What is one main theme in the novel, The Golden Age?

One important theme addressed in the novel is the freedom of women during this time period. Since the opportunities afforded to women at this time were limited, it is interesting to note how those who do have some ambition negotiate the male-dominated territory. Many of the women in the novel are caricatures; they are flighty women who mistake servants' names and seem to be completely disinterested, or flighty women who talk to animals, or oversexed hostesses with ambitions in journalism.