Northanger Abbey

In Northanger Abbey, the style of speech each character uses is often an important element of their characterization. How do characters reveal their personality, motives, and even flaws through their speech? Choose a character and analyze how their speech reveals important aspects of who they really are.

Catherine unapologetically loves gothic novels, which exercise an enormous influence on how she sees the world. Examine how gothic elements work in the novel. How does Austen satirize some of the tropes associated with the genre, and why does she do so? How does Catherine’s relationship with the gothic change over the course of the novel?

Truth and sincerity play important roles in the relationships between characters. Some characters value truth and sincerity very little, and some quite a lot. How do problems with sincerity and truth advance the novel’s plot and inform aspects of characterization?