Exploitation and orphanhood
The central characters of the novel are orphans who are exploited by powerful men for what little they possess. The predatory nature of Gentleman is proof that for those at the bottom, life is much more dangerous and risky, and although it is already lonely, these orphans are plagued whenever they trust anyone around them. For these disenfranchised women, patriarchy and assistance are both methods to be avoided, because it is all too easy to be victimized.
Insanity
Insanity is an important imagery in the text because it is a threat that shapes the lives of Sue and Maud. Sue is removed from an insane mother, and Maud is exploited by Gentleman for her alleged hysteria. Together, the two become confused in the asylum when the doctors try to tell Sue that she and Maud are the same person. When they discover that they are the victims of conspiracy, that clarifies their insane paranoia.
Money and corruption
When Sue becomes interested in helping Gentleman, she is in desperate need of money. Maud's life is also one of struggle and lack, and so it is especially sad when people try to steal what little she has acquired through inheritance. Money is not the only kind of poverty in the novel either; there is a poverty of love, because the maternal imagery of the novel is damaged or missing, and the women in the book are often pitted against each other by the powers that be.
Patriarchy and malice
Gentleman's character provides a whole host of imagery to consider. His name invokes the imagery of gender and chivalry. Chivalry is an important consideration in the issue of gender, because it is predicated on an imbalance. When men are considered more important and given more power, then chivalry is necessary, because women are systematically removed from power so that they depend on men like "Gentleman." Is he chivalrous? No. He uses the façade of chivalry to manipulate and exploit women for his personal gain and ego.
