Blackbourn states that zoos were created for "the beautification of their daily life, [and] this was the civic gospel of moral improvement" . .
Germans took pride in their cities and had a newfound optimism for the future. New technologies inspired literature and music, and "cast a spell" on Germans . Effi greatly enjoyed gathering with her counterparts to listen to the music of various composers such as Wagner . German composers also influenced the music of religion during the late 19th century. Throughout Effi Briest, it is clear that religion plays a large role in the lives of the characters. Effi is tormented by her guilt and repeatedly asks for God's forgiveness . She also contemplates her guilt or her lack thereof. She initially fears God and is ashamed of her actions but finds peace and reconciliation with God before her death . Pride is a central theme of the late 19th century German society. The people of Germany were bound by honor and society. This is perhaps the only reason Innstetten kills Crampas. It is Innstetten's disproportionate dependence on the social code of his class that brings about the downfall of his own marriage. Had Innstetten shown more moral courage and braved public opinion, his marriage could have been saved. However, he was much too concerned with public views on his wife's infidelity, which he felt had "stained his honour" and humiliated him. He states that the duel has "to be done. We are not isolated persons, we belong to a whole society and we have to constantly consider that society, we're completely dependent on it. something has evolved that now exists and we've become accustomed to judge everything, ourselves and others, according to its rules" . Innstetten essentially relinquishes his own happiness in order to preserve his standing in the so-called "cult of honour" . Effi's own parents refuse to grant her refuge in their home for fear of being ostracized by their peers.
