Trollope uses satirical comment throughout the book as a means of showing the absurdity or hypocrisy that she observes in American society. An example of a more elaborate satirical passage comes in Chapter 26, where Trollope describes a day in the life of a typical Philadelphian (and by extension American) woman—a life whose dullness and insignificance contrasts with its luxurious material surroundings (217–21).

The passage is satirical in that Trollope selects various incidents she regards as typical and presents them in caustically humorous language: “Is it to be imagined […] that women were made for no other purpose than to fabricate sweetmeats and gingerbread, construct shirts, darn stockings, and become mothers of possible presidents?” (217). Like much satire, the purpose of this passage is to draw attention to an injustice with a view to social reform, namely improving the status of American women in society.