To what extent were Godfrey's thoughts and fears perfectly natural?

I'm not sure exactly what you're referring to. Godfrey is a pretty normal guy, except for the fact that he's got money. The fact that he's selfish and self-serving can't be ignored, but Godfrey also has secret reasons for the man he has become. He's afraid of his father, but even more afraid of being disinherited for his youthful mistakes. He married his first wife in secret.... her drug addiction ruined their relationship, and he didn't trust his family enough to understand what had happened. He has his mistakes.... something many of us do, and his life was difficult because of it. He opened himself up to blackmail.... he was weak..... he gave up his daughter, and in the end, he couldn't take any of it back. I don't see Godfrey's actions as any different from many people I know. He was afraid of what people would think and lived his life with that fear..... that's a pretty natural response.