Why are there blanks in place of people's names and places in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice?
Jane Austen wrote about the world and the society she knew, and she sometimes left blank spaces in her work essentially to cover her butt. By not naming names, she avoided being accused of inaccuracy or of making someone (usually a politician) look bad. Also, by using blank spaces, her readers could add whatever names they wanted for a personalized story.
Here's one example from Pride and Prejudice that I've filled in a few different ways:
The carriage was sent to meet them at the mall, and they were to return in it, by dinnertime.
The carriage was sent to meet them at Caitlyn's house, and they were to return in it, by dinnertime.
The carriage was sent to meet them at the football game, and they were to return in it, by dinnertime.
Notice how differently you imagine each scenario; you feel closer to the story by visualizing it filled with people and places you know.