(This conversation will contain spoilers for the current chapters.)

R: Chapter 6 consists of an interlude between Catherine and Isabella Thorpe discussing ‘horrid’ novels and men. But it begins with a comment over a hat that Isabella had seen. She mentioned a colour that I had to look up – coquelicot, which is a poppy red. This is why reading is so important. You can learn lots of new vocabulary, even as an adult! The novels they talk about seem to be the sort that were/are considered Gothic, often frowned upon during Austen’s time. 

S: Yes! Reading does, indeed, enhance one’s vocabulary. I enjoyed this little discussion about all the books they have read or want to read. I will say, Isabella’s character began to annoy me in this chapter – she exaggerates too much and, in her mind it seems, everything is somehow overly dramatic.

R: Surprise! Isabella and Catherine’s brothers show up. Catherine’s brother James seems amiable and possibly sweet on Isabella, but I don’t care for John Thorpe at all. He’s very brash and seems self-centred. He only wants to talk about the carriage he bought and rate women’s appearances. Instead of asking Catherine, he tells her that he’s going to take her for a drive the next day, and she rightly (though only internally) questions the propriety. As an unmarried young woman, she shouldn’t be going off with an unmarried man unchaperoned.

*Also a note: Magdalen is pronounced ‘Maudlin’, which I learned from another novel about C.S. Lewis.

S: I, too, am not a fan of Mr. Thorpe. He reminds me of a mix between Mr. Wickham and Mr. Collins from Pride and Prejudice and Mr. Churchill in Emma: agreeable to young ladies (according to James), a braggart, and all his talk centres around his own musings about women and his own life. It’s possible that he is agreeable and just jokes around a lot but Catherine is not amused. 

Also, I feel for Catherine; it’s difficult to know what to say when people decide for you what they want you to do and bulldoze their choices on you then leave and expect you to follow along. 

On a happier note, I like the relationship between James and Catherine, although I’m not quite sure James came to Bath with the express purpose of just seeing his sister! That was quite a bit of assumption, albeit understandable, on Catherine’s part.

R: I agree about James and Catherine’s relationship. They appear to really enjoy one another’s company, not always true for siblings. Mr. Tinley returns! With him are his sister and a Mrs. Hughes. Austen doesn’t explain who this is – perhaps a chaperone or companion for Miss Tilney? Unfortunately, Catherine and Mr. Tilney don’t get around to having a dance together due to several near misses. And Isabella all but abandons Catherine in exchange for her brother. We are seeing that Isabella is not as good a friend as Catherine might like her to be.

S: Chapter 8 was an amusing yet difficult one to read. It’s very frustrating to go somewhere with someone you expect to be with most of the time and then be left alone because they are more interested in something or someone else. Isabella really doesn’t see how Catherine feels about her brother and Catherine, because this is her first time in any of these situations, doesn’t know exactly what to do or how to express herself. Her disappointment is palpable. 

S: Also, I have changed my mind about who Isabella reminds me of because of this chapter – Mrs. Palmer from Sense and Sensibility, particularly the way Imelda Staunton portrays her in the 1995 movie adaptation! In our previous discussion I thought Mrs. Allen reminded me of her, but more demure; not so Isabella! Her constant chatter and overdramatisation of everything is too much. I am further convinced that Isabella fancies James Morland.

S: I’m sad Catherine didn’t get to dance with Mr. Tilney or really talk with him, and I can understand her bitter disappointment. 

R: The day after the ball, Catherine is planning to see if she can meet and become better acquainted with Miss Tilney in the pump room, but Isabella’s brother shows up with his sister and Catherine’s to take the drive previously discussed. During the drive, it becomes even more obvious that Mr. Thorpe is entirely self-centred and not someone Catherine wants to spend time with. When they return, she finds that Mrs. Allen has seen Mr. and Miss Tilney, though she’s unable to convey any actual details about them. 

S: Oh, Chapter 9 was so frustrating to read and yet also enjoyable! It didn’t make me angry, it’s just I had a feeling reading it that Catherine would somehow miss Mr. and Miss Tilney because the drive was longer than she thought it would be. Isn’t that how it goes much of the time? You expect something to take a specific amount of time when in reality it takes much longer and  you miss the thing you really wanted to do. I’ve used this already, but I can’t think of a better way to describe it – it’s a bitter disappointment for Catherine. 

S: I did enjoy the beginning of the chapter as it describes Catherine’s disappointment becoming deeper and deeper and then her excited resolve upon waking. How very understandable! I am also glad Catherine has found her voice with Mr. Thorpe, although he doesn’t appear to really listen to her. He certainly does become more annoying in this chapter or, as Austen says ‘…John Thorpe himself was quite disagreeable’.

R: Finally, Catherine catches up with Mr. Tilney at another ball! She avoids John Thorpe the whole evening so that she won’t be already engaged when Mr. Tilney (hopefully) asks her to dance. Mr. Thorpe is quite put out when he discovers her dancing with Mr. Tilney, having assumed that she was to dance with him. Mr. Tilney briefly introduces Catherine to his father; and before the evening is over, Catherine has plans to take a walk with Miss Tilney the following day. I really don’t care for Isabella much; she’s almost as self-centred as her brother sometimes.

S: The beginning of this chapter was interesting and I dislike Isabella even more because it is as if she thinks she knows something Catherine is not saying. Aren’t humans like that, though? We place our own assumptions upon people because it’s how we act in certain situations. (She laughs, recognising the previous statement is, of course, an assumption…)

S: When Catherine finally runs into Miss Tilney the following day I didn’t at first know what to make of it or what to make of Miss Tilney but Austen’s assurance that Miss Tilney understands how Catherine feels about Mr. Tilney is exciting. I love how Austen comments that ‘she cannot be justified in…’ her worry about what she should wear and goes on to explain that men really don’t care and women get judgmental – it was such an amusing paragraph!

S: The conversation between Catherine and Mr. Tilney regarding dancing partners and marriage was very interesting and I feel that Austen is hinting at the possibility or probability of a misunderstanding between the two but I’m hoping not. It seems that Mr. Tilney, at least, listens to Catherine’s opinions even if he doesn’t fully understand them at first. I like the introduction of General Tilney, but I do wonder if he is a fan of his son’s attachment to Catherine. I wouldn’t put it past Austen to throw something like that into the mix!

R: That conversation comparing marriage and dancing was odd in a little different way than Catherine and Mr. Tilney’s first conversation. It seemed less humorous and more confusing to me. I do agree that I like that Mr. Tilney really listens to her. It sets him up in direct contrast to Mr. Thorpe, who never seems to listen.

S: It’ll be very interesting to see how or if Catherine continues to stand up for herself!