Who Isabella Thorpe is
Isabella Thorpe is a pretty, lively girl whom Catherine Morland meets in Bath. A few years older than Catherine, she talks quickly and expresses herself with great feeling. Her mother is an old school acquaintance of Mrs Allen, Catherine's companion in Bath.
What Isabella Thorpe wants
Isabella wants a good match, despite saying that she cares nothing for fortune. When James Morland falls in love with her, they begin to speak of marriage. The Thorpes take a keen interest in money and the Morland family's prospects.
Isabella Thorpe and the others in the story
Isabella and Catherine walk together, discuss young men, and share their enthusiasm for Gothic novels. She recommends books to Catherine, and their shared reading makes the friendship feel genuine. Catherine takes Isabella's affectionate words seriously, without recognizing how they serve Isabella's own wishes.
Isabella's brother, John Thorpe, also presses Catherine for attention and tries to control her plans. When Catherine's wishes conflict with hers, Isabella urges her to do what suits Isabella. Her eager affection contrasts with Eleanor Tilney's quieter friendship, which rests on steady kindness.
Questions
Who is Isabella Thorpe?
Isabella Thorpe is a young woman Catherine befriends in Bath, drawn to her lively manner and shared taste in novels.
Does Isabella Thorpe love James Morland?
Isabella speaks of marriage with James, but her interest in fortune complicates her claims of affection.
Is Isabella Thorpe a true friend to Catherine?
Isabella is not the sincere friend Catherine believes her to be. She uses affectionate language while putting her own wishes ahead of Catherine's.