In the first sentence of Chapter 6 Austen clearly lays out the purpose of the chapter: "The following conversation, which took place between the two friends in the Pump-room one morning, after an acquaintance of eight or nine days, is given as a specimen of their very warm attachment, and of the delicacy, discretion, originality of thought, and literary taste which marked the reasonableness of that attachment" (Austen 27). The rest of the chapter contains a silly conversation between Catherine Morland and Isabella Thorpe.
At one point the conversation gets serious for a moment when Isabella insists her loyalty, "There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not in my nature. Mu attachments are always excessively strong" (Austen 28). She then goes on to talk about a friend of hers who is "insipid" (29).
Catherine appears very naïve in this conversation, especially when she does not grasp the reasoning behind Isabella's decision to leave immediately after the two young men. When Catherine does comment on their leaving, Isabella says, "I have no notion of treating men with such respect. That is the way to spoil them" (Austen 31).
The relationship between the two girls seems to be getting along beautifully, this author was especially happy that Catherine has found a good friend in Bath.
Gothic Novels and Young Women.
ReplyDeleteBoth girls (Catherine and Isabella) seem to have some sort of obsession with Gothic novels. Catherine even stays up all night finishing one Isabelle recommended to her. What is this about? Is there some sort of mystical realm that the women are attracted to? What is bringing them i? Whatever it must be both of them continue to recommend books to each other, and neither of them can put the novels down!
What must be important to look at is the narrator's defense of reading novels. Keep in mind, that at this time, the idea of even writing a novel just did not seem to make sense. But, Austen puts her two sense in to show her readers what she feels. Austen takes to defending her position as a writer, and to those who read novels. Novels were looked at as something the lower class read, causing people such as Austen to be frowned upon.