Mrs. Norris...

[jenP_97 at yahoo.com]

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No: HPFGUIDX C1039
From: jenP_97
Subject: Mrs. Norris...
Date: 4/12/00 1:15 am  (ET)

Going back to our little conversation earlier about Jane Austen, I've
been skimming through _Mansfield Park_ to see if I can "conjure" (whew,
that was a bad one) up some descriptions of Austen's Mrs. Norris that
may shed some light on Rowling's character (feline, though she may be)
of the same name. Here's what I've found so far.

"As far as walking, talking, and contriving reached, she was thoroughly
benevolent, and nobody knew better how to dictate liberality to others;
but her love of money was equal to her love of directing, and she knew
quite as well how to save her own as to spend that of her friends."

"...and at Northampton was met by Mrs. Norris, who thus regaled in the
credit of being foremost to welcome her, and in the importance of leading
her into the others, and recommending her to their kindness."

"...she could hardly be said to show any sign of alarm; but she was vexed
by the manner of his return. It had left her nothing to do. Instead
of being sent for out of the room, and seeing him first, and having
to spread the happy news through the house, Sir Thomas, with a very
reasonable dependence, perhaps, on the nerves of his wife and children,
had sought no confidant but the butler, and had been following him almost
instantaneously into the drawing-room. Mrs. Norris felt herself defrauded
of an office on which she had always depended, whether his arrival or
his death were to be the thing unfolded; and was now trying to be in
a bustle without having anything to bustle about, and labouring to be
important where nothing was wanted but tranquillity and silence."

I tried looking through to find another, but it's late and my eyes
are tired. Besides, I'm sure it's not *that* fascinating. ;) Suffice
it to say that Austen's Mrs. Norris is a meddling busy-body who just
loves to get the credit for things without actually having to spend any
time/money/effort on them. She also considers herself the most important
member of the house, and knows for sure that nothing would ever be done
right if she weren't there to direct everything (of course, without
doing it herself).

Jen