Question

Why does Elnora refer to herself as ‘a regular caricature?’

Answer 1

A caricature is a representation of, generally, a person, but the image of this representation (in the form of a description when in literature) is overly exaggerated.   The exaggerated descriptions focus on elements that can be seen as imperfections and are silly.  Elnora referred to herself as a caricature because of how she was dressed—“ funny little old hat; my hair was not right, my ribbon invisible compared with the others, I did not know where to go, or what to do, and I had no books.”