Number 12

 12. - Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen

I like this one the least; while I like the story itself, I find the writing hard to follow and stay engaged.  It meanders quite a bit.  I know it was her response to the criticism of novel reading, particularly as done by girls, and how that was considered to be frivolous and dangerous, to weaken the female mind.  Catherine Morland (and Eleanor Tilney) defend novels, having also read serious works such as history (written by men), much of which must have been created by the authors, since there isn't really any way of being certain what was said by historical figures at all times.  There must have been creative license taken with what was said, even in "serious" history, and this is generally accepted as being known.  And why are wars and politics more important to know than human behavior, which affects our lives more intimately, and regularly?  (Which also brings to mind the scene in "Persuasion" in the conversation between Captain Harville and Miss Elliot, where he argues that all literature, histories, poems, etc, are against women in terms of who feels the most, the most pain in parting.  To which Miss Elliot replies, "But they were all written by men.")  And a woman's reference to the wider world was always through the interpretation of men: their feelings, and what they believe is important to know.

And in spite of Catherine Morland being referred to as "scatter-brained" by others, she's a strong character, (her refusal to give into the persuasion, badgering, demanding, guilt-tripping, flattery, etc, by the Isabella and John, and even her own brother James, on the plan to go to Blaize Castle when she had already promised to spend the day with Eleanor and Henry Tilney.  Even reversing the underhanded maneuvering of John Thorpe telling Eleanor that Catherine needed to change plans, even though it wasn't true.) And mostly solid in her reading of others: her dislike of John Thorpe, her seeing through Isabella Thorpe's false affection (and affectations), her wariness of Captain Tilney's attentions of Isabella, her trust of Eleanor.  She was only mistaken briefly in her feelings toward General Tilney's attention toward her because of her attraction to Henry, and wishing to be liked and accepted by his family.

If I get around to reading "Sense and Sensibility," I might talk about Isabella Thorpe more, as well as Lucy Steele.  And the thing is, Mrs. Thorpe is no more maneuvering than Mrs. Bennet (in "Pride and Prejudice") in the attempts to marry her daughters off to wealthy men in order to save them from a life of poverty.  We just identify positively with the Bennets because they are the protagonists, and the Thorpes are not.  And in "Sense and Sensibility" Eleanor Dashwood is as much as a villain as Lucy Steele, after all, who's stealing from whom?  If anything, society as a whole is the villain for putting women in a desperate situation of scarcity with no other remedy.  (And Edward Ferras for being so spineless.  Which does make one wonder about Jane Austen's view of men in general. Mr. Knightley in "Emma" and kinda' Henry Tilney in "Northanger Abbey" being the notable exceptions.)