Show what your feelings are towards Catherine and her father.

Catherine's father, Doctor Austin Sloper is the epitomizes the patriarchal figure of Jame's day. He loves his daughter, but he is also strict. Like most fathers, he's quick to criticize the young men who come calling, especially when the suitor is serious.

Catherine is raised to believe that she's of little value, has limited intelligence, and no individual choice. Girls in the mid 19th century were expected to behave in a certain way. Catherine's life was no different. Everyone wants to plan her life, make her decisions, and criticize any individuality she possesses. Her mother has died in childbirth, and her father expects nothing more than she be a good daughter, influenced by her aunts and submissive to all. But eventually, the actions of others, the betrayal of the man she loves, and the realization that she's a very smart young lady will enable Catherine to break free of the people around her.

Chapter 2/ Catherine's father tells her Aunt Lavinia what is expected of his daughter;

"Try and make a clever woman of her, Lavinia; I should like her to be a clever woman."

Mrs. Penniman, at this, looked thoughtful a moment. "My dear Austin," she then inquired, "do you think it is better to be clever than to be good?"

"Good for what?" asked the Doctor. "You are good for nothing unless you are clever."

From this assertion Mrs. Penniman saw no reason to dissent; she possibly reflected that her own great use in the world was owing to her aptitude for many things.

"Of course I wish Catherine to be good," the Doctor said next day; "but she won't be any the less virtuous for not being a fool. I am not afraid of her being wicked; she will never have the salt of malice in her character. She is as good as good bread, as the French say; but six years hence I don't want to have to compare her to good bread and butter."

Chapter 4

Father can be playful with his daughter;

"Dr. Sloper had usually a little smile, never a very big one, and with his little smile playing in his clear eyes and on his neatly-shaved lips, he looked at his daughter's crimson gown.

"Is it possible that this magnificent person is my child?" he said."

Mr. Slope's reaction to the suitor;

"The devotion was not to me," said Mrs. Penniman. "It was to Catherine; he talked to me of her."

Catherine had been listening with all her ears. "Oh, Aunt Penniman!" she exclaimed faintly.

"He is very handsome; he is very clever; he expressed himself with a great deal--a great deal of felicity," her aunt went on.

"He is in love with this regal creature, then?" the Doctor inquired humorously.

"Oh, father," cried the girl, still more faintly, devoutly thankful the carriage was dark.

"I don't know that; but he admired her dress."

Catherine did not say to herself in the dark, "My dress only?" Mrs. Penniman's announcement struck her by its richness, not by its meagreness.

"You see," said her father, "he thinks you have eighty thousand a year."

"I don't believe he thinks of that," said Mrs. Penniman; "he is too refined."

"He must be tremendously refined not to think of that!"

"Well, he is!" Catherine exclaimed, before she knew it."

I think these two quotes demonstrate that although we're talking about a stricter, more formal, and far more proper time period here, the Doctor genuinely loved his daughter........... and she basked in his adoration even if she didn't always respond to it. I love these two character; they bring a lot of emotion to the page, and although we occasionally suffer from preconceived notions.......... they are utterly charming.