Symbols

Northanger Abbey is a symbol for gothic novels. It is described to be similar to those found in many gothic novels that were popular at the time this novel was written. As Catherine rides with Henry into Northanger Abbey, it is like a transition from her world into the world of the many gothic novels that she has read; or so she thinks it is. Once she sees the Abbey and finds it disappointingly ordinary, she begins to picture it as if it were a scene from the gothic novels. Everything around her seems to be just like that of the gothic novels and she finds everything suspicious and mysterious looking in order to make it more full of excitement and adventure.  She begins to take it too far when she starts to suspect Henry’s father, General Tilney, of murder and her wild imagination begins to scare herself. In this gothic novel that she has created in her mind, Catherine views herself as the heroine who is put into all of these frightening situations. It is all fun and games until the fear that she instils on herself becomes real and she is afraid of her own imagination. It is not until she leaves Northanger Abbey that she can begin to get back to her normal life.