Comments on: Northanger Abbey Chapters 11-14: Summary, Musings & Discussion

By: Kaye

Kaye — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:08:18 +0000

Oooh such goings on – I would love to read this one

By: Kristin

Kristin — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 18:43:23 +0000

I really enjoy your summaries of the chapters and the discussion of them as well. Mr. Tilney certainly comes out well at the end of this section :)

By: Dina

Dina — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 02:57:38 +0000

I have been enjoying reading all the posts, everyone’s thoughts are fun.

By: Janeen

Janeen — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:32:23 +0000

Just the way Jane Austen uses the English language makes me smile knowing that things weren’t too different back then…. espcially hearing the charms from the likes of a Mr. Tilney!

By: Felicia

Felicia — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 03:02:53 +0000

“Miss Morland, no one can think more highly of the understanding of women than I do. In my opinion, nature has given them so much that they never find it necessary to use more than half.” Henry and Eleanor Tilney, Chapter 14

I always laugh at this quote, but then I get the feeling I should be quite offended! ; )

By: ren

ren — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:58:51 +0000

i agree with courtney, the contrast in the brother/sister relationships (for everyone, including the thorpes) is pretty important. i think it’s significant as well that catherine and james come from a big family and that catherine didn’t even know that james would be in bath to begin with. there is a lot more distance in their relationship.

i’ve been keeping a list of my favorite quotes and love this one from this section

“A woman especially, if she have the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can.”

By: Courtney

Courtney — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:00:57 +0000

It’s interesting to contrast Henry and Eleanor’s brother-sister dynamic with James and Catherine’s. Henry’s interactions with his sister are gentle, and involve some give-and-take, whereas James participates in the “peer pressure” exerted by the Thorpes. Not exactly considerate big-brotherly behavior! I see in James a foreshadowing of Edmund Bertram–someone too easily swayed by a pretty face into doing things he ought to know are inconsiderate.