Northanger Abbey (0)

Catherine Morland
My name is Catherine Morland. I would like to tell you a bit about myself .
To begin with, I am seventeen years old and grew up in a countryside in a small town named Fullerton with my parents and nine siblings. As a child I was interested in many things like drawing , sports and music. I was very lively and cheerful, enjoyed cricket, horse riding and just hated cleanliness and restriction. As I grew up, I chose reading over sports and all of the wild games I used to like.
Undoubtedly, I would now describe myself with the word naivety. I am very naïve and do not notice the most obvious things happening around me. I really hope that it is caused by the lack of experience and will eventually pass .
In addition, I find myself a kind and caring person because I always want and agree to help people when needed.
Furthermore, I really like reading. Sometimes I think that I read too much because I often mix fiction up with reality and in some cases it does not do me any good . As novels have such a great influence on me, I often misunderstand people in reality.
Also, I quite often jump into conclusions. For example there was this awfully embarrassing situation that happened to me when I thought that General Tilney killed his wife . I was very ashamed of myself.
To sum up, I lack of experience and am too keen on reading novels. This is what makes me so naïve and sometimes causes trouble. Even when I think I should read less I just cannot help it! I love fiction too much.
So, I think that this is it, I do not have much to say anymore . Now you know what to expect from me.
Henry Tilney
My name is Henry Tilney. I am actually not sure what to tell you about myself, because I am just an ordinary man and I think of myself as a rather boring person.
I definitely do not want to sound self-centered, but I must say that I am always rather gentle and caring. I pay attention to others’ feelings and never want to hurt anybody.
I often display a humorous arrogance and ironic humour towards women. I especially like to do that to Catherine because she is just so naïve. Do not get me wrong , I love and respect women very much, but sometimes I just cannot hold back a good joke. I usually say the opposite of what I mean , in order to seem funny. Isn’t that rather clever ?
I have to admit that I am a perceptive person because I understand people quite well. I have read many books and I work as a clergyman, I think that this explains why am I good at understanding people.
Also, I am definitely not a shy person. I tend to be rather honest, often to the point of being blunt, and express my opinions on different things and criticise them .
As I said before , there are not many things to tell about me, so I will have to finish because I’ve got nothing to say anymore.

Digested read

No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy, would have supposed her born to be a heroine. Her situation in life, the character of her mother and father , her own person and disposition, were all equally against her. Catherine had many interests, but she was never interested enough to be accomplished at anything . She was a cheerful child with a good temper . But she was also something of a tomboy . As she became a teenager, Catherine began to grow more beautiful, and eventually she turned from her athletic pursuits, such as cricket and horseback riding, to reading books.
One day, the Allens, a wealthy, childless couple offered to take Catherine with them on a trip.
“Would you like to come to Bath with us, Catherine?” asked Mrs Allen .
Of course Catherine wanted to go because her life had been quite sheltered until that moment. Bath was a resort for the wealthier members of British society, so it was a new world for Catherine. The life there differed from the one back at home.
“How uncomfortable it is,” whispered Catherine, “not to have a single acquaintance here ”
“Yes, my dear ,” replied Mrs. Allen, with perfect serenity, “it is very uncomfortable indeed.”
In Bath, Catherine met a young clergyman Henry Tilney.
“Have you been long in Bath, madam?”
“About a week,” replied Catherine, trying not to laugh.
“Really!” with affected astonishment.
“Why should you be surprised , sir?”
“Why, indeed?” said he, in his natural tone – “but some emotion must appear to be raised by your reply , and surprise is more easily assumed, and not less reasonable than any other .”
Mr Tilney was very charming, he left a good impression on Catherine and she quickly fall for him. Catherine also met Isabella Thrope, they became best friends. Isabella introduced her the social world of Bath with its balls, shows, fashion , dances and gossip . Soon Catherine’s brother James Morland and Isabella’s older brother James Thrope arrived in Bath. Isabella fell in love with James and John liked Catherine very much.
“I will drive you up Landsdown Hill tomorrow !” John Thrope told Catherine.
“How delightful that will be!” cried Isabella, “my dearest Catherine, I quite envy you; but I am afraid , brother, you will not have room for a third.”
“A third indeed! No no; I did not come to Bath to drive my sisters about. Morland must take care of you.”
Catherine did not have any interest in John because she was in love with Henry. She became friends with Henry’s polite and quiet sister Eleanor , who was a complete opposite of Isabella. Henry and Eleanor asked Catherine out for a walk but their plan was delayed because of the rain. Isabella and James pushed her into riding with John. On their way Catherine saw Miss Tilney leaning on her brother’s arm, walking slowly down the street .
“Stop, stop, Mr. Thrope” she impatiently cried; “it is Miss Tilney. Stop, stop, I will get out this moment and go to them.” But Thrope did not listen to her and only lashed his horse into a brisker trot.
Later , she apologized to Henry and Eleanor for being so impolite and another meeting was arranged. They went for a walk around Beechen Cliff and discussed novels. Catherine was very delighted to find that Eleanor and Henry liked to read books as much as she did.
Early the next day Isabella told Catherine that she and James were engaged.
“Good heaven ! – my dear Isabella, what do you mean? Can you – can you really be in love with James?” The news came as a big surprise for Catherine because she did not notice anything going on between them.
John Thrope had to leave Bath for several weeks and he left with a false impression that Catherine is in love with him, even though she did not realize this.
Soon Eleanor and her father General Tilney invited Catherine to visit their home in Northanger Abbey . “Can you, in short, be prevailed to quit this scene of public triumph and oblige your friend Eleanor with your company in Gloucestershire?”
Catherine accepted the invitation delighted with having a chance of visiting a real abbey and also spending more time with Henry Tilney. Before Catherine left, Isabella told her that John was going to propose to her but Catherine asked Isabella to write an apology letter to her brother, telling that this was a misunderstanding.
Henry’s older brother, captain Frederick Tilney arrived in Bath. Isabella immediately noticed the captain and despite her engagement with James, started flirting with him. Catherine soon noticed something weird going on between Isabella and the captain. She spoke to Henry Tilney on the subject , regretting his brother’s evident partiality for Miss Thrope, and entreating him to make known her prior engagement.
“He does know it,” was Henry’s answer.
“Does he? – then why does he stay here? Why do not you persuade him to go away ?”
“Persuasion is not at command; but pardon me, if I cannot even endeavour to persuade him. I have myself told him that Miss Thrope is engaged. He knows what he is about, and must be his own master.” So Henry refused to talk to his brother because he knew that Isabella was as guilty as him.
Soon, Catherine left with the Tilney’s for Northanger Abbey. She imagined the abbey to resemble the haunted ruins of the Gothic novels she loved but Northanger Abbey actually turned out to be quite dull although due to her overactive imagination Catherine conjured up different frightening pictures about the place .
She became intrigued by the death of Henry’s and Eleanor’s mother and suspected their father, General Tilney of murdering her. She sneaked into the mother’s old chamber but discovered nothing. She was caught by Henry who guessed her thoughts and became very angry.
Catherine received a letter from her brother telling that his engagement with Isabella had been cancelled. She suspected Captain Frederick of forcing himself between them but Henry convinced her that Isabella was also as guilty as Frederick.
General started to make hints about Catherine marrying Henry. Catherine received another letter but this time from Isabel, telling that Frederick had left and asking her to apologize to James. She felt very angry and manipulated and wished that she never knew Isabella.
As General Tilney heard wrong information about Catherine’s family’s financial state, he told Eleanor to send her away.
“Ah, Catherine! How can I tell you? – Tomorrow morning is fixed for your leaving us, and not even the hour is left to your choice; the very carriage is ordered, and will be here at seven o’clock, and no servant will be offered you.”
Catherine’s family was angry with the General for being so rude but they were very glad to have her home. Suddenly, Henry arrived in Fullerton and proposed to Catherine. They decided to wait until General Tilney gives his approval . Within a few months Eleanor married a very wealthy man. Her marriage put the General in a good mood, he also found out the truth about the Morland’s financial situation which was rather moderate, and gave his approval to Henry and Catherine.
Henry and Catherine were married, the bells rang and everybody smiled.