In Jane Austen’s novel Northranger Abby, Catherine Morland is quite a normal girl. Even though Austen tells her audience that Morland grows up to be a “heroine” later on in life. The young girl’s life seems to be quite happy, but it does not appear to have the greatness or struggle associated with being a heroine. Through her use of third person, direct characterization, and juxtaposition Austen shows her audience a “plain as any” young girl with her descriptions of Morland’s appearance, abilities, and tastes. Austen uses third person with her description of Morland’s parents. Her father was a “respectable man” that had “two good livings”, and her mother was a nice woman “of useful plain sense”. The qualities Morland’s parents had paint the picture of a middle class family, that functions well, although not a birthplace for heroines. If anything Morland’s “family of ten children” led to herself being in the dark and not standing out at all. Morland’s large family, in reality, hides her in normalcy.…show more content… The outward appearance of Morland was quite ordinary, “a thin awkward figure, a sallow skin without colour, dark lank hair, and strong features”. Morland’s looks were not the cause of her greatness. On the contrary, her looks helped to authenticate her normalcy. When it comes to her learning abilities, Morland was shown as “often inattentive, and occasionally stupid”. Morland struggles with subjects other than school as well, for instance, she tried to learn how to play the piano. Although, it did not go well as, “she learnt a year and could not bear it”. At this point in the opening Austen has revealed through her use of third person and direct characterization that neither Morland’s surroundings, appearance or her intelligence differ her from others around
