“As an aspect of Jane Austen's work ignored by the traditional critics (perhaps because they were mostly men and thought it too domestic, too mundane), the study of her treatment of food yields new insights into the skill with which she creates character and establishes her moral values. Equally, it can help us pose the feminist, political and ideological questions which, if not the sole purpose of literary criticism, certainly add something fresh and valuable to the discipline. For example, consideration of Fanny Price's 'niceness' as regards to eating makes some contribution to the political debate between whether the resolution to Mansfield Park most supports or subverts the dominant ideology within which it was created.”