In Weldon's era of rapid technological progress, the increasing commercialization of mass media fostered a conformist "fashion" mentality. Weldon's hisses, "easy, tasty substances of the screen", denigrate the popularity of television in the 1980s and the non-individual thinking that resulted. This produces a society of “lost looks,” paralleling Austen’s view of the misguided priorities of the English Regency, as evidenced by their social stratification. In contrast, Weldon's extended metaphor of the “City of Invention” as “our immortal home” promotes the illuminating power of canonical literature and its ability to help achieve empathy. However, his conceding tone: "You [Alice] have sold more copies...than I have of all my novels," Weldon ironically criticizes himself for undermining the power of authors and didacticism, indicating the self-reflection inherent in the self-improvement, reflecting its prevalence in Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Thus, alongside Elizabeth and Darcy's union, Aunt Fay's didactic tone "readers...need an example they can examine and understand for themselves" demonstrates the role of introspection and literature in the acquisition of knowledge and the progression of personal growth. Together, Weldon and Austen synchronously demonstrate the need for self-reflection against the superficiality of parallelism.