Chapter Eighteen

[kellyrfineman]

Comments

I wonder

[joannegc]

I wonder if the actress who played Catherine in the movie (I watched some of the You Tube clip you attached) had to work hard to appear so clueless. I find that aspect of the book so interesting, how Catherine was so behind the curve while Isabella was so in front of it.

Re: I wonder

[kellyrfineman]

Catherine grew up in her little town reading novels. As she tells Henry in another scene, her little town is quite different from the world of novels, and nothing much happens there. She has no experience with anyone as conniving or insincere as Isabella. At least that's my take on it. She's a true innocent out in the world for the first time.

[p_sunshine]

As much as I'd like Catherine to wake up, the fact that she doesn't, because as Tilney put so well, she can only see actions in the light of how she herself would react, makes her quite endearing.

[kellyrfineman]

It's true. I don't know about you, but when I read the novel straight through, I feel somewhat protective of her - another thing that Austen got right. It's only when I tackle it in super slo-mo like this that I start to wonder if she's just completely obtuse or what.

[kellyrfineman]

Your comment is very close to what mine was in response to the comment above yours.

[chelsearoad]

"The term sisters-in-law was not then in vogue, you see, so one's sister by marriage was just a sister. Isabella assumes that Catherine intends to marry Henry Tilney, so were she to marry his brother, Captain Tilney, they'd be sisters as well."

I never read it that way--I always thought she was doing the "Just in case Tilney doesn't propose..." protection route.

I like your interp better. Isabella is always thinking about herself and in a way that relies on things working out her way.

[kellyrfineman]

That Isabella is such a schemer.

[jessica_shea]

There's such delicious doubletalk in the scene between Isabella & Catherine. I'm not sure I realized before how often Isabella is actually talking about herself--either Morland and her own doubts or alluding to her interest in Tilney. It's so well-done!

[kellyrfineman]

Isabella is almost always talking about herself.