The language of this novel tends to be stiff and formal. The sentences are constructed in a manner that was common in writing of the era. This language does not, however, hinder understanding. Instead, it allows the readers to immerse themselves in the setting of the novel by familiarizing them with the culture and terms that were commonly used. As the characters see themselves as ladies and gentlemen, they speak in language that conforms to the expectations for the social classes to which they have pretensions.