Notes, up to page 153

The Monster threatens Victor: "I will be with you on your wedding night!" Victor automatically assumes that the Monster is going to kill him, not another of his loved ones. The Monster doesn't want to kill Victor because...
...he cannot bring himself to kill his Creator

...he wants to make Victor suffer

...he wants to teach Victor a lesson, so that maybe he will change his mind
...they are the same person (Maybe there is no monster; maybe they are one and the same)

*Research question: Are Victor and the Monster one and the same person?
The biggest argument against this is the question of why Victor would want to kill his friends and family. But perhaps Victor is sheerly self-destructive; maybe he is trying to get rid of these people before they can hurt him. He wants to make sure that he will not be as hurt as he was by his mother's death.

so if they are the same person, who does the term "the wretch" refer to?
-on page 119, Victor calls himself a "miserable wretch" as he and Clerval begin their journey

-on page 131, the Monster threatens Victor for destroying the female creation: "I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be hateful to you" Clearly, Victor feels as wretched as the Monster does.
-After Victor is thrown into prison, he describes himself as "wretched" and "a wretch" several times. His despondency is encompassed in the repetition of the word "wretch," and he is once again relating himself to the only other wretch in the story--the Monster.
-When Victor and his father are returning to Geneva, Victor confesses: Human beings, their feelings and passions, would indeed be degraded if such a wretch as I felt pride" (145). Victor fancies himself to be a wretch and a murderer--something his father clearly does not believe. He says that he killed Justine; the Monster is enacting his wishes (in accordance with the idea that they are the same person).

Even if they are not the same person, they are definitely in a mirroring relationship. Is Victor inflecting wretchedness upon himself? If he can't be the best, perhaps he wants to be the worst. (like Satan's fall). Why would Victor want to live so wretchedly? Perhaps it is part of his belief that others can hurt him, and he is trying to protect himself from such suffering.

Notes 2/25: Frankenstein up to Vol. III

Here's a (newish) idea: If you bring up children properly, you will create a better world. Should we let children learn things on their own so that they will not be swayed by prejudices/judgments? There was an experiment done in which a man adopted two children and told them NOTHING. This was taking it a bit too far, and the children became deeply disturbed (they were not told, for example, about the dangers of fire). Thinkers like William Godwin (Mary Shelley's father) said that people learn from what they see; in the Reign of Terror, for example, the peasants had learned from the aristocrats that rulers are supposed to be brutal.


Comparing the Monster to a child:
The Monster is like a neglected child, who has never been taught anything, has never been shown any affection, and is confused about his place in the world. Victor completely abandons his Monster; the neglect thus turns his creation into a monster. This goes along with the idea that your upbringing goes a long way in shaping who you are. But at some level, there is some sort of moral choice. The Monster's behavior, for example, reflects his upbringing of neglect as well as the moral choices that he makes on his own. An example of such a moral choice would be when he framed Justine for the murder.

There is a sense of accomplishment that goes into raising "good" children. Parents can do the same things for their children but have different motives--it depends on whether or not they are looking for happiness for their children or pride for themselves. Parents can put such pressure upon their children to do well that they choose instead to rebel.

The Monster, feeling Victor's neglect, seems as if he will do anything to get his attention--even if it is negative attention. This occurs when he murders William: "You belong to my enemy--to him towards whom I have sworn eternal revenge; you shall be my first victim" (109). Although the Monster does want to kill William at this point, it was not his original intent to do so. The Monster at first was good, and at first looked to William for companionship. Because he cannot have the comfort of companionship, the Monster blames Victor for his unhappiness; he believes Victor owes him happiness.

Frankestein, end of Vol. II

How does the Monster's tale make you feel about him?
After reading the monster's tale, I just felt so terribly sorry him. I saw how he began his life as a lonely creature, unsure of what to make of the world and how to function in it. Once he understood that he was different from the humans he encountered, he was determined to learn as much as he could in order to draw upon their compassion. I respected the Monster for his determination; even after the first villagers chased him, he believed in the ultimate good of human nature. He realizes that he has no relations, that he is missing the companionship that the only man and his children have. He sadly questions his own situation: "But where were my friends and relations? No father had watched my infant days, no mother had blessed me with smiles and caresses" (91). This sense of a lost family is what drives the Monster to seek Victor; he needs someone with whom he can share his life. The Monster's innate need for love is something that I can relate to--it is a basic human emotion that everyone can understand. Thus, I feel sorry for the Monster because he has tried so hard with the family in Germany, and must now resort to begging his creator to make a mate for him.

Notes 2/23 Frankstein up to Vol. II, Ch. III

*The closer you are to someone, the more that that person can hurt you. For example, Victor so intensely loves his mother that he is deeply wounded by her death.

The poems/stories alluded to in Frankenstein:
The story of Prometheus: He gave fire to humankind. In punishment for bestowing such a powerful tool upon humans, Prometheus is chained to a mountaintop. Victor is the "modern Prometheus" because he is trying to give immortality to humans, and he will be punished accordingly.

"Rime of the Ancient Mariner": An old man tells a young wedding guest his story. His story is about this ship where an albatross flies everyday and the mariners feed it and love it. The ancient Mariner shoots this albatross, however, and calamities befall the men. They are so mad at him that they hang the albatross around his neck. The mariner realizes that he has "slimy things" inside himself and around him. In the moonlight, however, he sees the beauty in the "slimy things" and the albatross falls from his neck. The bird is a Christ-like image, who loved the mariner unconditionally. This intense love is what drives the mariner to kill the albatross. Why the crucifixion? Deep, unconditional love is really quite scary, and killing that potential love prevents the terrible fear and anxiety caused by the suffering of losing them. If you push it away first, you save yourself the heartbreak. (at least, this is the idea).

...similar message in "Alastor": In lines 129-139, the narrator (a poet) tells of a young Arab maiden he meets and later dreams about. In his dream, she is is soulmate and is about to throw herself into his arms when he wakes up. He is thus haunted and searches the world for his lost vision of love. The poet has spurned her choicest gifts; he did not want to get involved with someone who could hurt him and disappoint him. Instead, he choices the image of ideal love instead of resigning himself to real love.

Do either of these characters resemble Victor?
Well, Victor spurns nature's choicest gifts when he is in the process of creation. Simply pursuing that goal pits him against nature. Additionally, he goes through a period in which he can no longer find joy in the simple aspects of nature. He doesn't pursue relationships while in the workshop of creation. He stops writing to his father and cuts off contact with Elizabeth. Why? He is attempting to prevent Elizabeth from hurting him; he is making sure that he will not be living in a world without her.

"It was on a dreary night of November..." Victor has successfully brought his creation to life, and is overcome with horror at what he has done. He falls into the bed, and dreams a terrifying dream in which he sees Elizabeth dying and transformed into his own dead mother. He wakens with a start and sees the monster, who is trying to contact him. Victor leaps out of bed, locks up the apartment and stays outside because he never wants to see his monster again. Clerval becomes his nurse and attends to his psychotic hallucinations. Thanks to Clerval's care, Victor recovers: "In a short time I became as cheerful as before I was attacked by the fatal passion" (41). Here, Victor is once again blaming fate and its uncontrollable role within his life. Victor passively attests to being under the attack of fate. Victor is not owning up to the fact that he indulged in passion and does not take the blame for his actions. This inability to confess to his mistakes is seen again when he does not stand up to defend Justine. At this point, he has just given up and is completely controlled by his acceptance of fate.

Victor compares himself to Satan by quoting Milton's Paradise Lost: "I bore a hell within me" (64). Victor believes himself to suffer more than anyone else, and takes no notice of the fact that Elizabeth is in so much pain that she wishes to die along with Justine. This reflects Victor's ever-present desire to be the greatest--at this point, at least, he believes himself to be the greatest sufferer.

Walton vs Victor

How is Victor like/unlike Walton?

As supposed by Victor, he and Walton do share the same madness. Each man is seeking to carve his name into the history books--to achieve fame that is everlasting. The difference between the two men is that Walton is seeking a fame that, once achieved, commands respect only from those who are aware of such "conquest" expeditions. Victor, however, seeks to forever be emulated by his creation. Victor will not only command everyone's respect for being the first to create life, but he will be directly in control of the "creature" he has brought to life. Thus, Victor seeks the adoring, grateful devotion of the thing he has created. This goes even a step further than simply securing a spot for himself in the history books; Victor is actually making sure that his name will live on and be worshiped by the creature upon whom he has so kindly bestowed the gift of life. Aside from the sheer fame that Walton seeks, Victor wants unadulterated gratitude and adoration. This is made clear in Victor's description of his hopes for his creation: "A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me" (34). Obviously, Victor is searching for a feeling of total ownership; he wants an entire species to be dependent upon his superior abilities of creation. This different from Walton, whose quest for fame is not oriented upon a relationship of control.

Frankenstein, through Chapter III

Walton wants to be a poet or a discoverer. Victor wants to achieve greatness through the discoveries of science. Despite these differences, both men are thought of as "artists."

Most people think of this novel as a caution to man to not meddle with God's powers of creation.
HOWEVER, Frankenstein is really an analysis of Victor--in the 1831 version, Victor lets himself off the hook, saying that he was fated. This is not the same as fate driving Victor to do what he did; rather, Victor is too easy on himself, and believes that he was led by fate. We can therefore separate what Victor thinks about his situation versus what Shelley actually thinks. Word choice makes a HUGE difference and Victor's words are constantly being proved wrong by Shelley.
--Example: Victor's description of his childhood is full of loving parents and friends, of boundless educational opportunities, and of genuinely happy times. Interestingly enough, Victor refers to his childhood self as a happy "creature"--which is what he calls the monster he later creates.

In his studies of modern chemistry, Victor desires to do something great--perhaps as great as an alchemist who discovered how to make gold. When Victor talks to Waldman, he is overcome with the idolatry of the modern masters of science, and thus wants to be as revered as they are. Waldman transfers the fame from the alchemists to the modern scientists. Victor claims that reading of the alchemists was a fate that led to his ruin, just as his conversation with Waldman was fated to bring his demise.

Chapter III: What is Victor like in creating the monster?
Victor is overcome by a thirst for power, as well as an increasingly developing "God Complex." He knows that he is in possession of something that the wisest men have been searching for since the beginning of time. Furthermore, he is consumed by the idea that some new being would owe its creation to him: "No father could claim the gratitude of his child so completely as I deserve their's" (34). He wants his creation to worship him, to understand that they would not exist without him--he would be in complete control of the relationship. Victor also discusses his "fate" in the matter of creating the monster: he claims to have been driven by a madness and that he could not control his ability to curtail such an all-consuming process. His belief in his success drives him forward; he is exalted by it and obsessed by it. It is almost as if Victor is possessed by an obsessive-compulsive disorder. He is not worried about the outcome, but rather thinks that since he has figured everything out so far, he will be able to solve any problems in the future. This is in accordance with his ego--he is creating something because he is totally immersed in his own ego. Victor is only thinking about he can gratify himself in making the being; he has no concern with the art object itself. All of this contributes to his "workshop of filthy creation" (35).

Notes 2/18: Wuthering Heights & Frankenstein

characters at the end of Wuthering Heights:
Young Linton is a weak and sickly little guy. He is selfish and willing to do anything to keep Heathcliff from harming him (even if this involves hurting Cathy). He does come through for Cathy, however, when he unlocks the door/window so that she can escape to see her father.

Hareton at first seems to be a bit of a savage brute...but this is not his fault, as he has grown up uneducated and Heathcliff has encouraged him to run wild. Despite these setbacks, Hareton is able to form a friendship with Cathy, and they learn from each other and grow together.

Young Catherine Linton is more docile than her mother. but still seems to possess a bit of a selfish attitude. She at first assumes herself to be better than Hareton, because he is a mere servant, but she at last understands and recognizes his humanity, and thus proves her own.

Can a work take over and lead you places that you never expected to go? yes, yes yes. There is a certain level of control, but never compete control.

FRANKENSTEIN by Mary Shelley:
The narrator (Walton) is writing letters to his sister about his journey to the North Pole. He discusses his childhood, reading, and his dismay at learning that his father forbade his uncle from letting Walton travel the seas. For one year, Walton tries to become a Shakespeare or a Homer (not quite enough time). But instead of desiring to become a good poet, Walton just wants the fame of Shakespeare or Homer. He wants to be idolized, remembered--even worshiped.

One fateful day, the ship becomes surrounded by ice and the crew sees both the monster and Frankstein. They take Frankenstein on board, and somewhat restore his health. When Walton tells Frankenstein that he willing to sacrifice everything for the furthering of his "enterprise," Frankenstein cries out "Unhappy man! Do you share my madness?" Frankenstein is thus compelled to tell his story to Walton, as a cautionary tale to his quest for FAME...

Notes 2/16

Wuthering Heights in Scholarly Articles and Films
Watching different versions of Wuthering Heights and reading scholarly articles on the text have brought forth new ideas about the novel...For example, Heathcliff is compared to Frankenstein, Catherine's love for Heathliff is seen as transcendental, and the allusion to cannibalism is made clear.

Is the scholarly article a medium that is going to keep literature alive?
Well, most people are probably not going to go out and read scholarly articles just for "fun." However, these articles are not generally written for the "average" person...they are intended for "intellectuals." The people who write these articles are writing to people who have learned the same things...they are essentially writing for their own elite group.

So, how do we make scholarship relevant and humane?
The scholar would have to translate their words and ideas into ordinary English; this would ensure that they are saying something that is relevant and real. The "curtain" would continue to be parted, each level being more complicated than the next. Perhaps this would save scholarly articles...perhaps. It's a bit like going back and forth between Wikipedia and a more complex article.

Movie Versions
In the 1992 film version of Wuthering Heights, the same actress is used to play Catherine and Cathy. This emphasizes that fact that Heathcliff is completely absorbed by thoughts of Catherine and that she remains a heightened aspect of his everyday life. This also shows that interrelatedness of love and hate--he cannot stand the sight of young Cathy, and yet she reminds him of the Catherine he so fervently loves.

In Chapter XV, the confrontation between Catherine and Heathcliff (as she is on her deathbed) focuses in on the reason that Catherine chose empirical love over transcendental love. Clearly, Heathcliff is furious with Catherine for choosing Edgar; and yet, he still passionately loves her. This balance between love/hate can be shown in the movie because of the dual role played by Cathy/Catherine.

Another unique aspect of the film is the ability to see the facial expressions and non-verbal communication between the characters, something not "seen'' in the novel. The 1939 version is not as dark, and turns Catherine's death scene into something much more romantic, and we are able to forgive both characters. This version even leaves out the second volume of the novel, and thus turns the tale into a completely romantic story, taking off the dark edge.

Why would Emily Bronte want to write a dark romance?
Perhaps she is attempting to create a more realistic version of the Cinderella fairy tale. Or maybe she wants to show the possibility of having both an empirical and transcendental love; and the necessity of sharing your life/children with your empirical love while at the same time retaining a strong, unbreakable bond with your transcendental love. So, who should you marry? I would have to say I would want to marry my soulmate. A feel that any other choice would leave me with a lifetime of regret...

Should we condemn Catherine for wanting both kinds of love?
Well, she's not being fair to either man...and yet, it is easy to identify with Catherine for wanting both a soulmate and a socially stable life.

Understanding Heathcliff

Although films can never adequately represent novels, it is always worthwhile to give the movies a chance. Even if the movie is a genuine dud, it at least offers some sort of new perspective upon the original literature. In the case of Peter Kosminsky’s Wuthering Heights, the film does a fairly good job of portraying the plot and staying true to the dialogue, but it lacks the sheer depth that the novel encompasses. Even so, Kosminksky’s version does shed light upon Heathcliff’s death, a scene in the novel that we can only witness from the narrator’s limited point of view. In the film, we see Heathcliff’s death as the climactic conclusion to the complete manifestation of Catherine within his life.

The book allows for us to imagine such an overwhelming obsession only through the observations of Nelly Dean. But in the film, we are given wider access to Heathcliff’s thoughts and actions. In the film, for example, we are able to see Heathcliff dictating the letter that Linton is to send to young Cathy. As Heathcliff decides what the letter should say, his expression of longing (which goes hand in hand with the words of desire) illustrates his inability to separate Catherine from any aspect of his life. Indeed, it seems as if he is writing a letter to Catherine from Heathcliff, not to Cathy from Linton. This is different from the letter scene in the novel—here, we only learn what Nelly Dean thinks of the letters, and never actually “see” Heathcliff writing them. Thus, the scene in the film expands out understanding of Heathcliff’s complete and overwhelming obsession with Catherine.

The film also emphasizes Heathcliff’s inability to shed thoughts of Catherine by reflecting her very image in the face of her daughter. Although this goes against the novel—where Cathy shares only her forehead, eyes, and nostrils with her deceased mother— Kosminsky makes a wise choice increasing the level of likeness between the two Catherines. In fact, the parts are even played by the same actress. This aspect of the film highlights the fact that Heathcliff cannot escape his past and is continually haunted by tangible images of Catherine. The resemblance obviously has a profound effect upon Heathcliff, as we see that he cannot bear to have her in his sight.

As viewers, we share Heathcliff’s shock in confronting the uncanny resemblance between the two women, and thus share his pain in being reminded of the past. If it weren’t for their different hair colors, I would have trouble distinguishing between young Cathy and an apparition of the late Catherine. This creates an area of hazy identification, and thus serves to explain the profound effect Cathy’s presence has upon Heathcliff—severe enough, perhaps, to drive him to an earlier death. In the novel, for example, Heathcliff sneeringly tells Cathy, “Well, there is one who wont shrink from my company! By God! She’s relentless. Oh, damn it! It’s unutterably too much for flesh and blood to bear—even mine” (396). Clearly, Heathcliff is steadily reaching the point where even he must admit that the overbearing presence Catherine has within his life is taking a toll upon his ability to exist. In the film, this is emphasized by the constant presence of Cathy/Catherine, as well as in the expressions of longing and desperation upon Heathcliff’s face whenever he talks about her.

These aspects of the film (neither of which we can “see” by reading the novel) serve to enhance out understanding of Heathcliff’s death scene. In the novel, we are given only Nelly Dean’s account of how she finds Heathcliff after he has died. We are not there to witness his death, so we left to discern what we can from Nelly’s description of his open eyes, parted lips, and sneering teeth. In the movie, however, we are with Heathcliff when he dies. He enters the room as if led by the apparition of Catherine. As he opens the doors, the room floods with light, and suddenly he is embracing Catherine out on the moors. As spectators to this scene, we are able to see the driving force behind Heathcliff’s death—his desire to be with Catherine. Obviously, this idea can be conjectured from the text, but it highlighted and emphasized within the film. When Heathcliff talks about the “change” he is about to experience (in the novel) we are left to guess why that change is going to occur. After watching such a scene, and knowing that Heathcliff has been consumed with thoughts and images of Catherine since her death (as the film portrays), there is no doubt that it is the complete and total domination of Catherine within Heathcliff’s life that ultimately brings about the “change” Heathcliff experiences in his death.

Notes 2/9: Through Volume I

The relationship between Cathy and Ellen:
Ellen has grown up with Cathy, but they are not linked by a strong bond of friendship. Ellen recognizes the flaws in Cathy, and Cathy feels the need to control Ellen (as a servant).

Seeking Revenge
Cathy is not with Heathcliff because he would degrade her. Heathcliff says that Cathy should have married him, and that he will have his revenge upon Edgar for "stealing" Catherine. This will also serve to aid Heathcliff in his revenge against the higher classes of society. Additionally, Heathcliff wants to hurt Hindley for the pains he caused him in the past--particularly that Hindley was the one who so degraded Heathcliff that he could not marry Cathy. To seek his revenge on Hindley, Heathcliff makes Hindley's son hate him. He is also systematically taking Hindley's property from him through gambling and bets.

Does Heathcliff obtain bliss from inflicting pain?
Heathcliff doesn't necessarily seek the bliss from the pain; rather, he is retaliating against the wrongs he has suffered in his youth. He definitely does not want to inflict pain upon Catherine. He wants and is satisfied by his revenge, but it does not seem as if Heathcliff actually finds joy in anything.

**Heathcliff and Catherine NEED each other to survive... is that kind of love oppressive?

Notes 2/6

Chapters III-X
...We catch another glimpse of Heathcliff's past. He is crying out at the window, pleading with Cathy to come back (once more). Next, we learn much more about Heathcliff's childhood from Ellen Dean's story. Heathcliff is adopted by Mr. Earnshaw, and the family half-heartedly welcomes him. Hindley is extremely abusive to Heathcliff while Cathy becomes very attached to him. As they grow up, they face the loss of both mother and father. When Hindley returns from school, he has a wife and they are both abusive to Heathcliff. He is treated as a servant within his own "family." Cathy and Heathcliff continue to run wild, especially after Hindley's wife dies and he comes home drunk everyday. Even Hindley's own son, Hareton, is afraid of him.

Meanwhile, Cathy stays with the Lintons for awhile...and she comes back "a lady." Cathy thus befriends the Linton siblings, Edgar and Isabella. Heathcliff (jealous of the Lintons receiving Cathy's affections) does not care for Edgar--at all. The feeling is mutual, and their shared fondness for Cathy makes adds to their hatred for each other. Eventually, Edgar proposes to Cathy; she accepts, even though she knows it is the wrong decision. She says that she cannot marry Heathcliff because it would degrade her; and yet, she knows she loves him and that he is more of herself than she is. In other words, they are completely comfortable with each other, and Cathy can be herself when she is around Heathcliff. He knows her so well that she never has to explain herself, never has to be who she is not. She tells Nelly, "I am Heathcliff." Unfortunately, Heathcliff does not hear Cathy's profession of love, and he disappears into the night...After Cathy waits in the cold rain for Heathcliff to return, she gets sick. The Lintons nurse her back to health and the mother and father die. Cathy marries Edgar, and she and Nelly move to Thrushcross Grange. After three years of their marriage, Heathcliff returns. He visits the Grange, even though Edgar resents it. Surprisingly, Isabella becomes infatuated with Heathcliff. Cathy is completely against the match; she thinks Heathcliff would "devour" her.

Meanwhile, Nelly goes to visit Wuthering Heights. She finds Hareton to be a completely rugged little boy. He is raised by gamblers and alcoholics; Heathcliff teachers him to swear at his father and his father in turn beats him.

The DIRECTIONS your soul can take:
TG: society oriented; aristocratic virtue that is too narrow
WH: dark, depressing, dangerous; living in aristocratic vice
the moors: away from civilization and society; wild spirit


**Do we want a relationship with someone who is so completely like us?
Obviously, there are pros and cons to having such relationships...on the one hand, it could be a boring relationship, similar to talking to yourself all the time. In fact, it could go so far as to be suffocating. But still, there is something amazing about being with someone who is so like you that you are completely yourself when you are with that person.

**Good and bad are mixed in this novel; no person is completely good or completely bad. This results in moral ambiguity.

Notes 2/4

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Background on the Brontes...
...Emily, Charlotte, and Anne wrote under make pen names. The first reviewers thought these authors were male. Emily was later compared to Shakespeare (a female Shakespeare, interestingly enough, never mentioned by Virginia Woolf).

The First Two Chapters:
The atmosphere in these chapters is both dark and humorous at the same time. Wuthering Heights itself is a gloomy, foreboding place. The humorous aspect can be drawn from Joseph's religious fanaticism. Mr. Lockwood fancies himself a misanthrope (someone who hates other people) based upon his inability to return the feelings of a young lady whom he loved. When she returns his interest, he immediately withdraws into himself and actually starts to hate her. He humiliated her; she obviously retreated. And Mr. Lockwood thus gained the reputation of deliberate heartlessness. Loving something you can't have is a way of self-protection; if you know that your love will not be returned, you have nothing to lose...you will not get hurt if you cannot get close enough to be involved. Mr. Lockwood's obsession with Heathcliff is derived from his love of the unattainable. Heathcliff clearly seems as if he does not want to involve anyone in his life. Mr. Lockwood thus gets pleasure from being around and irritating Heathcliff.

Our impression of Heathcliff comes when Mr. Lockwood makes his first visit to Wuthering Heights. He is harsh towards his dog; his abrupt and cruel behavior is shown through his treatment of his dog(s). Heathcliff's behavior at this point seems unexplainable. As we progress through the novel, however, we discover the story of Heathcliff's depressing past...

In Chapter III:
maxillary convulsions: grinding your teeth because you are so angry; trying to keep from crying
...There is a scene where Mr. Lockwood pushes Heathcliff into maxillary convulsions.

poor Heathcliff...

...and I say poor Heathcliff because, so far, his life seems pretty wretched. As an adopted "gypsy" child, Heathcliff faces torment from his new brother Hindley from the moment he steps into the house. Heathcliff, however, bears the torture without tears; in fact, he remains a seemingly unfeeling character during the first few "chapters" of his childhood. He is hardened against the cruelties, and responds to Hindley only with cunning, non-physical threats. Now, this description thus far paints Heathcliff as a pathetic character on whom we should take unquestioning pity. As Heathcliff grows older, however, it gets more and more difficult to excuse his sullenness and general actions of rash conceit. By the time Mr. Lockwood encounters forty-something Heathcliff, the man is still handsome and in "good" health, but he is perhaps even more morose than in adolescence. He has a temper that seems quite difficult to control, and is not of the mind that guests should be spared from his oscillations between melancholy and fiery moods. Still, I feel sorry for Heathcliff...as I read on, I discover more and more reasons for his unhappiness, and can only help that Heathcliff will find some sort of consolation by the novel's end.

Notes 2/2

Julian Dibbell's "A Rape In Cyberspace"

Did Bungle commit rape?
This question initially invokes the question of whether or not Bungle is just a made-up character or and actual extension of the author. From there, we must move on to the fact the while it is a choice to be online, it is definitely not a choice to be raped. Even so, the made-up setting makes us think that these are all made-up actions, so the victims are not physically "real." And yet, even if it's not "real" the emotional investment is very similar. You can very well be traumatized by what you read and what you see. They can very well be life-altering. Additionally traumatizing is imagining the kinds of minds that come up with such material...

Furthermore, there is an emotional investment in being a character (an avatar). And when that emotional investment increases in intensity, real life and virtual reality begin to overlap and interact. Authors control the lives of characters; this is related to coming to terms with emotional investments in the virtual world

There are some things that are the same between cyber-rape and real rape, such as psychological ramifications, the emotional investment, instituting some form of punishment, and the traumatizing encounter with the human imagination (and the monstrosity of it).