Life can be considered in two perspectives: the optimistic point of view and the pessimistic point of view. Or instead, how about seeing it as a chance to grow from experience, a chance to learn? Catherine Morland grew with time on her lengthy journey to self-discovery in Jane Austen's classic tale Northanger Abbey, by learning valuable lessons about society, reality as oppose to imagination, and herself. She absorbed all her incidences with pain and acceptance, and found true happiness. It took a while, but Catherine managed to succeed in a variety of different ways. She has now found her identity, just like everyone else can.
Catherine Morland was not as perceptive at the beginning of her lifelong expedition, she was not looking for anything; an innocent 17 year old could not ask for much more, when experiencing the unique cultures and excitements of a new town, away from the ordinaries of the home she already knew too well. She only began to yearn for acceptance and comradeship after the regretful isolation she felt at her first ball in Bath. However, as luck would have it, she was not lonely for long, when her brother James brought forth his fiancée, Isabella Thorpe, of which Catherine had been determined to be the best of friends with. Too shortly did their friendship end when Isabella, a person Catherine thought to be honourable and true, fell in love with Captain Tilney, leaving her brother in a bitter agony. It was an unfortunate pain that broke apart their loyalty, a pain that had been an ultimate necessity for Catherine's growth in maturity.
Catherine was not the only one who was betrayed. Later we learn that Captain Tilney discards of the "?vain coquette'", (Austen, 142) Isabella, who writes to our heroine in hope of rekindling their once intimate relationship. Catherine has already learned that her "picture perfect" fellowship with Isabella was no more than a mere illusion, a hollow security she conjured up in her mind to avoid reality.