Katherine “Kitty” Talbot

Known throughout the novel and this guide as Kitty, she is in a difficult situation at a time when women have few options other than marrying well. At least partly because she is the oldest at 20, she takes on all the family's problems and considers herself responsible for solving them. Kitty is determined to protect her family. While this is an admirable pursuit, she becomes so caught up in the quest to find a wealthy husband that she briefly loses sight of the need to also be a good person. Once she realizes that, she makes some decisions that could negatively affect her situation but makes her feel better about herself. The fact that Kitty is willing to do that is one indication that she is an honorable person, though some readers may consider it dishonorable that Kitty is determined to marry only for money.

Kitty...