Analysis of Jane Austen’s role in the novel Northanger Abbey
Concealment of Truth
In her gothic novel Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen places her naïve and innocent protagonist, Catherine, in a superficial and socially corrupted environment in order to show Catherine’s ability to recognize the in-authenticity of the characters around her, leading to create her own happy ending. The various encounters Catherine experiences with these shallow characters, with emphasis on female acquaintance Isabella, serve as motivation to grow into her own person, and to decipher what is real in the midst of meaninglessness settings.
The juxtaposition of the innocent Catherine as the protagonist with Isabella Thorpe as the money-seeking and unremorseful so-called “friend” as one of the main characters is significant in that it reveals Austen’s deviation from the traditional depiction of a heroine. While some critics might argue that Catherine’s naivety labels her as weak and socially defeated in this corrupt environment, another take on it opposes the notion that her innocence works against her, but rather serves as an additional contribution in her ability to form an independent interpretation of the various frustrating situations she encounters. Isabella is a social depiction of a heroine in training, which is a reflection of who Catherine is expected to become. Catherine initially views Isabella as a selfless and genuine character, but soon is awakened with reality. One of many indications of Isabella’s portrayal of a typical heroine is her desperate and incessant thirst for a higher class rank. During the process of her quest in achieving higher class through the marriage of Catherine’s brother, James, Isabella becomes unimpressed and eventually calls off the engagement once she realizes he does not satisfy her financial expectations. Catherine’s receptiveness to this newfound “intimate” friendship with Isabella eventually backfires. She receives a letter from Isabella justifying her sudden break off with her engagement to James. Catherine’s reaction to this shallow and heartless letter is the first indication of her realizing the superficial truth behind who she allegedly thought to be genuine:
So much for Isabella…and for all our intimacy! She must think me an idiot, or she could not have written so; but perhaps this has served to make her character better known to me than mine is to her. I see what she has been about. She is a vain coquette, and her tricks have not answered. I do not believe she had any regard either for James or for me, and I wish I had never known her (Austen 150).
Catherine’s frustrated response to Isabella’s absurd letter is the turning point for the process of finding her voice. Catherine finally realizes the shallow way of thinking this so-called friend of hers has actually had the entire time. This moment is the beginning of her ability to see the realities of the person she does not want to become. Catherine’s adapted awareness to her current superficial environment is especially significant during this point in the novel because it allows her to not succumb to the superficial influences around her. Catherine rises above the meaninglessness of her surroundings by maintaining her own moral standards, and it is through the unsuccessful manipulation of Isabella Thorpe in writing this letter that Catherine officially deviates from what she thought to be a genuine form of a heroine. Isabella’s unwillingness to explain herself directly to James resonates with Catherine which contributes to her successful development of self independence. The fact that Isabella avoids direct contact with James in confessing her “true” feelings towards him reveals the character traits in which Catherine refuses to acquire.
Isabella’s act of creating this persona of a high class female is significant in that she so eagerly represses her lower-class financial status in order to fit into a typical depiction of a heroine. This act of social repression keeps others around her convinced that she is so much more financially privileged than she actually is. Isabella’s self-flattery comes into play during social gatherings when Mrs. Allen and she discuss the value of their hats, implying that they are of higher financial status without explicitly stating it. Isabella creates this fake exterior for herself in order for others to perceive her as worthy of upper-class expectations. Isabella becomes a product of her environment since she has been taught nothing other than to conceal her lower-class rank in order to come off worthy of lavish possessions. Isabella’s hope of not just obtaining her “wealth,” but exceeding an adequate social class, is driven from the lessons she has been taught throughout her life. The ways in which she so desperately strives to fit into this admirable form of being reveals a lot about the meaninglessness of not only her character, but the environment that influences her shallow tendencies.
Isabella’s fabrication of self along with her ulterior motive in potentially marrying the man she “loves” is not the only concealment of truth present in this gothic novel that shocks Catherine. Not only does Northanger Abbey contain characters who conceal their true selves, the settings contain objects that these characters repress as well. These repressed objects suggest a higher level of significance than what they actually contain, which eventually leads Catherine to cease hope of ever finding meaning within this materialistic world. The correlation of repressed individuals with repressed objects is significant in that it reveals the importance of their affiliation. Catherine faces disappointment with not only meaningless people, but meaningless objects that have been repressed in order to conceal their in-authenticity.
When Catherine ventures to Northanger Abbey she is convinced to have come by something so remarkable that it provokes eerie assumptions as to what it might entail. She becomes determined to solve the mystery of what a Japanese cabinet in a room at Northanger may contain, though is let down with a dull truth. Catherine comes to discover that this Japanese cabinet contains nothing other than washing bills. She comes face to face with another disappointing reality of what she had hoped to be authentic. This dissatisfaction with the outcome of Catherine’s discovery continues in her deviation from this meaningless environment. As a result of her achievement in discovering truth, Catherine’s vulnerability of hoping to find something extravagant transforms into a lessoned learned. She puts an end to the assumption that this world of materialism actually contains any source of meaning, and helps her realize the kind of person she aspires to be. However, her initial vulnerability is not to be mistaken for ignorance in the sense that her ongoing hope eventually leads to her self-revelation.
Laura Baudot further elaborates on the significance of Catherine’s discovery of the washing bills as she states “before reading the contents of the Japan cabinet, Catherine reads the cabinet itself, in this way illustrating its function in the novel as an exploration of the relationship between the literary imagination and the material world” (Baudot 20). Catherine’s genuine character facing meaningless truths is symbolic of the social norm entering a society of corruption. Catherine’s character serves as an outsider’s perspective in that she is unfamiliar with this materialistic obsessed environment, and is left to find out the reality of it all through her own experiences. The reader is taken by the hands of Austen alongside Catherine as she lives these disappointing encounters, the Japanese cabinet being one of the most significant and impactful particularly due to Catherine’s far-fetched theory. Just as Catherine initially only sees the exterior character of Isabella, she only sees what is outside this Japanese cabinet as well. The seemingly significant and meaningful exteriority of the Japanese cabinet at Northanger enhances Catherine’s interpretation of what lies inside, just as it did with Isabella. The contrast between Catherine’s assumption of what is hidden, and the actual truth is revealed through the Japanese cabinet. Baudot effectively elaborates on the notion that this repression is inevitable and is present throughout the entire novel by analyzing the exteriority of the Japanese cabinet. She expands on the ways in which this cabinet is presented in that its fancy exteriority fools Catherine into believing its depth is of significant meaning.
Baudot’s detailed analysis of the paint on the outside of this cabinet reveals the act of replacing meaninglessness with a deceptive disguise as she states, “The black lacquered surface of the cabinet reproduces the look of ebony. Similarly, the yellow painted on the lacquer surface has the ‘effect’ of gold. The presence of a Japan cabinet in an English bedroom also suggests a superficial exoticism” (Baudot 20). This act of repression disguised with exotic decorations is just another way of concealing a dull truth. Baudot validates the falsehood of this deceitful artifact by stressing the importance of the paint on this Japanese cabinet with relation to the characters who pose as something they are not. Her elaboration on the quality of paint is an indication of the concealment of in-authenticity. The substitution of high quality exterior with fake décor is indicative of the characters’ desperate yearn for attention on account of in-authenticity. The replacement of ebony with black lacquer indicates illegitimacy disguised with generic substitutions. The effect of gold due to the yellow paint over this lacquered surface additionally signifies the will to prove a false reality. The fact that this exotic foreign Japanese inspired cabinet is thrown into a commonplace setting proves these characters’ attempts to fool the unfamiliar.
These materialistic characters are products of their environment in that have become accustomed to the idea of concealing their less exciting self. As a result of these characters’ upbringing, they constantly make a point to attract those unaware of their reality and affiliate themselves with objects of this same concept. Social repression has become the norm for the lives of these superficial individuals because without it, the outside world’s perception of these characters would plummet, crushing the pride and egos of these fake individuals. Reality continues to be masked with materialism in order to appeal to others as authentic and meaningful. Each revealed element of repression leads to more disappointment through Catherine’s eyes. This collaborative scheme of repressed objects and settings is a reflection of the emptiness within this superficial world. It is a society consumed with nothing other than to flaunt themselves as financially and socially dominant over the average individual. These characters validate themselves through the process of self repression and the determination to keep moving up financially and socially, in hopes of earning praise from average or lower-class ranks.
Austen incorporates this mysterious cabinet along with its correspondence to these repressed characters in order to portray this world as offering no meaning for Catherine. Catherine’s constant encounters with the in-authenticity and meaninglessness of the people within this social circle as well as the objects they affiliate with, drives her to realize she in no way intends to acquire their characteristics. Her search for meaning is let down in this process, but validates her own perception and mentality as genuine. She finally feels as if her stable mentality has dominance above all in this world of meaninglessness, therefore enables her to create a legitimate life for herself. Catherine’s initial receptivity to these social standards in order to fit in as a heroine only lasts for so long until she deviates from this materialistic world. She then executes her desire to create her own happy ending once she realizes the reality of this corrupt environment along with the superficiality of these characters.
As a result of Catherine’s perpetual disappointments with the people and settings around her, she moves forward in using her experiences as motivation to create her own happy ending. Joanne Cordon argues “Catherine’s divergence from the cultural ideal is precisely what allows her to make a life consonant with her own feelings and experiences” (Cordon 59). This observation supports the idea that Catherine’s newfound validation of self as a result of her experience at Northanger Abbey enables her to move forward in creating a life of authenticity.
Although Catherine’s awareness of the perpetual meaningless encounters with superficiality leads her to take on different path, many assume she remains naïve and clueless while being taken advantage of by the manipulative influences around her. Susan Zlotnick argues, “The washing-bill is both a joke and a genuine uncanny artifact, indexing what Catherine continually represses: the economic motivations that haunt her courtship plot” (Zlotnick 276). The argument that Zlotnick attempts to incline the readers with the notion of Catherine repressing her own fears of economic motivations that haunt her courtship plot, or happy ending, does not support the obvious: Catherine’s immense curiosity. Catherine’s continuous search for something meaningful other than a world of materialism and posers who conceal their own reality with fake glitz empowers her as a strong woman archetype thirsty for meaning. Without Catherine’s determination to unlock what is hidden with hopes of finding meaning, her final motivation in pursuing another life would be nonexistent. Her self-motivation is ultimately what leads her into a different direction. Had Catherine developed this habit of hiding her true self, she would be falling under the same category as her peers, repressing the truth while finding acceptance in concealing reality with deceit. The fact that Catherine does not adapt to the corrupt ways of thinking along with the materialistic values that these characters around her center their lives around, says a lot about her independent characteristics. Her curiosity and willingness to keep searching for meaning indicates her firm desire to set a higher standard for her own life, which in no way involves repressing reality. Whether or not critics like Zlotnick classify Catherine’s discovery of washing bills as a joke, Catherine has the last laugh. The ways in which Catherine improves herself after a series of foolish discoveries are what lead to her journey of self-fulfillment, during the same time these superficial characters remain intellectually stagnant with little hope of improvement. The fact that these characters protect possessions that have no meaning in order to come off higher in importance is the real joke. Each time Catherine peels off a new layer of this world of materialism, she uncovers aspects of truth in a life she sees no fit. Furthermore, Catherine is able to set the bar for herself in creating her own meaning.
With consideration to her dissatisfying environment, Catherine is able to apply her realizations and experiences to her own life in creating meaning. Catherine’s marriage to her love Henry is significant because even though his father disapproved of their relationship, she fought for her undeniable genuine feelings. Her legitimate love for Henry is what sets her apart from the others. Her determination in marrying him was derived from nothing other than pure love. Though Catherine had the option of marrying Isabella’s brother, John, she walked away knowing that his money was not going to fulfill her need for genuine meaning. Catherine did not let Henry’s father, General Tilney, interfere with her determination in marrying his son. The General’s weak perception of Catherine due to her financial inadequacy drives him to put an end to their relationship, but Catherine knows better than to walk away from true feelings at this point.
Catherine’s validation of self, and adapted motivation to create a life of higher meaning separate from the surface level environment and characters she has faced in Northanger, reveals her strong will and awareness of the meaninglessness around her. Catherine’s ability to take all of her encounters with superficiality and materialism and apply the lessons she has learned as a result of these perpetual disappointments shows how smart she really is. She is indeed fully aware of the person she does not want to come. Her own independent mentality is validated through the realization of the fake elements around her. Catherine’s deviation from this meaningless environment full of repressed objects and people indicates her knowledge of reality, and helps her create meaning of her own.
Works Cited
Austen, Jane. Northanger Abbey. Ed. Susan Fraiman. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2004. Print.
Baudot, Laura. “Nothing Really in It: Gothic Interiors and the Externals of the Courtship Plot in Northanger Abbey.” Eighteenth Century Fiction 24.2 (2011-12): 325-352. Web. 28 April. 2014.
Cordon, Joanne. “Speaking Up for Catherine Morland: Cixous and the Feminist Heroine.”
32.3 (2011): 41-63. Web. 28 April. 2014.
Zlotnick, Susan. “From Involuntary Object to Voluntary Spy: Female Agency, Novels, and the Marketplace in Northanger Abbey.” 41.3 (2009): 276-288. Web. 28 April. 2014.