Blog Post #2 - Northanger Abbey

Volume 2 of Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen has truly picked up in pace. I feel like some characters personalities are changing with the turn of a page! By "some characters" I honestly mean, and want to talk about Isabella. In volume 1 I didn't pick up too much on how tricky she can be until we discussed it in class, and now I can't not see it. What stood out to me the most was towards the beginning of volume 2 (chapter 3) when Isabella talks to Catherine about John wanting to marry Catherine. Catherine, of course is shocked and tries to explain to Isabella that she did not want this to happen and didn't think she was leading him on. Isabella, who obviously values her friend's happiness as much as her brother's (138), lays off of Catherine's refusal, and then implies her own sneaky motives;

"Oh! as to that," answered Isabella laughingly, "I do not pretend to determine what your thoughts and designs in time past may have been. All that is best known to yourself. A little harmless flirtation or so will occur, and one is often drawn on to give more encouragement than one wishes to stand by. But you may be assured that I am the last person in the world to judge you severely. All those things should be allowed to in youth and high spirits. What one means one day, you know, one may not mean the next Circumstances change, opinions alter" (138).

At first I considered the fact that Isabella is fine with it since she knows Catherine likes Henry Tilney, but as I read on I saw how further down the page the narrator includes that Isabella isn't listening to Catherine (138) and it clicked to me that Isabella is justifying herself. Basically she's saying that young women change their minds and if some flirting happens so be it. But she's talking about herself and Catherine's brother James! I honestly was shocked because while reading this book I think I've been naive and have looked at each character as being on the "good side." After reading this part I've been reading more closely to see the meanings behind the characters.