Miss Austen's use of an insignificant object to explain Mr. Ferrar's personality is clever indeed. In that one paragraph, Miss Austen reveals Mr. Ferrars as a "little light in his loafers" and lacking as a real gentleman. With him, there's little beneath his surface, while some of his counterparts (Edward & Col Brandon) are deep, complex and weightier than they appear. Like the toothpick, he comes across as shallow, insignificant, and lightweight.