Language In Clarissa, Evelina And Pride And Prejudice

is not to be repaired" (Pawl 285). Without her true
name, however, Evelina's reputation is as a bastard, a
pretty, young woman who shall remain nameless, not from
her own doing or her family' sf but by the choice of her
guardian, the Reverend Mr. Villars.
Joanne Cutting-Gray accurately summarizes the
pivotal ideas of namelessness and reputation for Evelina,
telling us that, "Her position as a nameless, female
minor-a form of social silence~enerates the conflict of
the novel" (44). The implication of Evelina being a
"nameless, female minor" goes well beyond her innocence
and social ambiguity. Name can only be bestowed through
legal documents and recognized legal acts. Villars is in
possession of the document that can change Evelina's life
by changing her name, but he suppresses it, just as his
language suppresses her will and his real intentions.
Villarsf reasons for leaving Evelina nameless and
innocent of her past are imbued with conscious self-
incrimination as he writes to Lady Howard, "A youthful
mind is seldom totally free from ambition; to curb that,
is the first step to contentment, since to diminish
expectations, is to increase enjoyment" (19) . These are
the arguments of a younger son desperately trying to find
solace in his secondary position. After years of silent