Northanger Abbey Friendship Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

Catherine thought this reproach equally strange and unkind. Was it the part of a friend thus to expose her feelings to the notice of others? Isabella appeared to her ungenerous and selfish, regardless of everything but her own gratification. (13.3)

Catherine begins to spot the contradictions within Isabella's statements, which leads her in turn to start doubting how good a friend Isabella really is.

Quote #8

A few days passed away, and Catherine, though not allowing herself to suspect her friend, could not help watching her closely. The result of her observations were not agreeable. Isabella seemed an altered creature. (19.1)

Notably, Catherine beings to actually watch and observe Isabella after growing suspicious of her, and she begins to see Isabella as she really is.

Quote #9

Isabella, on hearing the particulars of the visit, gave a different explanation. "It was all pride, pride, insufferable haughtiness and pride! She had long suspected the family to be very high, and this made it certain. Such insolence of behavior as Miss Tilney's she had never heard of in her life! Not to do the honours of her house with common good-breeding! To behave to her guest with such superciliousness! - Hardly even speak to her!" (16.1)

Here Isabella "proves" her friendship to Catherine by bashing Catherine's new friend, Eleanor Tilney, who was oddly quiet during Catherine's visit to her house. Isabella's tactics place her in a worse light than Eleanor, however.