These typical bourgeoisie values that constrain Harriet's individuality as a child increase as she gets older and her whole life is documented in fifteen short chapters. The tone that Sinclair uses, at times, borders upon a satire of Victorian Middle England and this can be expressed through some main examples: Economic factors, the social hierarchy, patriarchal authority and lastly through social rank and differences. .
The economic factors throughout the novel are prevalent. The characters are determined by their financial position and judged accordingly. Those who aspire to own money and share the distribution of wealth are looked down upon by the Hilton family and are not classed in Harriett's own mind as having the same kind of status as her father. Harriett's profuse economic status is seen early in the text, when she is sent to a boarding school. Here she meets the poor Priscilla Heaven, who is first described as " thin, thin, in her shabby black velvet jacket-2 (Pg. 29), this differentiation in the text is shown through Harriett's eyes and once again shows the differences between social positions within the text. The voice of Harriett seeps through the narrative tone of Sinclair with free, indirect speech and has a stream-of-consciousness effect on the reader. Harriett's thoughts and feelings are open to the reader in the narrative and through this we can draw conclusions about her values and opinions. Economically speaking, Harriett is extremely judgemental and regularly mentally comments on other peoples" status. Harriett and the Frean family live in a large, prosperous house in an area with other similar minded people. A differentiation is made between their house and the typical accommodation that Lizzie's friend, Sarah Barmby resides in. It is commented that Sarah " lived in one of those little shabby villas on the London road- (Pg. 46) and this is juxtaposed on the same page with Connie " bouncing about hospitably in the large, rich house.