Evelina and Northanger Abbey both belong to the 18th century literature curriculum because they are good examples of how two different vehicles were used to tell a story – one “ story”, told in an epistolary manner. form and a witty, ironic narrative can completely transform the tone of a piece. On the surface, these are two novels about young women growing up in Europe in the 18th century. They are both told with humor, they both offer excellent insight into the minds of their observant female protagonists, and they both give the reader insight into the mores and customs of the time. On a deeper level, however, the differences between the two texts lie in how the story is told – and this point of comparison is where the reader can truly glean a richer, fuller view of the coming of age women in the 18th century. At first glance, Evelina is not necessarily a charade, given that both men and women often seek to take advantage of her. We often get the impression that Evelina is truly an “innocent angel and as naive as purity itself” (Burney 15), wandering among the wolves of London. Evelina's life is not her own, and letters from Lady Howard, de Villars, and others concerned, including her own father, bear witness to this. The reader will notice that those who hold authority are essentially Evelina's "puppeteers". The humorous moments of the story therefore lie in its perceptions, concise and hilarious in their honesty. Other characters are often painted in ridiculous terms. For example, she notes that Madame Duval “…tried to adjust her hairstyle, but she could not please herself at all….[Evelina] must have thought that it was impossible for a woman at that time of her life to being so picky when it comes to dressing. What [Madame...... middle of paper ......e and high society, but shift the focus from a first-person perspective (Evelina) to the more omniscient voice of the third-person narrator person (Northanger Abbey), and there are many points of comparison to be made between the two. They enrich each other, offering two perspectives on a very similar world: one character sees reality as it is, its humor, its difficulties and its dangers. The other creates their own reality, allowing their imagination to blur what might actually be the truth. Together, they offer a rich insight into the life of an 18th-century girl growing into an 18th-century woman. Works Cited Austen, Jane. Northanger Abbey. Lexington, KY: SoHo, 2010. Print. Burney, Fanny. Evelina, Or, The story of a young woman's entry into the world: authoritative text, contemporary contexts and reactions, criticism. Ed. Stewart J. Cooke. New York: WW Norton &, 1998. Print.