In “sense and sensibility” Edward Ferrars arrives at one of his visits to the Dashwoods wearing a ring made of hair. Naturally, the Dashwood sisters wonder at its significance. In fact, they apply this ring to Edward's intentions just as the lock of Marianne Dashwood's hair that is cut by Willoughby comes to be applied to that gentleman's rather more culpable designs. In both cases the hair is understood to be a sign of attachment, but in both cases it is an ambiguous sign. Though Willough-by's action strongly suggests his affection for Marianne, it does not guarantee it; and Edward's ring at best seems only to resemble Elinor's hair and eventually is found to have been taken from a very unexpected head. In other words, these locks of hair spring up in the plot of the novel to trap Elinor and Marianne in embarrassing misunderstandings.

All the signs offered to the interpretation of women in Austen's novels are of a similar nature. There are no guarantees in their world. Whether they know it or not, women in these novels are always trapped in uncertainty even as they are called upon to make certain decisions about their own behavior and the behavior of others.