Catherine Morland
The novel's protagonist, a young woman with a vivid imagination.
Core Belief
"Genuine kindness and affection are the most important qualities in a person, and that honesty and sincerity are the best guides in life."
Worldview
Catherine's initial worldview is heavily influenced by Gothic novels, leading her to expect dramatic events and hidden secrets. As she gains experience, she learns to appreciate the value of ordinary life and to temper her imagination with reason and observation.
Personality
Catherine is initially naive and unrefined, with a penchant for Gothic novels that shapes her perception of the world. She is good-natured, affectionate, and eager to learn, but also prone to flights of fancy and misinterpretations of social cues. Throughout the story, she matures and learns to distinguish between reality and fiction.
In Their Own Words
"“Oh! I would not tell you what is behind the black veil for the world! are not you wild to know?”"
"“I think you must like Udolpho, if you were to read it; it is so very interesting.”"
"“I have always lived there, and always been very happy. But certainly there is much more sameness in a country life than in a Bath life. One day in the country is exactly like another.”"
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