Northanger Abbey Post 2

Chapter 20
He smiled, and said, “You have formed a very favourable idea of the abbey.” “To be sure, I have. Is not it a fine old place, just like what one reads about?” “And are you prepared to encounter all the horrors that a building such as ‘what one reads about’ may produce? Have you a stout heart? Nerves fit for sliding panels and tapestry?” “Oh! yes— I do not think I should be easily frightened, because there would be so many people in the house— and besides, it has never been uninhabited and left deserted for years, and then the family come back to it unawares, without giving any notice, as generally happens.”

I enjoyed this entire conversation between Henry and Catherine very entertaining. I believe it is here that you can tell exactly how Henry feels for Catherine. Although Catherine feels uncertain of Henry's intentions later in the story, I believe he makes them very clear here. Henry makes a story that he knows Catherine will love. He knows that the Abbey will be boring and disappointing to Catherine but he also understands how Catherine's mind works. He knows that she loves gothic novels so he tells her the exact story she wants to hear. Catherine's responses are almost child like with a sense of nervousness and excitement. Last week in class we talked about how and what a person reads in Northanger Abbey almost directly correlates to how they are perceived by other characters. I believe that Henry wanting to entertain Catherine's imagination based off off the novels she reads says a lot about how much attention he gives her and possibly even his level of interest in her romantically.