대장편소설인 <소현성록>에서는 전범 인물에 대한 반복적 언급과 작중 긍정적 여성 인물의 모범적 행동, 인물에 대한 서술과 인물들 간의 대화와 문답, 작품 전체에 드러난 의식을 통하여 여성들에 대한 교육적 효과를 얻고 있다. 전범 인물은 독자들에게 그 여성들의 행위를 인식하게 하였고, 작중 여성 인물의 모범적 행동은 그 실천의 일례로 제시되었다. 이로 인하여 여성 독자들은 이론적인 면과 실천적인 면을 동시에 받아들이게 된다. 인물에 대한 서술에서는 여성에 대한 평가가 중심이 되는데, 중심 잣대는 색[色, 미모]과 덕[德, 성품]이다. 작가는 당연히 덕을 강조하는 입장을 견지한다. 아울러 문답법을 이용하여 여성들이 지켜야 할 덕목을 직접적으로 열거하기도 한다. 이 경우, 여성 독자들은 그들의 의지와는 상관없이 그러한 덕목을 읽어나갈 수밖에 없다. 그리고 <소현성록>은 철저하게 가부장제를 옹호하는 의식을 구현하고 있다. 작품의 전반적인 흐름은 가장권이 여성에서 남성으로 이행하는 과정을 보여주고 있다. 그리고 그것은 가문의 융성으로 이어진다. 이는 자연스럽게 여성 독자들에게 가부장제의 장점을 인식시킨다. 반면 작품 속의 악녀(惡女)는 모두 시가에서 쫓겨나거나 죽는다. 작품 초반부에는 사통한 교영의 죽음을, 작품 결말부에는 곽후의 폐비와 죽음을 배치한 것도 예사롭지 않다. 부러울 것 없는 벌열가의 딸과 황실의 여자가 나쁜 행실로 인하여 비극적인 종말을 맞게 된다는 설정은, 독자들에게 많은 것을 생각하게 하였을 것이다.

Sohyeonseongnok is effective in instructing women with description of characters including model characters repeatedly stated and exemplary behavior of positively depicted female characters, and talks and conversations among characters. Model characters make readers recognize their behavior, and decent deeds of female characters are presented as an example for practice. Female readers can, therefore, take in both the theoretical aspect and the practical one at a time. Describing characters focuses on the estimation of women, whose ways to judge are saek(beauty) and deok(human nature. virtue). The author sticks to emphasizing nature. Also, conversations in this novel are used to directly show the virtues that women should follow, which make female readers read such virtues unawares. In addition, Sohyeonseongnok embodies ideas advocating patriarchy. Its story shows the process of patriarchal rights' going from women to men, which leads to prosperity of a family. And this naturally instills the benefits of patriarchy into female readers. On the other hand, wicked women are ousted from their families；it is noticeable to arrange the death of an adulteress and a deposed queen Gwakhu at the beginning and at the end respectively. The tragic end of two badly-behaved women, each of whom comes from a family in power or a royal family, gives readers more room to think about.

Sohyeonseongnok is effective in instructing women with description of characters including model characters repeatedly stated and exemplary behavior of positively depicted female characters, and talks and conversations among characters. Model characters make readers recognize their behavior, and decent deeds of female characters are presented as an example for practice. Female readers can, therefore, take in both the theoretical aspect and the practical one at a time. Describing characters focuses on the estimation of women, whose ways to judge are saek(beauty) and deok(human nature. virtue). The author sticks to emphasizing nature. Also, conversations in this novel are used to directly show the virtues that women should follow, which make female readers read such virtues unawares. In addition, Sohyeonseongnok embodies ideas advocating patriarchy. Its story shows the process of patriarchal rights' going from women to men, which leads to prosperity of a family. And this naturally instills the benefits of patriarchy into female readers. On the other hand, wicked women are ousted from their families；it is noticeable to arrange the death of an adulteress and a deposed queen Gwakhu at the beginning and at the end respectively. The tragic end of two badly-behaved women, each of whom comes from a family in power or a royal family, gives readers more room to think about.

Sohyeonseongnok, model characters, instructive effect, beauty and virtue, patriarchy