by the possibility of marrying Henry Crawford. Her rejection of this and desire to marry for real love by marrying Edmund, revealsJane Austen's own desire to discount the accepted norms of her society whilst ensuring moral good fortune. Fanny's unpopular and even preposterous choice, a direct insult against Sir Thomas, uncovers her refusal to compromise her beliefs and reinforces her independence. However, having Fanny marry Edmund, still ensures that Jane Austen retains a measure of respect because, notwithstanding her independence, it still results in marriage. Jane Austen is cautious of completely defying accepted practises.  

The behavior of women is crucial to the future and Jane Austen is aware that many women will continue to marry for all the wrong reasons thus contributing to social and moral decay. The choice of Fanny to represent the possibility for freedom from the restraints of middle class existence, highlights Jane Austen's understanding of the place of women in ensuring the moral fiber of society; hence, Fanny's ultimate success and everyone else's ruin. Jane Austen would never deny the need for social norms - responsibility to family is paramount in her novels- and she recognizes that women can only advance themselves by adopting their position within a structure. Fanny may not conform to expectations - thus causing controversy among critics - but she does emphasize the possibilities when operating within the boundaries set but without compromising true feelings.

The ability to "captivate" and ensure social status, being praised by the community for a good "match," may never actually disappear as, even in the twenty first century, there are many marrying for the simple reason that they want to secure a certain lifestyle. This can be said of men and women and, Jane Austen realized even then, that a "good" man could only ensure his own status by marrying within certain constraints. For women "marrying....with advantage" allowed them a freedom they may otherwise be denied. However, using Fanny as her heroine, Jane Austen is warning others of the perils of taking the need for status too far.  

Like her other novels, Austen points out that the expectation of women is to marry well. In other words, middle class and genteel women were expected to marry men who were independently wealthy and could hopefully offer an advance in social status. It is expected that Maria, Fanny's cousin should marry well. In fact it became her "moral obligation, her evident duty to marry Mr. Rushworth" who had a "larger income than her father's" (Ch. 4). Maria becomes engaged to him very soon.

However, because Fanny is the daughter of poor relations and is being looked after out of charity, expectations of Fanny are different. Puzzled by Fanny, Miss Crawford asks Edmund if Fanny has yet been introduced into society. She sees that Fanny is the correct age, but she also sees that Fanny says so little that it seems she has not yet been introduced into society. It is Fanny's opinion that she is quiet because she is not asked her opinion. Miss Crawford finally determines that since Fanny has never been to a ball, she has not yet been introduced into society by her family (Ch. 5). Hence, it is expected of Fanny to just continue existing without any hope of attaining marriage or social status.

However, things begin to change for Fanny when Sir Thomas returns. When Fanny is invited to dine at the Grants, Sir Thomas even requests the carriage for her, arguing against Mrs. Norris's claims that Fanny can walk in the rain (Ch. 21). While Mrs. Norris still wants to consider Fanny beneath their family, Sir Thomas's offer of the carriage serves to treat her as a lady. Sir Thomas even begins to see Henry Crawford as a good match for Fanny, which would increase her wealth and social status (Ch. 25). Hence, after a while, even Fanny is expected to marry for financial benefit and increased social status.