NA/the thorpes
Posted by Katy on April 25, 1998 at 15:16:24:
In response to Northanger Abbey, written by Brigid on April 24, 1998 at 20:43:05
Funny, I never thought about the Thorpes in these terms before. I always thought they both popped out of their cradles as self-centered, selfish, greedy, and ignorant creatures. But then I guess we all do.
So there must not have been anyone to train them to a more polite, generous approach to life. They were impoverished by the death of their father at an early age, I think. Maybe economic survival has driven Mrs. Thorpe so hard that she has lost any less worldly ideas she ever had other than getting what is (ecomonically) best for herself and her children.
Maybe the entire family has long believed that their best route to economic survival was for Isabella to marry well so the mercenary marriage has become duty (as spoken by Lady Bertram. in MP).
Thinking out loud.
Katy
] I've been thinking. When I read Northanger Abbey, it seemed to me that Isabella Thorpe was led astray by her brother John. It suddenly occurred to me that it may have been the other way around! Isabella could have been a bad influence for John! What's your opinion?
Posting followups to old messages is disabled; instead go to the main index and post a new message which mentions this one.
