Jane Austen discussion

Catherine learns more about the abbey, and wants to hear about their mother, which all ends badly as her imagination takes over.

I squirm over Catherine's behavior and her thoughts, but it certainly re-enforces the fact of Henry's ... niceness (I love his earlier comments about "nice"). He's serious about her offense, but he's as tactful and kind as can be and he makes his point without beating her over the head with it. And, then, he's just lovely to her when they next meet, not a speck of censurableness!

I agree. :) Catherine's imagination was a little too vivid and I was sorry for her when she confessed her thoughts to Henry. He was a real gentleman and I liked how he treated her afterwards. At first I was a little surprised that he wasn't offended but then I understood that he realized that Catherine was simply naive and let her imagination guide her too much!

Maria wrote: "I agree. :) Catherine's imagination was a little too vivid and I was sorry for her when she confessed her thoughts to Henry. He was a real gentleman and I liked how he treated her afterwards. At fi..."

I think that Henry just might be my favorite hero...

:) He's lovely, isn't he?

It's rare that a hero has such a lively wit but is also compassionate and full of integrity. A real keeper!

Henry’s my favorite, too!

I wonder if Henry felt a little guilty about his outlandish story (the one he tells in the curricle). He's certainly a nice guy, but maybe he realizes he sort of started or encouraged "searching for a mystery."

This section was definitely a great example of how a writer (or imaginative person) can take simple actions and turn them into something never meant to be. Angles and focus! I didn't think General Tilney was a murderous monster or that he was really hiding anything, but the story from Catherine's perspective could certainly be interpreted that way if the thinker was so inclined.

I liked the visit to Henry's home. Catherine is so naively innocent! Charming! I did enjoy "touring" the future home (more than likely) and it's not Pemberley. It was nice to see something common.

And finally, I think John Thorpe is at the bottom of General T.'s anger and sending Catherine away. It wouldn't be unlike that fellow to lie about Catherine. You know, something like "she a flirt. she's engaged to me, but now she's after your son's money." Which would be totally ironic since that seems to be what Isabella has done.

Question. Call me naïve Catherine if you want...but are we supposed to decipher anything from the whole Isabella scandal or is it completely straight forward? Did she really just flirt or is it implied that there was more to the relationship? I do appreciate JA's discretion and I don't want to focus on wrong actions, but I'm trying to understand what JA wants the reader to think and understand.

Catherine has a vivid imagination! :)

I'm reading ch 24:

Catherine has lost her mind.

How I praised her for having a good head on her shoulders!

The General is no gentleman!

He's the one who invited C to the Abbey too!

He can't even blame his daughter Cs presence in his house.

He is a very uncouth and I'll-bred man. Not a gentleman at all!

It looks as if HT is the only "gentleman" in the family!

Isabella has really over-played her hand.

James was a good match for her. Though his father was only going to settle £400 on him and Isabella, he was the eldest son and in line to inherit something.

Now without any fortune of advantageous connection, so readily accepted by Mr. Rev. Morland, Isabella is left with nothing.

Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "I'm reading ch 24:

Catherine has lost her mind.

How I praised her for having a good head on her shoulders!"

I remember laughing at your remark! But, really, Catherine does have a good head; she just gets carried away by things that go bump in the night. Come to think of it, I've been guilty of that once or twice-which is why I do not read scary books anymore!

I’m pretty tolerant of Catherine—she’s very young, and this is her first visit to a grand house, among strangers; even the Allens aren’t there! So she’s nervous and scared to start with, and the General’s ways don’t give her any confidence. And of course, while she’s wrong about the details, she’s right that the General is not a nice person. The scene in her bedroom on the night of the storm shows what a child she still is.