Jane Austen discussion

Catherine makes her way back home in disgrace and is restless and depressed. But Henry comes in to the rescue, explain the misunderstanding and all is well!

I love that Austen makes the point at the very end that perhaps the General's tyranny increased Henry's and Catherine's love and knowledge of each other. And, so, we leave him with our thanks!

Exactly what I thought, Karlyne! If the General hadn't acted like he did, we would never have seen Henry and Catherine together. Well done, General Tilney! :)

And I always think, too, that although Catherine was wrong in what she thought about the General's conduct toward his wife, she was right about his character in general. From the first time that she met him she was aware that there was something off about him!

Yes! For being a girl that had never met anyone special aside from the people of her family and some neighbours, she was quite smart! I didn't like the General's behaviour either. He would have been the perfect father for Mr. Thorpe!

Maria wrote: "Yes! For being a girl that had never met anyone special aside from the people of her family and some neighbours, she was quite smart! I didn't like the General's behaviour either. He would have bee..."

I thought it was so funny that the General was so credulous about what Thorpe told him. If he'd been half as smart as he thought he was, he would've seen right through him!

I was surprised to see that a man like the General believed every word Thorpe said to him. He could have made some "researches" to see if Catherine was indeed going to be rich! I mean, since he wanted a rich wife for his son, he could have checked Thorpe's information! Not a smart thing for a general! :)

Maria wrote: "I was surprised to see that a man like the General believed every word Thorpe said to him. He could have made some "researches" to see if Catherine was indeed going to be rich! I mean, since he wan..."

I think he belonged to that class of general known as "inept".

Great ending to the novel!

I had figured out that General T. was vain and a little arrogant, but I had not had the impression that he was so shallow as to make wealth (or lack thereof) an issue.

Interestingly, Henry doesn't have dialog in the important walk. Could he have asked her to marry him without making a joke? What do you think? Has the argument with his father sobered Henry?

Sarah wrote: "Great ending to the novel!

I had figured out that General T. was vain and a little arrogant, but I had not had the impression that he was so shallow as to make wealth (or lack thereof) an issue.

..."

I think his feeling for Catherine are so tender that he'd make her a lovely proposal without one single joke. Of course, after she accepted might be another story! And, although I'm sure that he's always known his father is bad-tempered and money-loving, the argument had to have shown him an even nastier side than he was aware of.

What do any of you make of Henry Tilney as a clergyman owning a curricle? Or pastoral visits made with a Porsche as a mode of transportation?

Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "What do any of you make of Henry Tilney as a clergyman owning a curricle? Or pastoral visits made with a Porsche as a mode of transportation?"

Hmmm, a clergyman with a Porsche... Does seem a bit ostentatious, but I think curricles were more in use then than Porsches are these days. I see it more as a new VW bug than a Porsche. A bit showy, doesn't seat a lot, but not too over-the-top- as long as the pay for it isn't coming out of the poor box.

Just finished it. I have to say, I do wish once again that JA had written the proposal scene as dialogue. I know she tended to draw a curtain over those moments as being too intimate to portray explicitly, but I wish I could decide how much of Henry’s proposal is affection and how much is honor. I also wish we had met Eleanor’s viscount!

All that aside, the last sentence has to be my favorite in all of Jane Austen: “I leave it to be settled by whomsoever it may concern, whether the tendency of this work be altogether to recommend parental tyranny, or reward filial disobedience.”

Abigail wrote: "Just finished it. I have to say, I do wish once again that JA had written the proposal scene as dialogue. I know she tended to draw a curtain over those moments as being too intimate to portray exp..."

It would have been nice to meet Eleanor's love, but I feel completely assured of Henry's regard for Catherine. I think he really did find her completely adorable, especially in the light of her own admiration for him.

Finally read it and enjoyed it immensely. Sorry for not being part of discussion but whenever a thought occured to me I wasn't in a possition to write it down here. But I did take time to write the review.

Abigail wrote: "Just finished it. I have to say, I do wish once again that JA had written the proposal scene as dialogue. I know she tended to draw a curtain over those moments as being too intimate to portray exp..."

Love that sentence, too, Abigail! :) And I agree, I would have loved to read the proposal scene as dialogue. Am I wrong or we can only read something like that in Emma? Can't remember right now...

Abigail wrote: "Just finished it. I have to say, I do wish once again that JA had written the proposal scene as dialogue. I know she tended to draw a curtain over those moments as being too intimate to portray exp..."

I totally agree with you! It was the only part of the book that disappointed me.

Maria wrote, “Am I wrong or we can only read something like that in Emma?”

Well, the letter in Persuasion is close to an in-person proposal. And I must say, I can’t remember whether Edward proposes to Elinor Dashwood in dialogue or narrative, and am too lazy to limp downstairs and pull the book off the shelf.

I finished it a few weeks ago and if I remember correctly, it's only through narrative.