Reading difficult literature
Alice is a youngster who knows who she wants to be but isn't quite there yet, and Fay encourages her to consider that perhaps the missing ingredient is that Alice won't read any difficult literature. She encourages Alice to read Jane Austen, which is pretty serious stuff for those who haven't read it. She warns Alice that the novels are complex and intertwining, but they are also unimaginably beautiful and powerful, and open to interpretation. She says that Alice should feel excited by Austen's literature, but since the difficulty of Austen's books is a barrier of entry, Alice will have to sacrifice to read them.
Freedom and writing
Fay tells Alice about Jane Austen's life, noticing that they have much in common. For instance, both are repressed. Both are rebellious and free-spirited, but there is an important, singular difference: Jane Austen was one of the most powerful writers who ever lived, and Alice doesn't even want to read as many words as Austen wrote in genius. Fay encourages Alice to adopt Austen's resolve, so she can become powerful and autonomous through writing serious literature.
Feminism
This is a theme that Fay admits she can't help but pass along. She views the world from a position of feminism, because she believes that her life is as valuable and important as a man's, and she is proud to be a woman and an artist. Her voice is one that proclaims the power of true equality, and she urges Alice not just to dye her hair crazy colors, but to deeply understand the brokenness of Western society, so she will be a force for progress, not just another rebel. She talks to her sister, Alice's mother, about feminism over tea to end the book.
