Cold Comfort Farm is well known as a parody of literature by authors such as Mary Webb, Jane Austen, the Bronte Sisters, D.H. Lawrence, Thomas Hardy, and others. It essentially mocks turn-of-the-century "agricultural" literature that focused on earthy, rural settings with sexually strong themes and prose. There are a number of references to Austen and the Bronte sisters, wittily woven in with Mr. Mybug's character as he tries to prove the Bronte literature was actually written by a besotted brother. In general, Mr. Mybug seems to aspire to a D.H. Lawrence style (he mentions the author), especially with his obsession with sexuality in nature. Flora also points out that there is always a Dominant Grandmother Theme in agricultural literature.