The narrative presents Catherine's internal conflict about Morris Townsend—namely, her desire to assert herself against her father's overwhelming will—using tactile imagery and a simile referring to the debilitating effect of being crushed by a great physical weight:

The idea of a struggle with her father, of setting up her will against his own, was heavy on her soul, and it kept her formally submissive, as a great physical weight keeps us motionless.

This simile conveys the immense emotional toll exerted by Dr. Sloper's expectations on his daughter. The "great physical weight" refers to the overwhelming force of paternal authority that keeps Catherine paralyzed. Just the thought of a disagreement with Dr. Sloper prevents her from asserting her wants and needs. This tactile imagery of crushing makes the reader feel the suffocating nature of Catherine's expected obedience. In this passage, James makes readers palpably understand the immense pressure she is under.

Catherine knows that her father's decisions will make her unhappy, as they often have done before. However, the idea of “setting her will up against his own” also makes her unhappy. It’s not just a weight she can push against physically—it’s literally “heavy on her soul.” The weight she feels so strongly is the societal and familial constraints she has grown up with. Much like a physical weight that hinders movement, Dr. Sloper's domineering presence and expectations keep Catherine firmly tethered in place, preventing her from exploring her own agency and desires.

This passage’s tactile imagery is very evocative, painting a vivid picture of a young woman ensnared and encumbered by societal and familial obligations. The "weight" not only represents her father's direct influence but also symbolizes the broader societal constraints of the time. Women, particularly those of Catherine's social standing, were often denied agency by male authority figures and were expected to obey without question. By emphasizing the "motionlessness" that this weight forces on Catherine, the narrative underscores the stifling atmosphere she navigates. She is frozen in place by the weight of patriarchal expectations.