While not as severe, Fanny's small room in the attic at Mansfield mirrors Harry Potter's confinement to the cupboard under the stairs (or rather, Harry Potter's confinement mirrors that of Fanny Price's). In both stories, these living conditions reflect the characters' diminished statuses within their respective families, and are a form of abuse. This sort of abuse reinforces Fanny's lack of self-confidence, and also to behaviors associated with anxiety, such as obsessing and worrying about social interaction, something she thinks about and gets distressed about throughout the novel. While Fanny may not have realized that she was experiencing neglect and emotional abuse, it did affect her. This sort of abuse continues to be a problem today and its effects are well documented.
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