Woman As She Should Be; Or, Agnes Wiltshire

"Woman As She Should Be; Or, Agnes Wiltshire" by Mary E. Herbert is a story set in the 1800s about Agnes Wiltshire, a young woman figuring out who she is supposed to be while dealing with what society expects from her. It's a novel looking at themes of what you need to do, what you believe, and how you change as a person, as Agnes struggles with new spiritual feelings that make her different from those around her who care a lot about money and looks. The story begins with Agnes thinking about her life as she stares at a garden that no one takes care of, and soon after, Mrs. Gordon comes to visit showing care and worry, and Agnes shares her feelings, which have been made worse by the recent death of someone close to her. The story points out her guilt about how easy her life was before and what society wants from her, including her desire to live a more meaningful and religious life, showing the conflict between her need for a better connection with her beliefs and the attraction of her stylish social life.