Catherine’s Growth Through the Changes of Dress in Henry James’s Washington Square

Many of James’ works, as typical Bildungsromans, delve into the psychological and emotional growth of women. Growth can be manifested in many different ways. The change of vestiture is one of them. Dress can show the character’s taste, judgement towards the outside world, and more importantly, a view to an inner world. At the same time, through the change of dress, we can perceive this character’s psychological and emotional growth. So this essay will explore Catherine’s inner growth through the changes in dress from the perspective of Bildungsroman.