Theme Of Advice In Charlotte Temple

Many people see Susanna Rowson’s book, “Charlotte Temple”, as a comment on the need for youth to listen to their elders. However, the theme is far more complicated than this as it shows that the advice itself is flawed. As the characters travel from England to America, the inherent problems of the advice appears. It is here that Montraville father’s advice which is assuming similar experiences leads to lifelong misery. Charlotte the most obvious proof that ignoring your parents advice leads to trouble suffer far greater consequences because of the reversibility of that very same advice. Even the readers experience the dangers of advice as the author cautions the mothers reading the novel that their views and consequently advice are not enough because of the inherent problem of advice not being law. Montraville’s, Charlotte’s, and reader’s stories show that it is not enough to follow parental advice if the advice is misguided, founded in untrue expectations, creating more trouble and misery for the youths.
To beginning, I must first define advice. Advice is any guidance given with the goal of alternating a perceived

Now that Montraville realizes his mistake in taking Charlotte, he feels trapped. Because he does not believe he has broken his father’s advice, he still refuses to marry Charlotte. This is seen when he response to the relation that Charlotte’s father cannot give Charlotte enough money to support herself by concluding “it was impossible should ever marry [her]” as though he is still following the advice (41). He is speaking as though there will be grave consequences only if he marries Charlotte. Quickly, Montraville finds himself unwilling to back up because he finds such an act “cruel beyond description” and unwilling to move forward if fear of violating his father’s advice (83). All of this is caused by Montraville applying the advice to experiences and understanding the father never thought he would