Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Charlotte Temple, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Temptation and Vice
Regret, Guilt, and Shame
Deceit and Manipulation
Kindness, Compassion, and Forgiveness
Honor, Reputation, and Social Status
Wealth, Poverty, and Happiness
Summary
Analysis
Back in her room with Mademoiselle La Rue, Charlotte says she thinks they were wrong to sneak out. She thought she’d enjoy the experience, but she just feels ashamed. She vows to never sneak out again and worries aloud that Madame Du Pont will hear about what they did. La Rue then wonders if Charlotte will end up telling Du Pont as a way of protecting herself from punishment, thinking that maybe Charlotte will frame it as La Rue’s fault that she broke the rules. If she does this, though, La Rue claims that she won’t hold it against Charlotte: after all, she has already experienced disgrace and shame, so she’s better prepared to get kicked onto the streets, where she would surely face great misery.
La Rue is manipulating Charlotte. She acts as if she has made her peace with the idea of getting kicked out by Madame Du Pont, but she underhandedly emphasizes how miserable she would be if this happened. In doing so, she appeals to Charlotte’s innocent, impressionable nature, making her young student feel guilty for something she hasn’t even done yet. In turn, she decreases the likelihood that Charlotte would feel comfortable telling Madame Du Pont what they did. Considering her subtle skills in manipulation, it’s evident that La Rue truly will be a dangerous and corrupting influence on Charlotte.
Themes
Charlotte promises La Rue that she would never betray her. She simply wishes she hadn’t gone out with her. But La Rue challenges this idea by pointing out that Charlotte must have enjoyed meeting Montraville—surely she’s interested in reading the letter. Charlotte insists that she won’t read the letter, but La Rue makes her feel guilty by talking extensively about how Montraville will probably go to his death on the battlefield without ever hearing a word from Charlotte, whom he clearly feels strongly for. She makes Charlotte’s decision not to read the letter seem so coldhearted that Charlotte finally decides to open it, though she promises herself that she won’t respond.
La Rue’s first manipulation works, as she guilts Charlotte into promising to stay silent about sneaking out. But she doesn’t stop there—she continues to manipulate Charlotte, goading her into reading Montraville’s letter. The author has already said that Charlotte looked forward to reading the letter in private, but now it seems that Charlotte has resolved not to read it, perhaps wanting to make up for the fact that she has promised to keep quiet about her outing with La Rue. By telling herself she won’t read the letter, she holds onto a small amount of self-control, setting a boundary that makes her feel better about having transgressed. La Rue, however, convinces her young student to read the letter. Step by step, then, Charlotte succumbs to the various temptations that La Rue sets before her.
Themes
The author interrupts the narrative to note that some women who have fallen into disgrace do whatever they can to bring other, more innocent women down to their level. This is exactly what La Rue does when she convinces Charlotte to read the letter. What’s more, it doesn’t take long after Charlotte has read Montraville’s words for La Rue to talk her into meeting Montraville again the following evening.
Mademoiselle La Rue doesn’t manipulate Charlotte just for the fun of it. Rather, she does so because it’s the only way she can feel better about herself as a dishonorable person. Charlotte, after all, is a perfectly innocent young woman, so the contrast between her and La Rue surely makes La Rue feel especially bad about herself. She therefore does whatever she can to spoil Charlotte’s innocence, manipulating her and incrementally coaxing her toward a life of vice.
Themes
