Northanger Part 1

   This book is very good about being nearly satirical on the elements of gothic literature. There are multiple occasions on which that this is very obvious, and several others that are a little more deeply interlined  in the novel.One of the most obvious in the early parts of the novel is that of the heroine.
   A few examples of the obvious satire is seen in the first few pages of the novel. The way Catharine is described is bluntly claimed to be nothing of the heroine type. The is described as having a novel family. A father that has a good living, a mother that has lived through the birth of many children, and about 9 siblings that are all healthy and well. Her persona is described as somewhat boy-ish at a young age, until she became a teenager then started to act more feminine. She was described by her mother as being "almost pretty". Catherine's intellect is also brought to the table. In short... she is not dumb, for she can learn things she is interested in as quickly as she likes, but does not take onto things that she does not enjoy (such as certain stories given as an example). Lastly, she does not enjoy playing music, while she does like listening to it. All of this together gives you the picture that is nearly opposite of that of Adeline. She is on almost every aspect normal. She has not one extremely admirable trait, besides the fact that she is reserved and polite (innocent) as Adaline was.
   All of these traits are completely deliberate. Catharine is supposed to be the "average reader" putting herself in the place of these mythical heroines. They let their imagination run wild and do not take into consideration the reality of the situation. I am pleased to have read something that makes note of this, and actually acquired great recognition for having done so.