exposed to infamy and shame(10). She did not have an education or educated people to advised her against a man like Daliscus and so she was exposed to that situation.
This is the alternative of not having an education, which seems more harmful and dangerous than having an education and choosing to go against it