There is Never a Neverland

One commonality that I have seen throughout all three novels that we have covered thus far (Wieland, True History of the Kelly Gang, and Northanger Abbey) is that the story begins as the protagonist is at a place of immaturity (in some sense, at least). In Wieland, Clara is initially living at Mettingen in a state of ignorant bliss, isolated from the rest of society. A clear transformation is seen in Clara as Carwin’s trickery reeks havoc on her perfect life and she emerges from the situation with a mature grip on the imperfect reality of life and sense of hope to overcome those struggles. In True History of the Kelly Gang, although Ned may be a more independent, courageous youth than most, most would agree that his issues become more complex as he grows and learns the reality of morality and responsibility. I see similar qualities of naivete and innocence in Catherine Morland. She lived the first seventeen years of her life under the shelter of her parents. Now as a young adult, her mind is occupied with shallow thoughts of hobbies (reading, etc.), fashion, her friendship with Miss Thorpe, and her encounters with the opposite sex (she left for Bath with “her mind about as ignorant and uninformed as the female mind at seventeen usually is” (13)). She seems to float through each day, doing what she pleases, and never spending time truly reflecting on them (evidenced by her failure to keep a journal, for instance (21)). This unsuspecting innocence is what makes Catherine's character appealing to an audience our age, as we are still in this stage of immaturity (even if we aren't eager to admit it) or have just recently begun to leave it behind.

I believe that Northanger Abbey may also follow the “coming of age” story model; at some point, we will start to see a transformation, development, or maturation occur in Catherine’s character. I predict that Catherine will experience some sort of tragedy or challenge that will catalyze this change. How she reacts to this event will be what makes her the heroine that the author claims her to be.