Jane Austen is, first and foremost, a writer of comedy (Podis). Romance, social critic, and female empowerment all exist as dominant themes within her novels, but Austen's first priority is to engage her readers in an intimate, elegant writing style that explores each character's virtues, vices, prides, and prejudices. Works like Emma (my personal favorite) really showcase Austen's guile and her skill in being able to reduce a character to a comedic role, only to uphold her authenticity, good nature, and agreeableness as a virtue in the page after.

Pride and Prejudice, while heavier on elements of romance and social commentary, still retains those comedic elements as frustrating characters make fools of themselves with extended and awkward wedding proposals, become wed on a whim, or are rejected in the most satisfying manner possible.

Yet, Austen is essential reading to the AP Literature and Composition student. Every exam contains passages from similar 17th or 18th century texts that either laid the foundations of Austen's writing style, or used it for inspiration in the years that followed. Her influence is unmistakable in her genre as she did, as far as I can tell, perfect it.