Alistair M. Duckworth in The Improvement of the Estate : A Study of Jane Austen 's Novels ( 1971 ) argues that Austen used the concept of the `` estate '' to symbolise all that was important society , which should be conserved ( kept ) , improved , and passed down to future generations . In a similar vein , Alistair M. Duckworth in The Improvement of the Estate : A Study of Jane Austen 's Novels ( 1971 ) argues that Austen used the concept of the `` estate '' to symbolise all that was important about contemporary English society , which should be conserved , improved , and passed down to future generations .